“Bootup Entrepreneurial Society fulfills an instrumental role in the acceleration of technology start-ups to competitively position British Columbia in today’s global technology space,” said Dean Rockwell, CEO of BCIC.  “BCIC is dedicated to develop entrepreneurial talent and to drive the commercialization of technologies and we are pleased to partner with BES in their efforts to make our province a desirable place to found and build digital media start-ups.”

Through this partnership, BES plans to expand its International Mentorship Program to include regular talks and workshops by leading business development and marketing experts. In addition, BES will work closely with BCIC to raise awareness of BC’s burgeoning digital media startup community locally and abroad.

Wantit.bootup.ca
On top of that, we really want to hear from you.  We started wantit.bootup.ca last month to get your feedback and suggestions.  Two of the ideas posted on the Wantit site are already in motion:

• Mentor Speed Dating – Mack Flavelle of Compass Engine has come forward to organize a Mentor Speed Dating event on February 10.  If you are interested in being a mentor or looking for mentorship, please sign up at mentors.bootup.ca and Mack will get in touch with you.
• University Connect Program – Jon Chui is working on a plan to support student entrepreneurs. More information to come.

Go to Wantit.bootup.ca if you want to add or vote for your favorite suggestion.  If you want to help make some of these things happen like Mack and Jon, please contact me or comment below.

Company registration goes until this Friday, so apply now. Investors and members of the public are also welcome to attend, and can register here.

We’re excited about the great speaker lineup, and looking forward to seeing lots of great pitches and great discussions on investment in the digital media space.

Here’s the full version of the press release (also see the post on Techvibes).

NEW MEDIA BC ANNOUNCES NEW RATES FOR FUSION VENTURE FORUM AND BEST IN SHOW JUDGES

Organizers New Media BC are pleased to announce that with the support of the National Research Council Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC-IRAP) and Bootup Entrepreneurial Society, all entrepreneurs can participate at the Fusion Forum for no additional cost above the regular attendee price of $100. All companies attending the Fusion Entrepreneur Boot Camp held on November 5 as well as the twenty selected to pitch to top tier investors during the Fusion Venture Forum on November 12, will pay this same affordable rate as conference attendees.

“Our community has a history of producing some of the most notable digital media companies in the world,” says Maura Rodgers, Executive Director of Bootup Entrepreneurial Society. “We challenge our best entrepreneurs to step forward and show the international investors what our community is made of.”

The package includes full access to the event, including networking lunch and reception. Presenting companies will also have free access to “Entrepreneur Bootcamp” training sessions, presentation coaching, and a chance to pitch at the Forum on November 12th and potentially have one-on-one meetings with visiting investors from Silicon Valley.

“New Media BC is thrilled to have the support of NRC-IRAP and Bootup Entrepreneurial Society to provide such great value to BC and Canadian entrepreneurs.” said Rochelle Grayson, Interim President at New Media BC. “We have lined up first-class investors and industry experts, and we are looking forward to showcasing the best digital media talent and opportunities BC and Canada has to offer.”

The deadline for registrations has been extended to Friday, October 30th to allow entrepreneurs to take advantage of this special rate. Reimbursements will be made for companies who have already signed up at the full rate.

New Media BC also announced that Fusion’s “Best in Show” judges will be Tom Duterme, Corporate Development Manager at Google Inc., Saeed Amidi, CEO/President and Founder of Plug and Play Tech Center and Steve Hnatiuk, Founder and Partner at Yaletown Venture Partners. The “Best in Show” presenter will receive paid airfare to San Francisco and three month placement at the prestigious Plug and Play Tech Centre accelerator in Sunnyvale, California.

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.

1) What’s the one piece of online or offline technology that you can’t live without?

Online: Up until June 2007 when my husband surprised me with my first MacBook, I was a PC. And as of two weeks ago, when I finally traded in my Blackberry for a shiny new iPhone, this girl is all Mac. The iPhone does have it’s limitations. It is not great for someone, who needs to reply to loads of email on the go and the built-in camera is not so hot, but I am smitten. It’s my favorite tech gadget right now.
Offline: My Wolf Gas Range. When I am not plugged in or at work, I am entertaining. And my gas range is a beautiful cooking machine.

Read Maura’s full 5 question interview at Kontent Creative Group Inc.

Maura Rodgers is an enthusiastic promoter of Vancouver’s technology sector. The 35-year-old entrepreneur is one of the founders of Launch Party Vancouver, a series of mixers organized by the Bootup Labs Entrepreneurial Society that showcases local Internet start-ups. She’s also the cofounder and chief executive officer of Strutta, a company that helps customers run on-line competitions.

Read Maura’s full “Geek Speak” interview at the Georgia Straight.