Welcome to this week’s Sunday Briefing. In this issue:

• Victoria-based LlamaZOO acquired by KPMG

• Island ventures fighting to stay in the New Ventures BC competition

• TEDxVictoria and other key events to check out this June

Now on to today’s briefing.

-Emily, [email protected] 

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Island startups vie for spot in B.C.’s top 25

While the spotlight often shines on Vancouver in the New Ventures BC Competition, several Vancouver Island startups are quietly making waves in this year’s 25th annual event. Among the 27 companies selected for the Round 2.5 pitch event is Revyn Medical Technologies, based in Victoria, and SmartParent Mobile Health, operating out of North Saanich. These Island-based ventures now have the chance to join the prestigious Top 25, vying for their share of over $250,000 in cash and prizes.

The competition, presented by Innovate BC, is one of the province’s most recognized platforms for emerging tech companies. It provides early-stage ventures with mentorship, exposure, and access to a province-wide network of investors and experts. Out of 199 participants in Round 2, only 15 moved directly to Round 3. A group of 27—including Revyn and SmartParent—will pitch live on June 18 for one of the ten remaining spots.

Although the Lower Mainland continues to dominate numerically, the presence of Island ventures in the mix highlights the growing strength and diversity of B.C.'s innovation economy. Revyn and SmartParent exemplify how Vancouver Island companies are carving out competitive niches in the province’s tech landscape.

SPONSORED BY ISLAND WOMEN IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

iWIST 2025 scholarships

Redbrick Woman of Impact: $5000 - You showcase your STEM focused potential to drive impactful change, balancing purpose with profit in your actions.

Shift Woman of Innovation: $5000 - You are forward-thinking, finding ways through computer science and software development to increase accessibility and inclusivity.

iWIST Women in STEM Scholarship: $3000 - From developing vaccines to building ethical Al, your goal is to apply your STEM education to make the world better.

Applications are open until June 15 at 11:59pm PST. Visit the website or sign up via the QR code above.

📰 More Victoria innovation news

🎥 Say goodbye to Hollywood: Vancouver Island South Film Commissioner Tara-Lee Novak joined the Chamber Chats podcast to discuss the positive impact of the Island’s film sector.

🤝 We’re all in this together: Island tech companies were in Vancouver for Web Summit, one of the continent’s largest tech gatherings.

🐯 It’s all happening at the zoo: KMPG has acquired Llamazoo, a Victoria-based company specializing in digital twins. Llamazoo’s team will work out of KPMG's Victoria office.

SPONSORED BY REED POPE

Reed Pope is a leading business law firm with longstanding ties to the Victoria tech sector, advising local start-ups, emerging companies, and investors on entity formation and structuring, financings, M&A transactions, and general corporate matters.

🕴️ Tech jobs of the week

Find your next career:

• Product technician at Iris Dynamics

• Senior systems administrator at SSI CA

• Business intelligence data engineer at Blastworks

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

SPONSORED BY ACERA INSURANCE

Tech startups are unique — their insurance should be, too. Acera Insurance delivers tailored coverage and proactive risk management to help businesses navigate an ever-changing tech landscape. Contact Acera for more information.

📅 Upcoming events 

June 6 | UVic & Bombardier: Experimental BWB Flight Test Program

This talk will spotlight how autonomous, subscale aircraft are being used as powerful tools for flight testing and design evaluation. You'll get a behind-the-scenes look at cutting-edge experimental programs—including flight tests of Blended Wing Body configurations—that are transforming how we gather performance data, evaluate handling qualities, and refine designs before building full-scale aircraft.

June 10 | TEDxVictoria 2025 | Ripples

TEDxVictoria brings together inspiring speakers, community organizations, businesses, and passionate individuals to share exceptional ideas that can transform into waves of global impact. Hosted at the historic McPherson Playhouse in downtown Victoria, TEDxVictoria is a full-day event featuring talks, performances, and community exhibitions.

June 12 | Victoria Tech Nachos

Victoria Tech Nachos is a covert group at the intersection of nachos and technology. It bills itself as a no-speaker, social-only, no-sponsor, nacho-friendly event.

Have an upcoming event? Reply to let us know.

Have something or someone we should know about?

Reply or email [email protected] so we can work together to spotlight the lesser-known stories of Victoria's tech ecosystem.