ACETECH
Acetech is BC’s only not for profit organization formed by CEOs for CEOs of companies innovating with technology. We help CEO’s lead better, grow faster and feel empowered by offering a proven growth strategy program; transformative event experiences; and a trusted peer group for ongoing support.
The Discovery Foundation’s Growth Essentials Program provides a framework for profitable growth that includes practical tools and new and emerging methodologies that business leaders must make every day, including people, finance, strategy, and execution. The framework is grounded in the best practices of high growth companies and leverages the collective expertise and experience of successful CXOs and thought leaders to help them and their executive teams lead better and enhance company performance to grow faster.
New ventures bc
New Ventures BC (NVBC) was initiated 20 years ago by Wal van Lierop to support early stage tech startups. As a non-profit, they run the annual New Ventures BC Competition, a Distance Venture Acceleration Program, and the ISI grant program. Their Competition has helped over 3000 startups across the Province.
Discovery Foundation’s Start-Up Sales Acceleration Program is a sales education and strategic advisory program for in-revenue technology start-up ventures in British Columbia. It aims to provide startups with the tactical knowledge required to execute on a digital marketing plan and is also designed to provide sales strategies to increase companies’ sales and help them to push forward on their path to scale. While there is an education component, the core program is focused on tactical sales support for ventures. The program will help companies learn a disciplined sales approach they can apply consistently. This will accelerate growth, improve their marketing approach, build a sales pipeline, close more sales, increase revenues, and build an achievable plan.
SPRING
Spring uses business as a force for good to empower social impact leaders with the know-how, network and support needed to build a better business.
RUNNING A BUSINESS IS HARD!
The Discovery Foundation RISE Resilience Program supports the growth and sustainability of BC businesses, driving economic growth through increased revenues and investment and job creation will be focused on underserved founders and businesses. These businesses hold significant opportunities to advance the technology innovation ecosystem in British Columbia.
Spring will support companies in the development of new products and services including business model validation, investment readiness training and support, team strategies and tactics for growth, embedding positive impact into their business, and promoting sustainable businesses.
VOLITION
Volition brings a community-building approach to advising and events for entrepreneurs. Their vision is to create new networks and opportunities for collision, collaboration, and knowledge sharing across startup sectors and stakeholders.
Discovery Foundation’s Investor Readiness Program has been designed to improve the knowledge and skills of BC tech startups to raise capital from investors (dilutive and/or non-dilutive) through practical pitch experience, networking opportunities, and 1:1 startup coaching in key investor readiness subjects (see below). The program consists of two core elements: start-up coaching and the BC women’s pitch showcase.
WOMEN’S ENTERPRISE CENTRE
Women’s Enterprise Centre is a non-profit organization devoted to helping BC women start, lead and grow their own business. Since 1995, WEC has fueled the success of women-led businesses by providing business loans up to $150K. They also provide business skills training, personalized business advice, mentoring, practical business resources and a supportive community to help women business owners gain the skills, mindset, financing and networks they need to realize their business potential.
The Discovery Foundation’s Entrepreneurial Mindset Program supports women entrepreneurs as they build their tech or tech-enabled companies. It combines a peer cohort model with established content-rich programming using the highly acclaimed Entrepreneurial Mindset (EMP) Mentoring Program, facilitated by certified EMP Practitioners, and WeBC’s Mindset Mastery for Business Growth, Negotiation, and Imposter Syndrome workshops.
bc tech association
BC Tech is a non-profit dedicated to making British Columbia the best place to grow and scale a tech company. They pursue this mission by: providing the places and events for the community to come together; impactful programs that help companies grow, scale, export and adopt technology; up-to-date information about the tech sector; and the solutions required to ensure a thriving tech industry in BC.
Discovery Foundation’s Representation & Experiences of the 2SLGBTQ+ Community in the BC Tech Sector Research Report is a concise research report to identify if barriers exist for the 2SLGBTQ+ Community to access the BC technology industry. We hope this report will lead to new discoveries on potential gaps that exist that could eventually lead to support programming in this space. Click here to read the report.
JA BRITISH COLUMBIA
Junior Achievement British Columbia prepares and inspires youth to succeed in a global economy through business education programs focused on financial literacy, work readiness and entrepreneurship, giving them the skills and confidence they need to become leaders of tomorrow.
The Discovery Foundation Discover Your Pitch Program is a capstone experience to teach youth the art of the elevator pitch and how to pitch to business investors. There will be a competition complete with judges, awards and scholarships! This Program is open to any BC students who have taken JA Be Entrepreneurial or JA Company Program and who have participated in the program competition.
WOMEN IN COMMUNICATIONS AND TECHNOLOGY, BC CHAPTER
Women in Communications and Technology (WCT) is committed to advancing women in Canada by providing opportunities for members to remain relevant and connected through strong relationships and continuous learning. WCT is a national association uniquely focused on providing networking, mentoring and educational opportunities for women in the telecommunications, media and technology (TMT) industries.
The Discovery Foundation’s Speed Mentoring Program in collaboration with WCT is a series of speed-mentoring sessions for women in technology.
WOMEN IN TECH WORLD
Women in Tech World is a national nonprofit dedicated to creating community driven plans and educational programming to support and advance women in tech. They envision women and girls having equal opportunities within the tech industry world wide.
Discovery Foundation’s Women in Tech World Mastermind Series in collaboration with Women in Tech World & MyCEO offers leaders in the technology industry an opportunity to accelerate their business and careers through virtual, peer-to-peer learning and problem solving. Each Mastermind cohort will be open to women-identified persons in tech, and include three distinct under represented groups in the industry: Founders, Executive Leaders, and Aspiring Leaders.
student biotechnology network
Student Biotechnology Network’s mission is to inspire students to be the next innovative leaders in biotechnology through education about career opportunities and connection with today’s industry leaders.
To mark the 25th and 40th anniversaries of the Student Biotechnology Network (SBN), and the Society for Canadian Women in Science and Technology (SCWIST), the SBN and SCWIST have partnered to deliver the Discovery Foundation Business Mentorship Program. Aligned with global Biotechnology week, the Discovery Foundation Business Mentorship Program aims to support the next generation of Biotechnology Entrepreneurs, with a focus on improving representation and diversity in the industry. The week-long intensive program will consist of a series of seminars and workshops, networking opportunities, one-on-one mentoring sessions and culminate in a pitch competition which will award seed funding to the top three participants to kick-start their Biotechnology venture. Through participation in this program, mentees will have the opportunity to network with scientific staff, entrepreneurs, patent clerks, venture capitalists, incubators, and more.