Founder, innovator, business enthusiast? You’re invited.

Plus, dive into a Victoria tech community for HR pros.

Author

James Matthews
April 30, 2023

Welcome to this week’s Sunday Briefing. In this issue, learn about the local organization that's helping HR professionals be at their best, celebrate some climate victories, meet the Canadian cleantech leader who calls Victoria home, and plenty more.

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Breaking down Victoria’s entrepreneurial barriers, once and for all

There’s an open secret in Victoria’s entrepreneurial community. While it’s not explicitly exclusionary, different social circles have formed amongst founders, and it can be difficult for newcomers to figure out where they belong. Add to the equation a generation of newly-remote workers who are looking for human-to-human connection amid economic headwinds, and you have a perfect storm for a desire to build inclusive communities of support.

Thankfully, the sun is finally coming out in Victoria, and it’s inspired a group of organizers to settle things once and for all: to invite everyone to a weeklong series of community-organized events in the city, this coming May 29 - June 2 at Scale YYJ.

One part of the challenge is that there exists a thriving tech community, but not everyone sees themselves as a tech entrepreneur. Tech-enabled businesses, such as e-commerce brands, may shy away from the label, even if they actively use tech tools to power their business.

“I'm part of a few groups where, when tech events come up, I've had a few fellow operators and founders say things like, ‘Oh, well, my company's not really a tech company. So I never really feel like I'm part of that [event], or that I should be part of that [event]’,” said Nadia Tatlow, CEO of Shift, a software company that manages browser workflows.

Read staff writer Allison Gacad's full feature in our Scaleup Story Series, supported by VIATEC.

🏙️ Community catchup, powered by VIATEC

PeopleOps is a Victoria-based community that’s centered around professional development, sharing, and social connection. The organization unites HR professionals to share experiences, exchange resources, and learn from others in the community, all in confidence.

PeopleOps was founded by Christina Gerow (née Seargeant) when she was working for cloud software company Workday. Her career has blossomed in parallel with the HR community she helped grow. Now, Gerow is a chief of staff with Microsoft while still leading PeopleOps, and the organization counts local leaders Locelle, Checkfront, and Trulioo among its member roster.

“Our membership is shaping our industry to be the best, most innovative group of companies the Pacific Northwest has ever seen,” the organization says.

📰 More Victoria innovation news

🌎 Dubs for earth: Joanna Buczkowska-McCumber, principal sustainability strategy consultant at Ideas for Impact Sustainability Agency, celebrated green victories this season in her organization’s newsletter: Sustainability wins for the planet this spring

💰 Three for three: Local advanced materials firm Aluula completed its three-cornered amalgamation and obtained $3 million in financing thanks to share conversions. Learn more.

🌊 Four for five: A project between Shift Environmental Technologies, BlueNode, Avestec VideoRay, Nanaimo Port Authority, and Snuneymuxw First Nation received $4 million to enable advanced, remote surveillance and inspections of ocean infrastructure. Dive in.

🌿 One for 50: Pani Energy’s CEO Devesh Bharadwaj was featured as one of Canada's Clean50 by The Globe and Mail. Read on.

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