IBM, FortisBC, Government and Local Companies Seek BC Tech Solutions in Victoria

VICTORIA, Feb. 7, 2017 /CNW/ - The BC Innovation Council—a Crown Agency of the Province—is helping B.C. companies find solutions to the challenges they face through a seven-city Regional Innovation Opportunities tour arriving in Victoria today. The tour is intended to spark further innovation and job growth in B.C.'s regional economies.

Home to the Victoria Innovation, Advanced Technology and Entrepreneurship Council (VIATEC), a member of the BC Innovation Council's BC Acceleration Network, Victoria is one of the province's leading innovation hubs, with 800 tech companies generating $4 billion in annual economic impact.

The tour is giving Victoria businesses the chance to collaborate with larger companies, government agencies and entrepreneurs, to find solutions to their business challenges. It is also an opportunity for companies to network and a chance to further build their businesses, leading to possible job opportunities and business markets that could expose companies to national and worldwide markets.

"The innovators in communities across B.C. are growing quickly, and the Regional Innovation Opportunities tour is ensuring they continue to flourish," said Carl Anderson, President & CEO, BC Innovation Council. "This initiative gives local communities an opportunity to showcase their innovations province-wide, yet allow them to continue building their businesses where they live."

Examples of the companies and the types of challenges they are presenting in Victoria include:

• IBM, seeking a way to track the location of their technicians during field operations.
• FortisBC, seeking to leverage technology to increase the supply of renewable natural gas in a cost-effective way.
• Schneider Electric, seeking high reliability, low-cost deployment of wireless infrastructure.
• Munden Ventures Ltd, looking to track productivity of log harvesting equipment from multiple manufacturers in one dashboard.

"The Regional Innovation Opportunities tour is about finding solutions to business challenges," said Amrik Virk, Minister of Technology, Innovation and Citizens' Services. "Tech is driving innovation and giving industry and government the opportunity to collaborate and create new jobs."

The first-of-its-kind tour will build a stronger network of tech companies throughout the province, giving local businesses in communities outside the Lower Mainland an opportunity to showcase their innovation provincewide and build their business where they live.

The Regional Innovation Opportunities visits six other communities between February 2 – March 6, 2017, including Prince George, Kamloops, the West Kootenay, Nanaimo, Terrace and Kelowna. For more information about the challenges and the opportunities they represent, visit: bcic.ca/regional-innovation-opportunities

About BC Innovation Council (www.bcic.ca) 
The BC Innovation Council accelerates the growth and success of B.C. companies by providing resources and market opportunities for applied innovations that solve challenges and drive competitiveness in B.C. industries. Through the annual #BCTECH Summit and support of the B.C. government's #BCTECH Strategy, BCIC is fostering the growth of competitive companies that generate revenue, produce high-paying skilled jobs and drive economic development in B.C.

SOURCE BC Innovation Council

William Johnson, [email protected], Communications Manager, t: 604 602-5258