We figured we’d chat with the man behind the curtain, Jimmy Ho.

1. Jim, tell us about yourself and where you’re coming from and what you’re doing these days.

My name is Jimmy Ho. I am original from Toronto and I graduated from the University of Waterloo with a Computer Science degree. I have experience as an engineer at both Electronic Arts and Microsoft.

I started my first startup, NeverBored Studios, with my friend/classmate Thomas Ang. I ran the business in Waterloo for 1.5 years, but left on good terms because of differences in vision.

I moved to Vancouver and now currently work as an engineer for Microsoft Vancouver (BigPark). I volunteer my time with Entrepreneurs International Organization (EIO) and am a member of Vancouver Entrepreneurs Toastmaster Club.

2. What is Mentor Connect?

Mentor Connect is a speed networking charity event designed to create connections between tech (mobile, web, games, etc.) entrepreneurs and mentors (angels, VCs, entrepreneurs, etc.). Attendees can enjoy speed networking, opening mingling & networking, and raffle prizes.

Note: Mentee application submissions(here) for the mentor speed networking portion end May 9, 2011 @9PM. However, people can come watch the speed networking session and enjoy the rest of the evening.

3. Why are you putting Mentor Connect together?  Where did the inspiration come from?

Originally, I had a desire to start a project and the inspiration for Mentor Connect came about when I was assisting with EIO’s sponsored entrepreneurship course, “The First 99 Milestones”. The content speaker for that night was Thealzel Lee and a student had asked her a question about becoming an angel and how one could tell who to invest in.

One of Thealzel’s answers included her recommending mentoring (other start-ups) and the idea stuck with me.

Since then Mentor Connect has transformed from a single idea to an event that was created and made possible by the Vancouver entrepreneurial community. I personally see Mentor Connect as a way for individuals to really connect with mentors, organizations, and entrepreneurs in Vancouver.

4. What are your thoughts on the start up scene in Vancouver?  Where are we winning?  What do we need to work on?

I see Vancouver’s startup scene growing especially with Danny Robinson/BCIC supporting various organizations and programs in Vancouver. Vancouver’s greatest strength is that it is a great place to live and labour/talent costs are much lower compared to Silicon Valley. Vancouver’s weakness however is that labour/talent costs is irrelevant if a startup is not in a growth phase. Most startups in Canada lack the know-how and experience to quickly get to this stage in their start-up, whereas Silicon Valley has an influential community of experience that entrepreneurs can tap into (funding is also easier to obtain in the Valley from what I hear). Many organizations such as Bootup, AceTech, and EIO look to fill in this gap to create a community of development and support for entrepreneurs in Vancouver, thus Vancouver’s outlook is great.

5. What’s next? After mentor connect what other projects have you got on your radar, are there any other big events you’re excited to attending or organizing?

At the moment, I believe that anything is possible, but I do look forward to the next Vancouver Launch Party.

Cross Posted from Techvibes.

Mentor Speed-Dating 2.0 – which is free, thank you Bootup – takes place again at the law offices of Clark Wilson (thank you, Clark Wilson) on Friday, May 7th from 3:30 PM to 5:30 PM. Start-up companies interested in participating will need to set up a profile at http://mentors.bootup.ca and submit a one-page Executive Summary before Friday, April 30th. The organizers ask that you please hang on to your one-pager for now as the site will be updated shortly regarding submission details. Twelve to sixteen participating companies will be chosen by the organizing team (Mack, Simon & Karen). Companies are asked to arrive at MSD 2.0 having researched the mentors they’d like to meet and ready to identify two key issues (ie: legal, fundraising, technology, business development, sales, accounting etc.) they’d like help with.

Feel like sharing your wordly wisdom? MSD 2.0 isn’t a one-way street: Twelve participating mentors will also have the opportunity to mingle with each other at an informal dinner on the evening of Friday, April 30th.
If you’d like to help build Vancouver’s start-up community (which includes keeping track of companies you enjoy meeting for a follow-up after the event), sign up for a profile at http://mentors.bootup.ca.

