British Columbia Technology Industry Association

The British Columbia Technology Industry Association, commonly known as BC Tech Association or BC Tech, is a not-for-profit, member-funded trade association serving the technology industry in British Columbia, Canada. Formally incorporated in 1993, it was created through the amalgamation of the Electronic Manufacturers' Association of British Columbia and the British Columbia chapter of the Information Technology Association of Canada. Its formation brought together organizations representing electronics manufacturing, information technology and related technology businesses at a time when British Columbia’s technology economy was becoming more diversified and commercially significant. BC Tech’s role is broader than that of a conventional business network. It represents the interests of technology companies in public-policy discussions, promotes collaboration among businesses and research organizations, supports commercialization and market development, and provides professional-development and industry-programming opportunities. Its membership has included start-ups, established technology companies, universities, research bodies, government organizations, educational institutions and professional-services firms. The sectors represented have included education technology, hardware, software, life sciences, manufacturing, natural-resources technology, web technology, clean technology and renewable energy. The association has historically operated as a convening organization for British Columbia’s technology ecosystem. It has organized technology forums, chief technology officer roundtables, software-as-a-service boot camps and other sector-focused events. It has also supported talent development through scholarships, recruitment workshops, labour-market research and programs intended to attract skilled workers to the province. These activities reflect a recurring concern for British Columbia’s technology sector: the need to expand the supply of technically trained workers while helping local companies scale. One of BC Tech’s most visible programs is the annual Technology Impact Awards, established in 1994. The awards recognize technology companies, products, executives and other contributors associated with British Columbia. Eligibility has generally focused on companies headquartered in the province or maintaining a substantial operating division with senior management there. In addition to recognition, the awards provide opportunities for participating companies to connect with investors, advisers, mentors, potential partners and the broader technology community. BC Tech has also led or supported initiatives connected with research, innovation and clean technology. In 2004 it launched the Integrated Technology Initiative, a coalition-based effort to consolidate research and develop a competitive strategy for British Columbia’s science and technology sector. In 2006 it partnered with the British Columbia Regional Science & Technology Network to encourage collaboration, innovation and commercialization. In 2007 it joined the Power Technology Alliance in an effort to support the province’s clean-technology industry, including companies working in clean energy and renewable energy. Related work included a Clean Energy Technology Program and a Clean Tech Industry Advisory Group. The association has worked with provincial ministries, universities and other organizations on technology policy and skills development. Its advocacy has included participation in efforts to create a technology action plan for British Columbia and initiatives aimed at increasing the number of graduates in computing science, computer engineering and electrical engineering. BC Tech has also produced or supported studies examining labour demand, recruitment barriers and the strategies technology companies use to expand their workforces. Historically reported membership exceeded 2,100 organizations, ranging from early-stage ventures to large technology and telecommunications companies. Examples of members or participating organizations have included Sierra Wireless, MDA, PMC-Sierra, Bell Mobility, Electronic Arts Canada, IBM Canada, Maximizer Software, Microsoft Canada, Nokia, Sony Canada, Sun Microsystems, TELUS and Ballard Power Systems, as well as universities, research organizations, public bodies and professional associations. The association’s public identity is therefore closely tied to ecosystem building: connecting companies with capital, talent, research, government and markets rather than selling a conventional consumer product.

BC Tech Association was incorporated in 1993 through the merger of two organizations: the Electronic Manufacturers' Association of British Columbia and the British Columbia chapter of the Information Technology Association of Canada. The consolidation created a broader representative body for the province’s technology businesses, combining interests from electronics manufacturing, information technology and adjacent sectors. During its subsequent development, BC Tech built a role around industry representation, networking, skills development and economic-policy advocacy. It organized events and professional-development activities, created opportunities for companies and researchers to collaborate, and worked with provincial institutions on measures intended to strengthen the technology workforce. Its activities reflected the expansion of British Columbia’s technology economy from a base concentrated in electronics and information technology toward a wider mix of software, telecommunications, life sciences, web businesses, manufacturing, natural-resources applications and clean energy. In 1994, the association established the Technology Impact Awards. The program became a recurring platform for recognizing British Columbia technology companies and individual contributors. Its categories have included technology, company and personal-recognition awards. Beyond publicity, the program has been designed to help winners meet investors, advisers, mentors and prospective partners. BC Tech launched the Integrated Technology Initiative in 2004. The initiative brought together science and technology stakeholders to review existing research and help develop a competitive strategy for British Columbia. In 2006, the association partnered with the British Columbia Regional Science & Technology Network to promote collaboration, innovation and the commercialization of research. Clean technology became another area of activity. In June 2007, BC Tech joined the Power Technology Alliance to support the province’s clean-technology sector, including businesses involved in clean energy and renewable energy. The association established a Clean Energy Technology Program and a Clean Tech Industry Advisory Group intended to address access to capital, skilled personnel and markets. Talent development has remained a central theme. BC Tech worked with British Columbia’s Ministry of Advanced Education and Labour Market Development on a technology action plan and supported efforts to increase the number of graduates in computing sciences, computer engineering and electrical engineering. Through TechTalentBC, it promoted scholarships for students pursuing technology careers, organized foreign-recruitment workshops and conducted labour-market research. A 2007 TechTalentBC labour-demand survey, undertaken with assistance from the Information and Communications Technology Council, examined companies’ difficulties in recruiting skilled workers and the methods they used to expand their teams. BC Tech’s membership has included technology companies of different sizes as well as universities, research organizations, public institutions, educational bodies and professional-services firms. The association’s reported membership exceeded 2,100 organizations. Its executive history includes Rob Cruickshank and Pascal Spothelfer, followed by Bill Tam, who served as president and chief executive from 2011 to 2017. Jill Tipping replaced Tam in November 2017. The available reference material does not establish the current chief executive or provide a complete later history.

