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This Thursday 25 Top B.C. Tech Companies Will Showcase at Science World

Start-ups, new media ventures, tech companies, social media empires; they’re here in Vancouver, with more joining the ranks all the time.

Start-ups, new media ventures, tech companies, social media empires; they’re here in Vancouver, with more joining the ranks all the time. “DigiVan” is an ongoing column that profiles the digital people, professions, products and places that are making a mark on the West Coast and across the world.

Over two dozen of the province’s brightest high tech companies will shine at NextBC, a celebration of British Columbia innovation in our digital and new media industries. You can help choose which one deserves top honors.

The Digital Media and Wireless Association of B.C. (better known as DigiBC) is holding this inaugural event at TELUS World of Science (a.k.a. Science World) on Thursday, May 15. The event kicks off at 6 PM, and during the evening 25 local companies will be celebrated under the spotlight.

For the first 90 minutes you'll be able to learn about each of the contenders as they showcase their cutting edge technology. You can leave your vote for the company that strike you as the best of the best, with the top winner slated to receive the audience choice award later that evening. Gold, silver and bronze awards will also be handed out from a panel of industry judges.

“There are awards shows recognizing past, current and great technologies; but we want to identify who is paving innovation for the future of B.C.,” says Howard Donaldson, President of DigiBC. “NextBC will showcase 25 chosen companies to celebrate in front of peers, industry leaders and media.”

NextBC logo

British Columbia is home to over tens of thousands of companies that deliver world-class products and solutions in the digital space. From innovative technology start-ups, clean energy development think tanks, special effects studios, video game developers, animation houses and digital marketing agencies, over 70,000 people are employed in these various high tech fields – and every year it’s growing.

Tickets for NextBC are available along with discounts for students and members of certain associations. I’ll be going to the event and will be back with coverage of the night, the winners, and other cool nuggets of info for you to munch on.

Here are the 25 nominated companies up for awards at NextBC:

Avigilon -- surveillance solutions

Build Direct -- eCommerce site for building materials

CapTherm Systems -- cooling systems for high-powered electronics

CineCoup -- film accelerator

Cognilab -- social research

Conquer Mobile -- mobile app development

D-Wave Systems ---quantum computing

Electronic Arts Canada -- video games

EchoSec -- image search

Elix Wireless -- wireless electrical charging

Fusion Pipe Software Solutions

Gener8 -- stereoscopic 3D conversion

General Fusion -- clean energy

HootSuite -- social media dashboard & analytics

IoT Design Shop -- connected devices

Medeo -- online medical services

MTT Innovation -- image processing & transmission

Payfirma -- payment processing for eCommerce

PayWith -- mobile rewards and payment

PHEMI Health Systems -- big data applications for the health industry

POF -- online dating

Recon Instruments -- heads-up display technology

Trulioo -- online identity security

Urthecast -- video platform technology

Vision Critical -- community building & customer insight

Purchase tickets for NextBC by clicking here.

DigiVan covers Vancouver's burgeoning start-up, technology, new media and digital scene. Work at a local company that's developing something cool? Contact Patrick Sauriol on Twitter @ Arcane_Bimmer.