There you go. Meet a Mentor at MSD 2.0. May 7th.  Mark your calendar: this is one date you can’t afford to miss.

Please note that this event is not being put on by the Bootup Entrepeneurial Society but they were kind enough to let us use their blog to let YOU know about it.

Registration is open for Innovation Camp Round Two!

Why are ideas like zippers, chestnuts and sharks?

Find out at Innovation Camp – a creativity and innovation workshop designed to inspire entrepreneurial thinking. Entrepreneurs see problems as opportunities. The bigger the problem, the bigger the opportunity. At Innovation Camp, we practice techniques to create and implement solutions to problems and along the way, we build community and embrace imagination and innovation. During round one, participants raised $5000 in 7 hours for the Vancouver Food Bank! Innovation Camp is all about doing – there are no boring lectures, just engaging activities that stimulate your creativity and challenge you to think big and turn your ideas into reality. You’ll connect with brilliant people and work together to build on great ideas and find innovative solutions to real world challenges.

Here’s what people had to say about Innovation Camp Round One:

• “A great way to explore creative ideation and problem solving with a fun group dynamic.” – Quinn Ingram, musician with the band Your House
• “I was recharged, inspired, laughed and met really cool people. AND our workshop raised $5000 for the Vancouver Food Bank on a rainy Saturday afternoon!” – Cinci Csere, EAT Communications
• “I had the opportunity to network with inspiring people, exercise my creativity, and have fun. I received valuable feedback about how I work with other people, and took home some new tools for thinking outside the box.” – Sandra Trace, programmer writer at SAP

Check out InnovationCamp.org/workshops for pictures and details from Round One.

At Innovation Camp you will:

• learn techniques to view problems from fresh perspectives in order to identify opportunities
• apply those techniques in entrepreneurial situations and reflected on what was learned in the process
• receive clear, concise feedback on your ability to work as part of a team
• analyze and learn from failures in your own and others lives
• laugh and have fun!

Cost (for all 3 days): $125 for early bird tickets until November 10th. Regular price tickets are $149 after November 10th.

Dates & Times: (limited seating, max. 24 participants)

• November 24, Tuesday, 6:30pm – 9:30pm (includes sandwiches and tea/coffee/juice)
• November 26, Thursday, 6:30pm – 9:30pm (includes sandwiches and tea/coffee/juice)
• November 28, Saturday, 10:00am – 6:00pm (Note – all day session, includes sandwiches and tea/coffee/juice)

Location: Kontent Creative offices, 55 Water St, Vancouver, BC

Register now or check out InnovationCamp.org for more details!

Dean Prelazzi, Director of ICT, Wireless, & New Media Technologies Sectors British Columbia Innovation Council

That job title is fantastic. What exactly do you do and what experiences have you had that made you a good fit for the role?

I got my start with an Ottawa company called CrossKeys, one of Newbridge Networks’ first affiliate companies. We were making carrier-grade network and service management software – selling into the largest telecommunications carriers on the planet. I spent some time in product management, marketing, and later sales, selling into AT&T, Sprint, Qwest Communications, Global One, and a handful of CLECs on the east coast. Since then my career has spanned a number of areas related to thin client computing, internet performance and networking, data analysis, point of sale applications, SaaS applications and social networking. Generally, I guess you could say the diversity of my tech background and the breadth of roles I’ve had in sales, marketing, and product management – always with early stage companies or early stage technology – gives me a unique perspective with enough technical depth to be dangerous and some solid experience in product positioning and marketing. I also did an MBA focused specifically on high technology and I wrote a thesis (kind of) in the area of marketing and selling complex technology.

