Three months after closing a pre-seed investment round, Vancouver fintech startup Blossom publicly launched on the App Store in May. The social network for retail investors, the first of its kind available to Canadians, received its pre-seed investment round from Pareto Holdings, a venture fund co-founded by Shutterstock founder Jon Oringer. The BC fintech has since raised an additional $750,000, […]
Vancouver’s Addy Breaks Down Real Estate Crowdfunding for Canadians in Video Series
For decades, Canadian real estate proven itself to be a remarkable investment. However, it’s also been an increasingly difficult investment to get into. In recent years, technology-forward real estate startups like Addy Invest have launched to lower the barrier to access for everyday Canadians to grab their slice of the real estate pie—including me. Example: […]
4 BC Tech Startups Getting Serious This Year
Once a startup has blossomed through seed funding, it may seek additional capital to reach the next stage of scale and growth. This can be an exciting time for everyone involved: a startup hasn’t necessarily proven itself yet, but the potential and surrounding interest can generate some powerful energy—it’s also a phase where many startups […]
TELUS Acquires WillowTree, Solidifying US Tech Firm’s Foothold in Vancouver
Vancouver’s Telus International has acquired WillowTree, full-service digital product provider focused on end user experiences, such as native mobile applications and unified web interfaces. WillowTree—valued at $1.2 billion in the transaction—is a US company that had already expanded to Vancouver prior to Telus’ acquisition. The acquisition is anticipated to close in January 2023. “We are excited […]
How Surrey is Quietly Becoming Its Own Tech Hub in BC
In 2013, a collaboration between the City of Surrey, Simon Fraser University, and Fraser Health led to Innovation Boulevard. The initiative is aimed at fostering an environment of innovation and to add economic and social value for these organizations and the larger community. Since then, City Centre has taken a life of its own with private sector […]
6 Early-Stage BC Tech Startups Ready to Grow
Seed rounds can prove pivotal milestones for startups. Until that first rush of capital, startups are typically bootstrapped, often operating lean on shoestring budgets with a short runway leading to a steep cliff. Lack of financial and related support—such as the wisdom and expertise good investors can supply—marks a big reason why the vast majority […]
44 Charging Stations Added Along on Future ‘Electric Highway’ of BC
The CleanBC Go Electric Public Charger Program aims to increase the number of public direct-current fast-charger stations throughout BC in order to support the growing number of EVs on the road. The latest expansion saw 44 stations added across 14 communities throughout the province, including in Vancouver, Richmond, and Coquitlam, as well as on the […]
Vancouver AI Startup Durable Lets People Launch, Manage a Business Within Seconds
A serial entrepreneur and designer have co-launched a startup in Vancouver that leverages artificial intelligence to help users create and manage their own business. Durable is the brainchild of Vancouverites Ross Howard-Jones, James Clift, and Helio Bentes. Howard-Jones is a longtime designer with stints at Bench and Shopify, while Clift has been an entrepreneur since high […]
Vancouver Fintech Startup Adds Excitement to Savings Account with Weekly Prizes
Two Vancouver entrepreneurs have launched a financial technology startup. Ever.ca was cofounded by Jeremy Kuo and Brandon Wang. Kuo has a background in startups and investing, including a recent stint at Stonks, while Wang is a social media influencer with experience at Google, Dell, and more. The duo have received early interest in their fledging […]
Vancouver Fintech Offers CEBA Refinancing Playbook for Lenders, Small Business
Amidst a backdrop of inflation and possible recession on the horizon, a coming “CEBA Tsunami” represents a $15 billion opportunity for community lenders to help get capital in the hands of small businesses, according to a study by JUDI.AI and Angus Reid. To commemorate BDC’s Small Business Week, Vancouver-based fintech JUDI.AI partnered with Angus Reid to […]