Welcome to this week’s Midweek Memo. In this issue, there are more takeaways from the LIFT CEO retreat and Chamber Chats, plaudits for STN Video, and plenty more.

Now, onto today’s briefing. It’s 813 words, a three-minute read.

-James, @jimmermatthews

Tiny acquires Letterboxd, a global social platform for film discovery and discussion

Andrew Wilkinson recently saw his face amongst all the news that’s fit to print. His company, Tiny — the Victoria-based holding company — had completed a majority acquisition of Letterboxd, a global social platform for film discovery and discussion. The New York Times picked up the story.

Founded in 2011 by a passionate team of film fans in New Zealand, Letterboxd has since rocketed into the top 1,500 websites globally and recently surpassed 10 million members across more than 200 countries. As a digital hub for film buffs, Letterboxd’s members gather on the platform to track what they watch, share reviews and lists, rate movies, and follow other like-minded cinephiles.

Letterboxd’s founders, Matthew Buchanan and Karl von Randow, will continue to lead the business independently while leveraging their partnership with Tiny to fuel the platform’s growth as it continues to scale.

“Teaming up with Tiny represents a big leap forward for us,” read a Letterboxd company statement. “Tiny’s impressive track record, which includes spurring the growth of the thriving design community, Dribbble, speaks to their ability to cultivate and grow businesses like ours without altering the fundamental components that have made them successful. We see this as a huge win for our community, enabling us to cement Letterboxd’s future with additional resources without sacrificing the DNA of what makes it special.”

“We’ve been huge fans and users of Letterboxd for a long time and could not be more excited to join forces with Matt, Karl, and the rest of the team for the long-term,” said Wilkinson. “Our aim is to make Letterboxd the ultimate destination for anyone looking to discover or discuss movies online. If you’re running out of things to watch, it's because you haven’t used Letterboxd yet—and we believe the untapped market potential for superior discovery and discussion is a huge opportunity.”

Other Tiny deals in 2023 include a merger with WeCommerce and an acquisition of Clean Canvas, a U.K.-based Shopify theme business.

[Editor’s note: Andrew Wilkinson is the co-founder of Overstory Media Group, the parent company of Victoria Tech Journal.]

📰 More Victoria innovation news

🤗 Embrace: Junaid Ahmad, the founder of Dr. Doc AI, writing on his personal blog: Embracing community at the LIFT CEO retreat.

🥇 Recognize: STN Video — the online video platform for publishers who care about content, user experience, and monetization — was named Best Video Technology for Media Suppliers at the 2023 AdExchanger Awards.

🎙️ Chat: A recent episode of the Chamber Chats podcast featured Virginia Holden, executive director of the Greater Victoria Housing Society, in conversation with Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce CEO Bruce Williams.

👩‍💼 Victoria tech moves

• Ingrid T. Polini joined Maple Bridge Ventures as partner.

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🕴️ Tech jobs of the week

Find your next career:

• Software Developer at Airble

• Accounting Technician at Westin Bear Mountain

• Enhanced Executive Support Analyst - Temporary at ISM

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

📅 Upcoming events

Oct 12 | ITSM x AI: The Power of Artificial Intelligence: Join Highway Three Solutions for an afternoon dedicated to unleashing the power of artificial intelligence in IT Service Management. The event will provide insights, client success stories, and networking opportunities in a relaxed and engaging atmosphere.

Oct 25 | Diversity Equity and Inclusion in STEM: How Migrant Women Can Leverage the Power of Networking: Whether you're a migrant woman already thriving in STEM or aspiring to make your mark, join to gain valuable insights and connections that will help you excel in your STEM journey.

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