As far as my role at the BC Innovation Council is concerned, I tend to characterize it as business development. I’m passionate about B.C.’s tech sector and more importantly, its role in driving our economy in the 21st century. I’m focused on initiatives that help build B.C.’s entrepreneurship infrastructure as one of the key drivers of technology commercialization and startup growth. I’m also keen to meet companies one on one as I find I can help them think about their challenges from a different angle, brainstorm with them a little, connect them to valuable resources, and ultimately help them move the ball forward by bringing my marketing skills to the table. By the way, yes – it is a fantastic job. Love it. But I do miss being on the front lines selling too. Working directly with customers to address their needs is very satisfying. But, I feel I’m doing that today. It’s just a different kind of customer.

What is BCIC? Where did they come from, how long have they been around, what do they do and what direction are they heading in?

The BC Innovation Council (BCIC) is a Crown agency of the Province of British Columbia. It was formed in 2006 through the merger of the former (Innovation and) Science Council of British Columbia (SCBC) and Advanced Systems Institute (ASI). SCBC was established by Province in 1976 and became active in 1979 and ASI became active in 1991.

We’re the lead organization charged with driving the commercialization of innovation in the Province and we’re focused on accelerating the growth of our science and technology communities and competitively positioning British Columbia in the global science and technology economy in order to provide significant employment opportunities and a high standard of living for British Columbians. On the tactical side of things, one of our focus areas is talent development which we do through our Science Fair program in elementary and high school, and through any number of science and technology grants and scholarships to high school and university students – undergraduate and graduate.

We’re also involved, increasingly, in developing entrepreneurship talent though a number of programs both in universities and the private sector. Our partnership with New Ventures BC in support of their annual business competition is a big example of this. Every year, the competition helps 30 entrepreneurs think critically about their business and refine their business plan through a rigorous training and mentorship process. As I indicated earlier, entrepreneurship infrastructure is a key to commercialization and growing our tech sector so we’re getting more active in this area, with an increasing focus on aspiring technology entrepreneurs (whether from universities or the private sector) and tech startups. This was appealing for me when I was considering joining the organization.

Some of our other programs, for example partnering with ACM SIGGRAPH Vancouver, are designed to build community, stimulate job creation and commerce, and raise awareness, outside of B.C., regarding the depth of technology skills and competencies available in B.C. as a method of attracting investment and business to the region. ACM SIGGRAPH Vancouver is the most active SIGGRAH Chapter in the world and likely played a role in helping bring our region to the attention of Pixar and certainly helped secure the SIGGRAPH 2011 conference which will bring 20,000+ professionals in the animation and graphics industry from around the world to Vancouver in 2011. And some of our other initiatives still, are aimed at directly engaging innovators in universities and the private sector, and helping to drive the development of even greater innovation – for example by facilitating the development of a new association with common research interests, or at times by bringing together other federal and provincial departments to fund a new project rooted in either the development of a new innovation or the commercialization of one.

What is Connect ’09? Is this the first Connect? Who is it for and what is the point?

Connect ’09 is designed for tech start-ups, aspiring entrepreneurs, and students. It’s intended to ‘connect’ this community to the knowledge, people, and resources that can really help them move their business forward and it’s aimed at all technology domains including ICT, Wireless, New Media, Clean Tech, Life Sciences, etc. An example is the structured networking part of the evening in which over 40 of B.C.’s top technology business leaders are making themselves available, formally, to be approached by technology entrepreneurs – maybe to answer a question or two, provide a sound bite of advice, or facilitate an introduction in the future.

The ‘structured’ part of the networking is characterized by all the mentors at stand up tables, their names and profiles clearly laid out in the event program enabling attendees to seek out certain people if they choose. It’s quite unique. I guess you could say we’re trying to break down any barriers that may be preventing some members of the community from approaching others. Ultimately, this event is about celebrating the spirit of entrepreneurship in our community and helping to make sure folks have the tools they need to be successful, or at least information of where to find them. Leonard Brody is delivering the Keynote speech this year. He’s a cofounder and CEO of Now Public – which, by the way, was just acquired for $25 million this week. Iain Black, the Provincial Minister of Small Business, Technology, and Economic Development will also be in attendance, and speaking at the event.

