1. A HITCHHIKERS GUIDE
TO THE OKANAGAN
TECH STARTUP
COMMUNITY
Jeff Keen
CEO, Accelerate Okanagan
@4keeners
jeff@accelerateokanagan.com
Updated May 7th, 2014

2. With the Okanagan Startup Community continuing to
grow - it was time to put together a guide to help get the
word out and let people know about all the incredible
startup activity happening here, and what make our
community so awesome!
I would like to thank Brea Retzlaff, Shane Austin and
Andrew Greer for their contributions in pulling this
information together – thanks guys!

3. What makes our community work?
• Volunteer community organizations
• Engaged leaders
• Give before you get attitude
• Giving back when you make it big
• Grassroots events & activities that support
entrepreneurs
• Meetup Groups
• International Airport
• World class education institutions
• Co Working spaces
• Service provider support
• Big company support
• AMAZING PEOPLE

4. Some notable startups
2 Hat Security
Bananatag
Blur Sports
Carrot Analytics
Counterpart Technologies
DealerAdLink
Delta Safety Tech
eDynamic Learning
Find it EZ Software
FreshGrade
GetintheLoop
GreenStep
HuStream
Hyper Hippo
Jupiter Avionics Corp
Just be Friends
Kinematic Soup
Mathtoons Media
Mind Festival Learning
Norada
Progeny Bio
ProSmart Sports
QuestUpon
Routezilla
Saturn Animation
Soil Mate
StreetText
Time.ly
Upward Solutions
Visitcan
WTFast.com
X1 Aeronautics
Yeti Farm Creative

5. Meetups
Lean Coffee
Gaming & Animation Coffee
Drink n’ Draw
Hack Night
UX Breakfast
OKDG Nights
Game Nights
Legal Clinics
MAD Nights
Art Brew
TechgURLS
Life Drawn
#devKL
Vernon #geekbeers
Tech Talk Penticton
Startup Drinks
Financial Clinics
Programming Square One
http://www.meetup.com/DigitalOkanagan/
You can find out more information including event registration here:

6. Events
TEDx Kelowna
TEDx Penticton
Entrepreneurs Unplugged
Startup Weekend Okanagan
Startup Week Okanagan
Venture Okanagan
Okanagan Tech Community – New Year Kickoff Party
http://www.accelerateokanagan.com/events/

7. Conferences
metabridge
Volunteer Community Organizations
Okanagan Young Professionals
Digital Okanagan
Okanagan Changemakers
Okanagan Developer Group

8. Okanagan College
Enactus @ OC
Venture Okanagan
Young Entrepreneur Program
Business Student Association
Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management
Social Entrepreneurship
Technology Education Program

9. University of British Columbia - Okanagan
Entrepreneurship Boot Camp
Entrepreneurship Club
Entrepreneurship@UBC
e@UBC Seed Fund
Enactus @ UBCO
Young Women Professional Development Club
Investment Club
Mechatronics and Robotics Club
UILO Startup Services Voucher

10. Incubators / Accelerators
Accelerate Okanagan
Co Working Spaces
Co+Lab
Co+Engine
Cowork
Accelerate Okanagan

11. Dev / Design Shops
AcroMedia
Apero Media
Bawtree Software
Beelineweb
Big Bear Software
Brandnetic Studios
Cheeky Monkey Media
Galaxy Bomb
GetOn Marketing Inc.
Good Sir
Hiilite Creative Group
Ignite Design
Isotope 12 Creative
John van der Woude
Kazia Mullin Digital Strategist
Odd Pixel
Pixel Savvy
Propeller Brand
Roketo
S33 Creative
Shane Austin UX Design Consulting
Software Modelers
Spun Studios
Syndicate Theory
Top Search Result
Tulip Consulting
Twin Creek Media
Twirling Umbrellas
Volta Design

12. Startup Friendly Big Co’s
Disney Interactive
Procera Networks
QHR Technologies
DIRTT
Finding a Job / Finding Talent
Accelerate Okanagan Job Board
Meetups

13. Legal, Finance & Banking
Legal
Pushor Mitchell
Farris Vaughn Wills & Murphy
Gowlings
Finance
KPMG
Grant Thornton
Banking
Interior Savings
Vantage One Credit Union

14. Web sites
www.accelerateokanagan.com
www.okanaganchangemakers.com
www.meetup.com/DigitalOkanagan
www.okdg.org
www.investkelowna.com
Startup Friendly Hangout Spots
Bike Shop Café
Streaming Café
Accelerate Okanagan
Train Station Pub