Things are a buzzin’ in the South Okanagan.
55 people attended Tech Talk Penticton on July 12. We were thrilled to have so many people come out to support the technology community in the South Okanagan! The next Tech Talk is scheduled for Wednesday August 8, from 4:30-6:30 at the Penticton Innovation Centre (PIC). Please come out, and pass along the invite to anyone else who might be interested. Pre-registration is required; for more info and registration head over to the Tech Talk blog post. 
Inside the PIC – The PIC is starting to fill up with new clients and tenants. Big Bear Software recently hired a new programmer. Welcome to new Venture Acceleration Program clients WebMobilized, Progeny Bio and ElectroMotion Energy Corporation. A big thank you goes out to new members OnFire Marketing, YouLearn.ca, and the Summerland Chamber. If you want to come for a tour, and learn more about what AO can do for your community and your business, sign up for one of our What We Do sessions. These sessions run every other Thursday at 9:00 AM in Penticton. Or just email me directly, I’m here to help.
Jump:Start:Challenge Penticton – The Jump:Start:Challenge will be held on September 11, 2012 at Okanagan College’s Jim Pattison Centre of Excellence. Entrants to the Jump:Start:Challenge will be invited to present their “investor pitch” at an open forum. The top 10 entrants will then receive eight weeks of expert training, coaching and mentorship to improve their pitch and increase their chances of raising capital.
An “investor pitch” is a 10 minute presentation (plus 5 mins. Q&A) made to potential investors telling them what they need to know to decide whether or not to invest in your company. To make your pitch “investor-ready”, you will need to prepare your presentation through the eyes of the investors and address their concerns. For more info, check out the JumpStart page.
Industry Academic Relationships – I’m working with University of British Columbia and Okanagan College to increase access for industry / academic partnerships. This could include access to facilities, researchers, capstone projects, and co-op opportunities. Both UBC and Okanagan College are looking for companies to work with, so if you are interested, let’s discuss.
ignITE Speaker Series in Penticton – Accelerate Okanagan in Kelowna has secured some excellent speakers for the new ignITE speakers series. We tested the first one last week via Skype to see if they could easily be streamed to two locations. We will be hosting the talks via Skype here in South Okanagan in the future. Some speakers already confirmed for the fall include Douglas Rushkoff and Jonathan Wolske. More info over at the ignITE series page.
Our doors, ears, and inboxes are always open. Please engage! You can email me directly at Andrew@accelerateokanagan.com or reach me at 250-870-9028 x 2116.
