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PROGRAMS

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VENTURE ACCELERATION PROGRAM

The Venture Acceleration Program helps technology companies accelerate the process of defining a proven business model for sustained profitability, and to help them effectively grow their business. The Venture Acceleration Program is a “paid-for” structured venture development service designed to guide, coach and grow ambitious early-stage technology entrepreneurs. It is delivered by a team of Executives in Residence (EIRs) and supported by a province-wide network of mentors.

COAST ACCELERATOR

The COAST Venture Acceleration Program (CVAP), delivered in partnership with VIATEC with funding provided by Innovate BC, provides new ventures focused on opportunities in the ocean economy with a proven pathway to growth through online training and coaching sessions.

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Concluded: March, 2023

W Venture is a personalized 3-month program for entrepreneurial women seeking to grow their business. You will receive a curated experience with hands on individualized support, subject matter expertise and a peer community of ambitious women.

Concluded: March, 2022

A monthly program that leverages the power of peers to keep women CEOs accountable to her goals while fostering a community of influential women leaders. Funded in part by the Victoria Innovation, Advanced Technology and Entrepreneurship Council (VIATEC), this program leverages a proven strategic execution framework, peer meetings and one-on-one coaching to help CEOs deliver predictable and measurable growth.

Concluded: March, 2022

VIATEC Academy

  • Offers best-in-class training courses for you and those team members you want to develop into the top performers and future leaders for your company. 
  • Helps you find content and facilitators for your specific needs. Yeah, if you want to book something just for your team and need help finding the right course, program or speaker we have an inventory of vetted options AND we will help you review other options too….for free!
  • Can help you fill a classroom. If you already know who/what you want to book but need other participants to join you to make it feasible, we will do what we can to help you find them.
  • Has buying power. We have a limited budget to help subsidize your group training sessions. So, if you are booking training for your team contact us to learn more about a potential 30% subsidy (up to $1500)

What's on deck in 2020?

We've curated our winter curriculum based on the most pressing needs of the community, including:

Each of these programs has been vetted by our community and the overwhelming response is that you want more. We're proud to bring these offerings to our members at an incredible value thanks to subsidized pricing at 50%.

Concluded: March, 2022

This program is created to help Greater Victoria businesses outside of the tech sector to explore and implement business tools and models to help them adapt to the business challenges of a global pandemic getting through the near term and ensuring they thrive long after.

You’ve worked hard over the years to build your business, to find customers and provide just the right mix of products and services to keep them coming back. In some cases, you’ve invested decades of effort, having survived multiple down swings in the economy, to build a real business. A business that sustains yourself and your family, and your employees and their families. And then seemingly overnight, something out of anybody’s control happens, and it all changes. And it changes so much, that everything you’ve been building towards gets put on the line.

Is this Program for you?

  • Looking for up to $2,000 in funding to assist in implementing a small digital project?
  • Do you want to make more money using digital tools but don’t have a clear starting point?
  • Do you need help navigating the digital world and aren’t sure of the possible benefits?
  • Do you have some ideas on where your business should go online but don’t know who to trust or how much it will cost?
  • Looking for advice to get digitally savvy to compete in this new world but feel intimidated about committing to something new?
  • Not online now and unsure how to get started?
  • Wondering how your business is going to survive this fall/winter?
  • (Check out the 2-part workshop recordings from "So you want to digitalize your consulting business?" Part 1: From Analog to Digital is herePart 2: Digital Tools is here!)

We’re Here to Help
The Digital Economy: Rapid Response & Resiliency (DER3) program is a no-cost, no-obligation program that works one-to-one (confidentially) with business owners on their unique needs and circumstances, recognizing that while COVID-19 affects all of us, the impacts are different.

What Can You Expect - It’s a journey, no silver bullet...

Step 1: Intake Meeting

It starts with a sympathetic ear. We want to understand what was working before the pandemic happened, and your ideas about how to go forward.

Step 2: Immediate Action Plan and Online Presence Assessment

We’ll explore what you’ve been able to do already with your digital presence: the systems you use, how you use social media and other online platforms, and your level of comfort in using these technologies.

