William Johnson

Vancouver

Founder, Editor, and Writer at Vancouver Tech Journal

strategist + writer • posts on tech, biz, media, sports, life – mostly links to interesting articles i'm reading 👇🏾

Articles

Check out the Web Summit Vancouver venue map

6 hours ago | vantechjournal.com | William Johnson

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When the mics are off...

4 days ago | vantechjournal.com | William Johnson

Your browser does not support the audio element. đź—žď¸Ź Hey everyone â€”Web Summit Vancouver is still weeks away, but the afterparty invites are already stacking up. This week, weâ€™re sharing the cityâ€™s best unofficial events, mixers, and secret gatheringsâ€”plus how you might score a spot. Also inside: a $20M Series A from a rising devtools startup, a $110M climate tech fund close, mental health tech going national, and the B.C. business communityâ€™s growing frustration with Ottawa.
Unblocked raises $20M Series A to help software teams move faster

1 week ago | vantechjournal.com | William Johnson

If you were at #VTJTalks last month, you already got the scoop. Dennis Pilarinos, CEO of Unblocked and former founder of buddybuild, previewed the big news during his fireside chat with our community. Now it’s official: Unblocked has raised a USD $20 million Series A. The round is led by B Capital, with participation from Radical Ventures and Artisanal Ventures.
Safe Software pushes deeper into AI and spatial computing with new product launches

1 week ago | vantechjournal.com | William Johnson

Image supplied by Safe Software Safe Software is entering a new phase of growth — and it’s betting that the future of enterprise data lies at the intersection of spatial computing, real-time access, and artificial intelligence. The Surrey-based company, known for its flagship no-code data integration platform FME, is unveiling two major product innovations this week at its annual user conference in Seattle.
Clio's $4B secret

1 week ago | vantechjournal.com | William Johnson

đź—žď¸Ź Big moves in startup land this week: Vancouver Startup Week is nearly here, and Clioâ€”the cityâ€™s $4B legaltech unicornâ€”is taking the spotlight. Weâ€™ve got the full scoop on who else is involved, including how to get discounted tickets. Plus: UBCâ€™s Investor Showcase reveals 17 rising ventures, a major biotech merger takes flight, and UniUni brings robots into the last-mile delivery game.
Five women, $2.46M, and a climate tech shakeup

2 weeks ago | vantechjournal.com | William Johnson

Your browser does not support the audio element. 🗞️ This week, BC tech is charging ahead—with women-led innovation, smart packaging breakthroughs, and global gaming spotlights. Five climate tech startups just landed major funding from CICE. Reusables and Traction Complete are fueling their next stages of growth. And Vancouver’s gaming law scene is having a global moment.
Graphite Ventures’ BC beta test is over

3 weeks ago | vantechjournal.com | William Johnson

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Telling your startup’s story when the world is watching

3 weeks ago | vantechjournal.com | William Johnson

Your browser does not support the audio element. As Vancouver gears up for the inaugural Web Summit on Canadian soil, the spotlight is on BC’s tech founders—and how they choose to tell their stories. With more than 600 global journalists descending on the city, the stakes (and opportunities) are high. That was the backdrop for Beyond the Pitch: Crafting Your Startup’s Media Story, a recent panel hosted by Innovate BC.
IMGL 2025: Why the global gaming industry is watching Vancouver

3 weeks ago | vantechjournal.com | William Johnson

Credit: Generated via ChatGPT by William Johnson This week, a global roster of top gaming lawyers, regulators, founders, and investors will descend on Vancouver for the IMGL 2025 Spring Conference. The event marks the return of the International Masters of Gaming Law (IMGL) to Canada for the first time in nearly two decades — and it’s more than just a legal affair.
Cap tables, crowdfunding, and clarity

3 weeks ago | vantechjournal.com | William Johnson

🗞️ This week, BC tech is making history—and rewriting the playbook. Blossom just broke records with Canada’s largest equity crowdfunding round. The Terry Fox Foundation is teaming up with a VC firm to fund cancer-fighting startups. And founders are rethinking how (and when) to give up equity, thanks to some hard-won cap table lessons. Also inside: TELUS wants to build a Sovereign AI Factory in Vancouver, WELL Health inches toward unicorn revenue, and the mayor is ready to ride for bitcoin.