The Vancouver Economic Commission Launches First Ever Startup City

VANCOUVER, BC--(Marketwired - September 08, 2015) - The Vancouver Economic Commission (VEC) today announced it will launch Startup City, a week-long celebration of Vancouver's startup community. The event, held at The Imperial during Startup Week, will bring together startups of all stages to learn how to build on the opportunities in Vancouver and make it the best startup ecosystem in the world.

"We know that capital and talent are core needs of a globally-recognized startup ecosystem for it to be the very best," says Ian McKay, CEO of the Vancouver Economic Commission. "Startup City will connect Vancouver's entrepreneurs to the talent, capital and a variety of other resources to accelerate their growth and keep them in Vancouver."

Startup City's programming will speak to emerging and established startups, from its Networked Business Bootcamp for small businesses to its industry panel on building growth-oriented companies led by some of the nation's biggest successes, including Shopify and Hootsuite.

The VEC is also partnering with BCIC, New Ventures BC, Garibaldi Capital, the Vancouver Enterprise Forum and VanIMPACT to bring back Startup Alley, a daily "investor walk" showcasing 20 different local startups from four different focus areas: technology, local business, social adventures and investor-ready companies.

"Startup Alley will highlight the most innovative startups in Vancouver and connect them with impactful partners, investors and supporters," explains McKay. "We're proud to offer this unique session that shines a light on the diverse and impressive range of startups and investors in our city."

Other highlights include a drone building workshop by local 3D printing company, Tinkerine; Unicorn or Bust, a panel on trends in angel investing led by Boris Wertz of Version One Ventures; and the HR Tech Group's Talent Conference, which is one of the events being held "around Startup City" at the Vancouver Convention Centre.

Scheduled Startup City events will take place at the newly expanded Imperial, a state-of-the-art venue at 319 Main that's used for many of the Tech industry's hottest events, between September 21st and 25th, 2015. To learn more please visit: http://www.vancouvereconomic.com/vancouverstartupcity/

About The Vancouver Economic Commission
The Vancouver Economic Commission works to position Vancouver as a globally recognized city for innovative, creative, and sustainable business. Specifically by strengthening the tech, digital entertainment, and green economy sectors through strategic programs and initiatives that address each stage of the business growth continuum.