Step 3: Get advice from Business Advisor for one-time or ongoing coaching, or speak to your advisor about how to qualify for up to $2,000 in small digital project funding.

We’ll then let you know different ways you can begin to improve upon the current situation. Many times, this advice can be implemented at little or no cost.

DER3 | 5 Why’s of Going Digital

  1. Improve service to customers ~ keep existing customers and find new ones.
  2. Increase operational efficiency, productivity, profitability ~ over time.
  3. New customers/markets, broader industry awareness ~ new product/service ideas.
  4. Greater talent (job) attractiveness, WFH (Working From Home) & WAMBAM (Web Access Meets Bricks & Mortar) ~ hybrid business models.
  5. Succession and/or acquisition potential ~ increased enterprise value.

Proven Success and Expertise
While the program does not provide direct funding, the complimentary advisory services and network effects have proven successful in helping businesses to transition in the recovery phase(s) and/or to make small — and sometimes large — pivots in their business models.

VIATEC is able to take over three decades of expertise in the tech sector and apply it to businesses in need who are navigating technology adoption or business recovery and enhancement. We can literally tap the hundreds of tech-based companies that we work with to help solve main-street business challenges that simply weren’t as important before the COVID-19 crisis. In addition, we have a strong network of subject matter experts, covering all sorts of skills and digital services, that we can match with specific business challenges and opportunities.

Part of DER3’s unique approach stems from its deep understanding of digital ecosystems. The program advisors work with businesses to understand respective digital starting points; this, along with a hefty dose of humanity and empathy, allows the program to weave together both “technology” and critical human elements to solve their specific digital challenges! 

WHO SHOULD APPLY

You are a business owner in an industry such as: restaurant, dining, hospitality, retail, tourism, farming, wellness, arts, events.
Examples include:

  • Shops, Markets, Consignment stores, Specialty retail
  • Farmers/Agriculture/Farmer’s Markets
  • Food and beverage producers, distributors and retailers
  • Artists/Makers/Galleries

You are seeking: business help, business advice, business mentorship, marketing advice for small businesses, ecommerce support, online sales support, online marketing support, small business resources, etc

SERVICES

ROUNDTABLE

VIATEC’s roundtables provide members with a great opportunity to meet, network, and exchange ideas, information and expertise with peers in a focused environment. Regular attendance is expected to create a group of recognizable and reliable contacts able to share challenges and lessons learned.

  1. Who: CEO, President, VP, COO or Senior Executives of Greater Victoria based tech companies (who hold a VIATEC Company Membership), with revenues exceeding $500K. (Cannot be a service provider).
  2. Examples of topics covered:
    1. Attracting Talent to Victoria
    2. The Mechanics of Selling Your Business
    3. Creating a Winning Strategy

Anything and everything that you want and need to know about manufacturing, this is the place to meet the people who do it, plan it, live it & breathe it, and you often get free coffee & other treats when we tour many of our local manufacturing facilities.

  1. Who: Any VIATEC Company Member who is interested in manufacturing. We welcome those who are merely thinking of manufacturing opportunities to those that have been involved in manufacturing over many years.
  2. Examples of topics:
    1. Working with Contract Manufacturers
    2. Manufacturing, Academia and Government: Navigating SR&ED and an introduction to MITACS
    3. Review of ERP Systems

Members of the Business Development Roundtable meet to network and share ideas, information and expertise. Regular attendance is expected to allow participants to contribute to the discussions, analysis and problem-solving process. This creates a group of recognizable and reliable contacts within the tech community to assist with decisions and assessments in a complex working environment.

  1. Who: VIATEC Company Members who are experienced sales leaders (including those who lead other sales people, generate strategy or are responsible for managing a sales channel or channels), working in Greater Victoria. They possess years of applied experience/training and are able to participate and contribute at a strategic level.
  2. Examples of topics:
    1. Developing and Nurturing the Pipeline before the Pipeline
    2. Secrets of Google Adwords
    3. How to Conduct a Web Demo

Members of the Marketing & Product Management Roundtable meet to network and share ideas, information and expertise. Following the ProductCamp format, the audience is actively involved, in an exercise or application of a technique or process which has been presented by the session leader. The group focuses on providing tools and information that our members can actually use in their day to day job, and on building strong professional relationships between members.