There are also a series of panel sessions aimed at some of the areas that are key to the success of a start up. (1) funding (2) building partnerships (3) the value of startup accelerators(4) building well designed products – and it’s all topped off by a let-your-hair down style cocktail reception that I know everyone will enjoy. Every tech entrepreneur in B.C. should be at this event. It will not disappoint. Get to www.bcic.ca/connect to register soon as it will sell out.

What do you see as major trends evolving in the ICT, Wireless, & New Media Technologies Sectors? In your mind what are some of the big picture ideas that we will see emerge over the next 2 years? What about 10 – 20 years?

Wow, that’s quite a question. Well firstly, during the next few years on the new media side of things, social networking is increasingly hitting the mainstream. We’re seeing it in mainstream business applications more and more as companies take notice of the powerful effect of online networking in the context of what’s been demonstrated through Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook. And it’s not just about the networking part of it. There’s tremendous value in being able to assemble a crowd quickly on the basis of common interests or a common profile or demographic, perhaps to answer a question, enter a contest, promote a cause or hey – BUY A PRODUCT! So I think this will continue. Companies will find new and creative ways of generating big business commerce by bringing together online crowds – essentially pushing the bounds of what we understand exists in the applications currently at the forefront of this space.

Also, I think the adoption of SaaS-based business applications (software as a service) is accelerating, especially in the small business space. Core business applications to run your business are no longer one size fits all. You can find on-line applications to run your Personal Training business, your Life Coaching business, your Brand Marketing business, your hockey team, your charity – all customized to meet the unique structure of those businesses in terms of how you interact with your customers – and the kind and scope of applications available today is continuing to grow. I don’t know if this is an earth shattering observation as a major trend, but I think it’s a trend that may be flying under radar a little as folks tend to get most excited about the Twitter-ish things going on. Point is, some of the basics of business are still a hot target for online productivity applications. In many cases it ain’t sexy, but it’s paying you $30 a month per user which adds up fast if you can get the word out with a great application.

On the wireless side of things, two things immediately come to mind. First, I think Wireless Health represents a monumental tidal wave of innovation and opportunity in the longer term. Wireless applications used in an electronic health records context as well as a medical diagnosis and treatment context with transmitters sending vital signs to a database for immediate analysis and diagnosis, along with an alerting system which loops your physician into the situation. There’s some very wild stuff coming down the pipe. From an infrastructure point of view, I’m excited about the jump from 3G up to LTE (Long Term Evolution) or sometimes referred to as 4G designed to increase the capacity and speed of mobile telephone networks. New and improved quality of service capabilities are also built into the LTE architecture which will open up a plethora of new high bandwidth applications in the wireless world – streaming high definition video is one of them along other applications in consumer media and entertainment, enterprise collaboration and health care, and cloud computing.

I don’t know about the 20 year time horizon (I’d really like to see a transporter, or hyperspace capability like in the old Asteroids game) but over the longer term, I think we’ll see a fundamental shift in how humans interact with digital content and applications whether from desktop workstations or mobile devices. I think the user interface will transform, driven by the science and engineering behind computer animation and graphics, which will evolve into mainstream business applications. In a nutshell, I see the user experience becoming more fluid, more immersed or integrated in the application rather than separate from it as it is today. It’s hard to put into words. This company I discovered recently right here in Vancouver, Mingleverse, embodies my vision here a little. Mingleverse is a new way to communicate which immerses the person right in the digital communication medium. It has a telepresence angle to it. It’s pretty wild.

Do all good technologies in the ICT, Wireless, & New Media Technologies Sectors take off? If it’s a useful product/technology/idea is that enough to commercialize something or does it take more then that? If it takes more then what are the other ingredients in getting something new and innovative to the level of the accepted norm?

