Welcome to this week’s Sunday Briefing. In this issue, you’ll learn about LetHub, dive into a discussion with Coast Salish Chiefs, consider how to craft community, and plenty more.

-James, @jimmermatthews

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These are the local 2023 Technology Impact Award nominees

BC Tech, the largest member-led tech non-profit in the province, has announced the finalists for its 2023 Technology Impact Awards (TIAs). A trio hail from Victoria. Let’s meet ‘em.

Company of the year: startup | presented in partnership with Microsoft

• Origen Air

  • Learn more: Origen Air closes $1.5 million seed round

  • Learn even more: Susan Blanchet comes clean

• VoxCell BioInnovations

  • Learn more: $100K for VoxCell’s Karolina Valente

In addition to being nominated in the same category for this year’s TIAs, Blanchet and Valente both featured in StemStruck: the women in STEM fundraiser presented by Women’s Equity Lab (WEL) in support of Island Women in Science and Technology (iWIST).

Gamechanger: climate leadership | presented in partnership with MDA

• Audette

  • Learn more: Audette raises CAD $12.8 million to decarbonize buildings

Three Victoria-based companies were also finalists in last year’s TIAs. The competition — one of the provincial tech calendar’s most prestigious — covers nine different categories, and highlights the companies and individuals that have achieved exceptional success in the past year.

“This year marks a big milestone for BC Tech, as we celebrate our 30th anniversary alongside the companies who have made it their mission to make B.C. the best place to grow and scale a tech company,” shared Jill Tipping, CEO of BC Tech. “It is exciting to see the impact that technology is having across industries and on the future of B.C.’s economy.”

On Wednesday, we asked — what are your thoughts on AI? Turns out most of you are bullish on the tech. The leading vote-winner was the statement that AI will revolutionize every industry, at 48 percent.

We’re also wondering:

🏙️ Community catchup, powered by VIATEC

LetHub is a proptech startup that provides an intelligent leasing automation platform for property managers, which uses AI to augment and streamline day-to-day work. CEO and founder Faizan Ali Khan is a three-time entrepreneur. Originally from Pakistan, he’s quickly built a diverse team that has gained rapid market adoption.

In June 2022, the company was one of a trio of Victoria-based outfits funded by Sprout.vc: a seed-stage venture and mentor capital firm with a Western Canadian focus. It’s also in the portfolio of local firm, Cindicates. Speaking of awards — the topic of this week’s newsletter — LetHub and Ali Khan featured in the top 10 of the New Ventures BC 2021 competition.

📰 More Victoria innovation news

💰 Secure the bag: WEL’s Manitoba chapter secured a provincial exemption order from The Manitoba Securities Commission, allowing non-accredited investors to join its early-stage venture fund and establishing the province's first hybrid, early-stage, all-female investment fund.

🚶 Walk the talk: Dallas Gislason, director of economic development for SIPP (and the COO of COAST), told the story of a 2016 meeting with Coast Salish Chiefs that was a “watershed moment” in SIPP's formation.

🤝 Grow the network: John Austin, the COO SureSwift, was interviewed for the firm’s blog about creating community in Victoria.

🦸 Assemble the alliance: Innovation Island and VIATEC are among the alliance of not-for-profit innovation hubs known as BC’s Technology Ecosystems Network (BCTEN).

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🕴️ Tech jobs of the week

Find your next career:

• Sales and Marketing Administrator at Inclusion System

• Senior Full Stack Web Developer at Animkikii

• Customer Success Specialist at SilkStart

• Proposal Specialist at Quartech

• Marketing Manager at RightMetric

Hiring in Victoria? Reply to this email and let us know!

📅 Upcoming events

June 27: OpenHack Victoria 10 Year Anniversary!

July 6: “Hey Snowflake! OK Boomer” by Engaged HR

July 6: COAST Talks: Sea to Shore – Blue Tech Solutions to Coastal Challenges

Have an upcoming event? Reply to let us know.

🙋 I need a…

We at Victoria Tech Journal know you, our community, pretty well. Are you searching for someone in your field to have coffee with, a hiring hookup, a lead on local investors, or suggestion for a great Victoria tech tool? Whatever you’re hunting for, let us know. We’ll post it in this section and make it happen.

Email your requests to [email protected].