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  • Article

    Now, BC companies and graduate students can benefit from the BCIC-Mitacs Commercialization Voucher Program, developed to drive the commercialization of new products...

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    Now, BC companies and graduate students can benefit from the BCIC-Mitacs Commercialization Voucher Program, developed to drive the commercialization of new products and services in our province. The voucher program, a key component of theBC Technology Strategy, announced in July 2012, was created to demonstrate the value of collaboration between industry and post-secondary institutions, and to develop and retain B.C. talent.


    Through the program, graduate students can apply for a $15,000 commercialization voucher to undertake opportunity assessments of new products or services or new market opportunities for existing products or services at established BC companies - while companies eligible for the program will benefit from vital information on the commercialization potential of their technology or business concept, allowing them to make an informed decision whether or not to pursue the opportunity.


    "BCIC is pleased to be a part of the delivery of such an important program for commercialization in B.C.," said John Jacobson, president and CEO of BCIC. "The voucher program will serve to showcase graduate student skills to potential employers, while providing them with valuable industry experience and exposure to exciting career opportunities. This underlies the government of B.C.'s strategy to create and support jobs in our fast-growing technology sector."


    The pilot phase of the BCIC-Mitacs Commercialization Voucher Program is now underway. All applicants must be received by March 15, 2013, although companies are encourages to submit their application as soon as possible. Full program guidelines including program structure, eligibility and funding details of the BCIC-Mitacs Commercialization Voucher Program can be found at: www.bcic.ca/voucher orwww.mitacs.ca/commercialization-voucher-program.

     December 13, 2012
  • Article

    The Canadian Digital Media Network (CDMN) is developing a new online portal for media entrepreneurs and start-ups, accelerators and...

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    The Canadian Digital Media Network (CDMN) is developing a new online portal for media entrepreneurs and start-ups, accelerators and SMEs active in the digital economy.


    The CDMN’s new initiative seeks to organize as much information, research and data from private industry, non-profit organizations and government agencies about the country’s digital media sector as possible, and archive it in one accessible location.


    As part of its drive – dubbed the Moonshot -- to “do anything online” by 2017, the CDMN says the information collection is needed to build collaboration and commercialization of innovative ideas in information and communication technology.


    The Moonshot goals were tabled at CDMN's Canada 3.0 Digital Media Forum, an industry event that brought together industry, government and academic participants.


    Identified so far have been five key targets:

    * Access to talent, including the digital skills and talent required to meet these rapidly evolving needs;


    * Access to financial capital and investments required for technology and business growth; 


    * Connectivity for Canadians of any financial status and geographic location;


    * Mobilizing digital content, from ensuring Canadian content is accessible to realizing commercialization opportunities created through content development or management; and


    * Productivity improvements through the adoption of digital media technologies and the infrastructure to support it.


    CDMN has also launched its Canada 3.0 2013 SoapBox, created by HitSend, a start-up incubated at Toronto’s Ryerson Digital Media Zone, a digital media incubator and CDMN partner.


    Using SoapBox, site visitors can offer, gather and share ideas, which can be voted on by other users using a simple click of a thumbs up or thumbs down icon




    Via: MediaCaster (http://www.mediacastermagazine.com/news/cdmn-seeks-online-portal-for-digital-media-development/1001642983/) Aug 29, 2012

     August 29, 2012
  • Article

    Yesterday Vancouver startup Playerize 

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    Yesterday Vancouver startup Playerize tweeted an intriguing message: "Playerize is to startups as Jack Bauer is to mortals. Write that down".


     


    Turns out where there is smoke, there is fire.


    Today Playerize announced they have entered into an agreement to acquire SuperRewards, the Vancouver-born pioneer of virtual currency for social and mobile games. According to their blog they will be acquiring SuperRewards from its original founder Jason Bailey.


    Founded in 2007 by Jason Bailey and Eugene Kaidalov, SuperRewards was bootstrapped from zero to a $100 million run rate to exit, all in 18 months. The company was acquired in 2009 by Adknowledge for a rumored $50 million.


    Bailey recently reaquired SuperRewards from Adknowledge and is selling it to Playerize.


    Playerize was co-founded by Lyal Avery and Jeff Magnusson in 2011 and was the shining star of FounderFuel's inuagural accelerator cohort in Montreal.


    They returned to Vancouver with a $1.1 million series A round. So it's safe to say that the price tag for the 2012 version SuperRewards was a fraction of the price Adknowledge paid just three years ago.


    "The platform has undergone a lot of growth and improvement and there is a tremendous opportunity in the mobile and social game monetization space and we are extremely proud and excited,” said Lyal Avery, co-founder of Playerize.


    The SuperRewards team and products will operate from offices in both Vancouver and San Francisco. Jason Bailey will be joining Playerize's board as Chairman.


    "We just hit our tipping point," adds Lyal. "This is a huge day for us."

     August 17, 2012
  • Article

    BC's video game industry is in constant flux.

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    BC's video game industry is in constant flux.


    One week longstanding studios are shuttering orpacking up and moving to Ontario. The next week San Francisco's hottest mobile game developer is opening an studio in Vancouver.


    While there is no doubt that the gaming industry is important to the Canadian economy, many are beginning to wonder where B.C. fits in the mix.


    DigiBC is hoping to shed some light on the topic with an upcoming panel titled The State of the Video Game Industry in BC. Moderated by DigiBC's Howard Donaldson, the panel will include a number of local gaming executives.


    Vancouver has been one of the top video game clusters in the world, with the presence of major publishers, such as EA, Nintendo, THQ, Vivendi/Activision, Disney and Microsoft, but it's leadership is now being eroded. For such a talented province as BC, what’s going on? And what does this mean for the future of the gaming industry in BC? Does our BC tax credit policy need to be more competitive?


    Microsoft Studios' Wil Mozell, EA's John Lutz, Silicon Sisters' Brenda Bailey Gershkovitch, and Zeros 2 Heroes' Matt Toner will discuss the state of the industry, outline how studios are being affected, what is being done behind the scene and most importantly capture your views and opinions on the future of B.C.’s video game industry.


    The State of the Video Game Industry in BC is on September 18 at the Vancouver Rowing Club. Register online to attend and in the meantime weigh-in with your thoughts on our video game industry in the comments.


    Rob Lewis, TechVibes

    http://www.techvibes.com/blog/the-state-of-the-video-game-industry-in-bc-2012-08-15

     August 15, 2012