Great question. Short answer is no. Good ideas fail every day. I think what makes or breaks the success of many startups is the extent to which the new product or service is solving a problem worth solving. That is, there have to be people or business processes suffering in some way even though at times they may not know it until they see a new way of doing something. But once that new method is introduced, the old is recognized as inferior which drives the desire to buy the new. There’s a fine line here though that I often struggle with myself, because sometimes people don’t know what they want or need. That is, market research – while I’m a big advocate of doing it, and doing it well – doesn’t do a great job, if at all, in telling you the future.

Regardless, if you have an idea, I think you should grow it incrementally and along the way seed the market with a prototype for the purpose of acquiring feedback and validating its utility. One of the best things I think startups can do is spend some time identifying their ideal customer profile. And then get to know that customer segment intimately to test the assumptions that were made about that audience. Sometimes the best way to get to know them is by asking them to use your prototype, and then watch them use it – or not use it. Bottom line, know your customers! This gets you through the first hurdle of early adopters. But then you have to chase widespread or viral adoption, so to speak. To do this, you really have to have the value proposition nailed, and it has to be written through the eyes and experiences of your customers and through their perspective of the problem you are solving. Don’t skimp here. Get real clear about the value of solving your customer’s problem, in their own words. To a degree, this should optimize your chance of success in marketing and selling your technology.

Further Reading:

• Follow Dean on Twitter
• Dean’s Website
• The BCIC Website

At Innovation Camp you will:

• learn techniques to view problems from fresh perspectives in order to identify opportunities
• apply those techniques in entrepreneurial situations and reflected on what was learned in the process
• receive clear, concise feedback on your ability to work as part of a team
• analyze and learn from failures in your own and others lives
• laugh and have fun!

Price: $75.00 CAD
Location: the beautiful Kontent Creative offices, 55 Water St, Vancouver, Canada
Dates and Times:

• October 13, Tuesday, 6:30pm – 9:30pm
• October 15, Thursday, 6:30pm – 9:30pm
• October 17, Saturday, 10:00am – 6:00pm
• October 19, Monday, 6:30pm – 8:30pm(16 hours total)

Register now or check out InnovationCamp.org for more details .

Please note that this event is not being put on by The Bootup Entrepreneurial Society though it’s definitely geared towards people who are excited by what BES is building.

Last night was DemoCamp 7, the Social Platform Edition and the event was definitely a success. There was a total of 12 different ideas brought to the table and each one had some real merit to it.

Two of those businesses were guests of honour (Anahita and BuddyPress) with prepared presentations and most of the others were just people with an idea they wanted to share. There were some who just dropped in and some people who had clearly been planning their 30 second spiel for quite a while, but everybody was excited to be sharing their vision.

The Format

1. Each contestant got to pitch their concept for 30 seconds. (10 people total)
2. The two guest of honour companies made their presentations.
3. The top five 30 second pitches got expanded into six minute pitches. (Everybody watching got to vote.)

As usual Boris was the master of ceremonies and did a tremendous job of keeping the train on the tracks. I’ve only been to a couple of Bootup Labs events so far but everyone has worked out really well. I suspect it’s because they have found a way to perfectly maintain the tension between structured order and organic chaos that allows for maximum creativity, interactivity and entertainment.

Certainly the event wasn’t perfect but for the most part the presentations were highly informative and sometimes down right fun. Some of the ideas didn’t seem overly connected to the theme of Social Platforms but none the less they were all worth listening to.

Apparently this was the reboot of the DemoCamp nights here in Vancouver and I have no doubt the next one will be equally as interesting and possibly even more focused. I’m not sure why there was a hiatus but for all of our sake I hope the next event is soon. DemoCamp 7 was absolutely incredible from a networking perspective; I met a couple of people who I was deeply grateful for being introduced to and already have a lunch date with one.

