Tech Newbies Show off at Victoria Exhibition
Andrew A. Duffy
Times Colonist
aduffy@timescolonist.com
It was called Startup Alley, but despite the name there didn't appear to be anything even remotely dark, sinister or garbage-strewn about it.
In fact, the 13 local start-up companies lining the alley at the Victoria Advanced Technology Council's high tech showcase — Discover Tectoria — at Crystal Garden Thursday appeared as vibrant and enthusiastic as the established companies who were on show around the exhibition site.
Among the newcomers were firms offering hacker protection, the chance to create comic books, connect with families and help would-be travellers improve their vacation experience.
Some looked at the chance to display their wares and explain themselves to the 3,500 people — students, high-tech companies, their employees, investors and media — who filled Crystal Garden throughout the day as a chance to get their name into the game, to raise venture capital, find employees or just connect with the $2 billion high-tech industry.
"In that group you'll see companies in various stages of progress. Some have developed a prototype and are looking for early adopters to test it. Some are looking for investment. Some are looking to hire or find strategic partners and forge new relationships within the high-tech community … there is a wide variety of benefits to being here for them," said Robert Bennett, VIATeC's launch pad program manager and a veteran executive of the local technology scene.
Bennett, whose role with VIATeC is to help start-ups access services and support, said events like Discover Tectoria give newcomers a taste of what the sector is all about.
"Not only is it a very collaborative community, but often I think people may not understand how big and varied the tech sector is," he said.
It is certainly not lost on Stuart Bowness, co-founder and CEO of MediaCore, one of the start-ups lining the alley.
"For us this is not about finding customers. It's about getting known in the community and getting to know other companies," Bowness said. "This is a small city but the quality of the tech stuff being cranked out here is world class and it's great to see companies competing at the international level for attention."
MediaCore, which recently completed its first round of financing — in the high six figures — has already been garnering plenty of attention.
"It's a pretty exciting time for us," said Bowness, noting the financing will allow the team to focus on adding some core components to its product, an online video platform that allows any organization to create their own video site, customize it and make money from the material.
The initial product has been well received and has been in use with a number of universities and companies who have been looking for a way to upload and make available video content for students, employees or customers without offering it to a wider audience.
"It acts a little like a Youtube for business. It can be as open or as closed as you want because you control and brand the whole thing," said Bowness, who said the initial interest in the 13-person company has been encouraging to say the least.
James DeGreef, CEO of Chatterblock, another of the start-up set, said his company is also getting some serious traction after launching its Victoria site a few months ago.
Chatterblock is a social media website for families and provides directories of local content and community resources for parents like child care, education resources, camp programs and drop-in schedules at libraries and rec centres as well as a forum for parents to connect with each other and share information.
"Things are going really well," he said, noting the Tectoria event was all about exposure for him. "It's about connecting with the community, parents and, perhaps, investors."
It was also about giving back to VIATeC and the high-tech community and being part of an event that was designed in part to engage young people in the sector.
That was Ashley Roulston's motivation to set up a display for her start-up company Reef Safe Fish.
"It is about giving back. VIATeC does a lot for us and we want to be here and part of encouraging kids to go into the sciences," she said.
Reef Safe Fish, which took home top prize at the B.C. Innovation Council's regional New Ventures competition earlier this year, had been working on a closed-loop, waste recycling technology that recycles fish waste to produce food for penned fish.
The company has changed tact a little by now working on automating the feed process for shellfish and fish like sablefish and halibut. "It's been going really well, we have a first customer lined up and we've been working with them so it's pretty exciting," she said.
STARTUP ALLEY
• Bet Smart Media makes products to make sense of sports information
• ChatterBlock, social media site for families
• Crowdcontent, a content generating company
• EvoShift Communications, corporate telecom services for small and medium business
• MediaCore, online video platform for business
• Pixton Comics, Click-n-Drag Comics allows anyone to create their own comics
• Reef Safe Fish, recycling technology turning fish waste into food for penned fish.
• Social Economix, connects individuals and companies in an interactive environment
• SparkTrust Systems, scanning services and protection for website owners
• Travergence, online tool to research and book activities at one site
• Wifarer, developed an indoor GPS system for smart phones
• Xoom Data Services, secure and fast data sending service
• Yodo, developer of mobile payment, content delivery and social networking based on location