• 2017

  Jill Tipping became president and CEO

  [1]British Columbia Technology Industry Associationen.wikipedia.org

  Jill Tipping replaced Bill Tam as president and chief executive in November.

• 2011

  Bill Tam became president and CEO

  [1]British Columbia Technology Industry Associationen.wikipedia.org

  Bill Tam began a six-year tenure as the association’s president and chief executive.

• 2007

  Clean-technology initiative expanded

  [1]British Columbia Technology Industry Associationen.wikipedia.org

  BC Tech joined the Power Technology Alliance and developed clean-energy programming and an advisory group for British Columbia’s clean-technology companies.

• 2006

  Research and commercialization partnership formed

  [1]British Columbia Technology Industry Associationen.wikipedia.org

  The association partnered with the British Columbia Regional Science & Technology Network to support collaboration, innovation and research commercialization.

• 2004

  Integrated Technology Initiative launched

  [1]British Columbia Technology Industry Associationen.wikipedia.org

  BC Tech launched a coalition of science and technology stakeholders to consolidate research and develop a competitive strategy for the provincial sector.

• 1994

  Technology Impact Awards established

  [1]British Columbia Technology Industry Associationen.wikipedia.org

  BC Tech founded its annual awards program recognizing technology companies, achievements and individuals connected with British Columbia.

• 1993

  Association incorporated through amalgamation

  [1]British Columbia Technology Industry Associationen.wikipedia.org

  The Electronic Manufacturers' Association of British Columbia and the British Columbia chapter of the Information Technology Association of Canada combined to form the British Columbia Technology Industry Association.

A province-wide technology-industry association positioned as a connector, advocate and growth platform for British Columbia’s technology ecosystem.

• Awards and recognition · 1994

  Technology Impact Awards

  BC Tech’s annual awards program recognizes technology companies, technology achievements and individual contributors associated with British Columbia. Eligibility has generally required a company to be headquartered in the province or to operate a substantial division there with senior management. Winners receive public recognition and opportunities to build relationships with investors, advisers, mentors and partners.

• Talent development

  TechTalentBC

  TechTalentBC comprises initiatives intended to strengthen the technology labour pool in British Columbia. Activities have included scholarships for students pursuing science and technology careers, foreign-recruitment workshops, employer research and programs addressing shortages of skilled technology workers.

• Clean-technology industry development · 2007

  Clean Energy Technology Program

  This program supported the development of British Columbia’s clean-energy and renewable-energy technology sector. Its stated areas of concern included access to capital, human resources and markets for companies seeking to grow in clean technology.

• 2007Clean Technology Industry Development

  British Columbia

  BC Tech worked with the Power Technology Alliance and established clean-energy programming and an advisory group to help clean-technology businesses obtain capital, talent and market access.

  Outcome. The effort expanded BC Tech’s industry-development role into clean energy and renewable technology; specific performance results are not provided.

  Source
• 2007TechTalentBC Labour Demand Survey

  British Columbia

  BC Tech conducted a labour-market survey with assistance from the Information and Communications Technology Council to examine recruitment difficulties and workforce-growth strategies among technology companies.

  Outcome. The survey generated information intended to guide more targeted talent and industry-development programs.

  Source
• 2004Integrated Technology Initiative

  British Columbia

  A coalition-led effort to bring together science and technology stakeholders, consolidate research knowledge and formulate a competitive strategy for British Columbia’s technology sector.

  Outcome. The initiative provided a coordinated industry and research-development framework; the available source does not quantify its results.

  Source

• 2007

  Expand into clean-technology sector developmentStrategy

  Background

  British Columbia had a growing group of companies working on clean energy, green energy and renewable-energy technologies.

  Action taken

  BC Tech joined the Power Technology Alliance and created a Clean Energy Technology Program and Clean Tech Industry Advisory Group.

  Aftermath

  The association broadened its sector-support activities to include clean technology and related capital, talent and market-access issues.

  Source

• 1993

  Create a unified provincial technology associationStrategy

  Background

  British Columbia’s technology representation was divided between an electronics-manufacturing association and a chapter focused on information technology.

  Action taken

  The two organizations amalgamated to form the British Columbia Technology Industry Association.

  Aftermath

  The new association provided a broader platform for advocacy, networking, workforce development and technology-sector programming.

  Source

1. 1British Columbia Technology Industry Associationen.wikipedia.org
2. 2BC Tech Association official websitewearebctech.com
3. 3Microsoft partners with BC Tech to bolster West Coast startups | Daily Hive | Business & Techdailyhive.com