    1. Who: Any VIATEC Company Member who are Product and Marketing Professionals working in Greater Victoria based companies. Some members come with years of applied experience/training, while others are new to the profession. The main requirements are a desire to learn, and a commitment to participating actively in the discussions.
    2. Examples of topics:
      1. Market Research Best Practices
      2. The Product Development Process
      3. Marketing Tools for Corporate and Product Marketing

Nick Duncan, the former Director of Development from Procura, has graciously volunteered to get the software development roundtable going again. Thanks, Nick!

  1. Who: Any VIATEC Company Members who are the senior people focused on leading and managing the software development process in their tech companies. They possess years of practical experience/training and are able to participate and contribute at a strategic level.
  2. Examples of topics:
    1. We may wish to discuss different development strategies, or recruiting strategies, or different ways of working with the rest of the management team.
    2. We’d love to hear from you on what kind of theme(s) you are interested in exploring and how that might impact your organization and the community as whole. Also, how would you like to get involved? A presentation? A workshop?

RECRUITMENT SUPPORT

Finding the right skilled talent is key to the success of any company and we're dedicated to helping our members achieve this as efficiently as possible. This is a challenge around the world but we have a few tricks up our sleeve. Victoria is beautiful after all and if we can help spread the word about our amazing lifestyle and the myriad of quality jobs waiting to be filled, we can help each of our members stay focused on innovating and growing instead of searching for people.

 

We do this by offering you:

Quality Job Board

Cross Promotion

Compensation & Talent Study

Victoria's Lifestyle

Promotion

Resources

NETWORKING & CONNECTIONS

One of the top reasons companies join VIATEC is to network and develop connections. Throughout the year, many opportunities are provided including:

  • Virtual events
  • The VIATEC Awards
  • Discover Tectoria (biennial)
  • LIFT CEO Retreat
  • F*ckUp Nights
  • VIATEC Holiday Party
  • VIATEC sponsored event - Health Tech Nights, Interactive Meet & Greet, Fundraisers and more.

In addition to networking events, VIATEC strives to give back to the community. By hosting the VIATEC Food Bank Challenge annually with proceeds benefiting the Mustard Seed Food Bank, VIATEC and its members continue to be top contributors every year!

MEMBER OFFERS

One of the many benefits of being a VIATEC member is taking advantage of exclusive discounts from other VIATEC member companies. If you would like to submit your own exclusive offer, contact info@viatec.ca.

FORT TECTORIA

VIATEC started their Accelerator Program in 2012 and it was so successful, we decided to BUY a building to provide added event, meeting and office space to better support Victora's thriving community of innovators and entrepreneurs!

Fort Tectoria opened in September of 2014 and provides the following:

  • Private offices
  • Open work stations
  • Boardrooms
  • The VIATEC Conference Room
  • Lunch room
  • The Tilted Rocket Lounge
  • The Fort on Fort Cafe
  • The fastest and free fibre-optic WiFi in downtown!

REGIONAL & SECTOR PROMOTION

  • Tectoria
  • Investor Summits, Trade Missions and Outreach
  • Event Partnerships
  • Studies
  • VIATEC.ca
Your Personal spokesperson

A big part of getting the word out about "Tectoria" is getting the tech industry great exposure in media (print, online and radio).  We want the world to know all the great things happening in this city, and we want Victoria to be known for more than just tea and flowers...

VIATEC does this by:

  • Serving as a spokesperson for the industry
  • Assisting media in finding local experts to interview (One of those experts could be you!)
  • Suggesting stories for coverage
  • Sending press releases on your behalf (Available by request)
  • Making a lot of noise at our events so they're tough to ignore.

What can you do to help? Keep Innovating and Succeeding

We'd love to brag about you and help your business thrive in order to grow the technology sector even bigger. Share your successes and achievements with us at info@viatec.ca, and we'll share them with the rest of the community.

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