Technology Impact Awards celebrate new levels of growth, competitiveness

Meet the companies and leaders shaping the future of British Columbia

VANCOUVER, June 28, 2019 /CNW/ - The winners of the 2019 Technology Impact Awards (TIAs), proudly announced by the BC Tech Association on June 27, represent the cream of an impressive crop of innovative ventures fuelling unprecedented growth and global competitiveness across British Columbia.

Now in its 26th year of celebrating excellence and innovation in the province's tech sector, the largest and longest-running awards program of its kind featured a pair of new categories: "Spirit of BC Tech — True Grit," which celebrates bold entrepreneurship and pioneering spirit in the face of challenges; and "Excellence in Global Export," which rewards growth and success on the world stage through the export of technology developed in BC.

"Our Technology Impact Awards address what BC Tech and the community identify as key priorities: Delivering more home-grown scale and anchor companies; and educating, attracting and retaining top talent," said Jill Tipping, BC Tech President and CEO. "This year we had incredible finalists in every category, with the quality and diversity of their achievements impressing the judges like never before. From biotech and robotic welding to VR surgery training and innovative legal practice software, the 2019 winners demonstrate that technological advancement is the bedrock for industry success and positive social change. We congratulate all the winners and finalists on their contributions towards building a strong, vibrant future for BC and the world we share."

Winners were announced in front of a sold-out audience at the annual TIAs Gala, which was held at the Vancouver Convention Centre and co-hosted by Jill Tipping and Breakfast Television's Riaz Meghji.

The winners, and sponsoring partners, of the 2019 TIAs are:

Company of the Year – Startup Success (in partnership with Microsoft)
Winner: Precision OS

Company of the Year – Growth Success (in partnership with Osler)
Winner: Freshworks Studio

Company of the Year – Scale Success (in partnership with SAP)
Winner: AbCellera

Company of the Year – Anchor Success (in partnership with EY)
Winner: Clio

Excellence in Global Export (in partnership with Canada's Digital Technology Supercluster)
Winner: Galvanize

Spirit of BC Tech – True Grit (in partnership with Safe Software)
Winner: LightIntegra Technology

Tech Culture of the Year (in partnership with Harbour Air)
Winner: SAP Vancouver

Excellence in Technology Adoption (in partnership with Accenture)
Winner: Newmont Goldcorp

Excellence in Technology Innovation (in partnership with MDA)
inner: Novarc Technologies

Person of the Year (in partnership with BDC)
Winner: Greg Malpass

Another TIAs highlight was the granting of six BC Tech Scholarships to high-school and post-secondary students who are passionate about tech: Ember Dickson and Beriwan Ravandi, both winners of the Bill Tam "True Grit" Bursary; Rosalee Gingras; Kai Leong; Daphne Liu; and Jobina Tamminga.

"I was so surprised that out of the six representatives, five of them were female. This goes to show how much BC Tech is committed to closing that gender gap," said Daphne Liu, one of the BC Tech scholarship winners.

"I'm thrilled to have received this support from BC Tech and the wider community—it will enable me to pursue my studies and career to use tech as a tool to help tackle cyberbullying, empower young women and girls, and help end extreme poverty worldwide," said Beriwan Ravandi, another BC Tech scholarship winner.

"Recognizing, celebrating and supporting these young innovators is part of our mission to make BC the best place to develop and recruit world-class tech talent," said Raghwa Gopal, President + CEO of Innovate BC, the Provincial crown agency responsible for technology and innovation.

About the BC Tech Association
BC Tech is a non-profit dedicated to making British Columbia the best place to grow and scale a tech company. We pursue this mission by: providing the places and events for the community to come together; impactful programs that help companies grow, scale, export and adopt technologies; up to date information about the tech sector; and the solutions required to ensure our industry and our Province continue to grow and thrive. To learn more, visit www.wearebctech.com.

SOURCE BC Tech Association

Media Contact: Kathleen Reid, T: 604-724-1242, E: [email protected]