If you are involved in tech, business or the web here in Vancouver there really is no excuse to miss the next one.

I recently had the opportunity to attend the first ever Co Founder Speed Dating.

I assume that sounds as weird to you as it did to me.

Though the concept seemed strange, I had heard great things about the folks at Bootup Labs and they threw the event.  On top of that I planned on attending Launch Party 7 which was held immediately after in the same venue, so making it out to speed dating was really a no brainer.

THE INTRO

Before the speed dating started we were treated to a ten minute presentation by John Goodwin about how to find the right co founder.  John showed us how to identify our own strengths and weaknesses and how to find people who would complement our skill sets.  I found the whole presentation quite informative but one part in particular really stuck out for me.  John said…

“Our culture has been shaped so that you go to school, get educated and learn about the world.  You also learn about yourself.  And when you’re done school they hand you a sheet of paper.  On one side is a list of everything you’re good at, your skills and aptitudes.  On the other side is a list of everything you’re bad at.  The idea is that you spend the rest of your professional career improving the things you’re bad at.

That’s rubbish.

Surround yourself with people you trust and who can cover your back.  Then never think about your weaknesses again.  Your job is to take your strengths, and make them even stronger.  Become the best possible at whatever you’re good at.”

For me personally that nugget of wisdom alone made the speed dating worth while.

THE MAIN EVENT

Before the event the Bootup Entrepreneurial Society had set up a small social network that allowed you to talk about yourself and introduce yourself to other people.  Part of the site was a profile check box to indicate which people you would be interested in meeting.  This could be loosely compared to a Facebook friend request or Twitter follower but within the context of a much smaller, much more focused network.   Once the speed dating actually got started my worry was there seemed to be no reference to these “like-to-meets” and I was concerned about the relevance of the people I was going to sit down with.

Luckily my fears were unfounded.  Just like me, everybody who wanted to meet somebody specific had made their own list and people were looking for each other.  I didn’t need an official date with Mike Woods to recognize that we had common ground and needed to chat.  Same with Ben Hesketh (and many others.)  After the structured schedule was done I sat down and had a beer with each of them.  Since then I’ve been able to connect with both and have third meetings already set up.  From my perspective, I didn’t need to be chaperoned through a new relationship- I just needed a reason to meet and a place to do it and that’s what speed dating provided.

Did everybody there love the Internet, Casual Games and Social Psychology?  Absolutely not.  So yes there was a date or two with somebody I had nothing to say to, but there was also 11 dates with fascinating, exciting and inspiring people.  These are people that could enrich my professional life and I can honestly say I wouldn’t have met outside of this context. Therein lies the power of Co Founder Speed Dating.

THE RESULT

For me personally, this event was an absolute success.

I have had six different follow up meetings with people I met at speed dating.  These are people that met me, talked to me and were so excited by my ideas that they wanted to get together again, and chat even more about the things I love.  Considering I didn’t know these people existed 10 days ago speed dating was very good for my professional network.

Did I find a co founder already?  Of course not.  Running a start up is the economic equivalent of a marriage and I’m not hopping into bed with any body that quick.  (I guess I’m just not that kind of guy!)  On the other hand I did find people who are exciting and motivational and who I expect I will be working with in the very near future.  Will we take down Google together… I’m not sure.   But will we have an iPhone game in the app store in three months… Undoubtedly.

I’m not sure what Bootup can do for the next event to make it better.  Everything ran smoothly and a good time was had by all but I suspect if I go to the next one there will be many of the same people sitting around the tables and at this point I’ve either ruled them out or am already looking forward to working with them.  None the less, I will certainly check out whatever event the Boot Up Entrepreneurial Society puts on next, regardless of what that is, as they seem to do a stand up job of connecting people who care about the things I do.

The Bootup Labs home page says “We are working hard to grow the technology ecosystem in Vancouver” and that’s exactly what this event did.