Have your say and learn how to feel like the bright capable person that others think you are!
We’re pleased to promote Women’s Enterprise Centre on an exciting and collaborative event to provide dialogue, celebration and inspiration. Following on from the highly successful BC Economic Forum held in Vancouver in October 2014, the Catalyst for Growth Event in Kelowna combines a lively working forum, a networking lunch and world-renowned expert on overcoming the Impostor Syndrome, Dr. Valerie Young. We are bringing together community voices for economic growth and to equip business leaders with the skills to step up and be more effective.
The Kelowna Catalyst for Growth Event is on May 22, 2015. Women and men are welcome - join us to help advance the conversation into action strategies for growth! Seating is limited. Register today or learn more at www.catalystforgrowth.ca
Catalyst for Growth Event Details:
May 22, 2015
8:00 am – 4:30 pm
Capri Hotel – Main Ballroom General public: $79 (before May 1) | $99 (after May 1) Tickets: Catalystforgrowth.ca/Register Full url: http://www.catalystforgrowth.ca Short url: Catalyst4Growth.ca
Original article by Jon Manchester Castanet Story: 137459 - Apr 13, 2015 / 1:14 pm
Photo: Contributed to Castanet
Kellie Leitch, minister of labour and minister of status of women, Laurel Douglas, CEO, Women's Enterprise Centre, Janet Austin, chair, Vancouver Board of Trade, Iain Black, CEO, Vancouver Board of Trade.
Laurel Douglas, CEO of the Kelowna Women’s Enterprise Centre, was recognized by the Vancouver Board of Trade with the inaugural Wendy McDonald Award.
The award was given in the community catalyst category and presented April 8 in Vancouver.
The awards were created in memory of the former president of BC Bearings Engineers Ltd. A force in Canadian business and a pioneer for women in leadership, McDonald left an impression on the board when she became its first female chair in 1990.
Douglas was chosen as the recipient based on her work through the Women's Enterprise Centre during the past 10 years. She and her team have assisted thousands of women entrepreneurs to start, grow and succeed in their business.
A non-profit organization funded in part by Western Economic Diversification Canada, Women’s Enterprise Centre is celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2015. Since Douglas joined as CEO in 2004, it has provided business loans and leveraged financing of more than $45.7 million to business owners in B.C. and has helped create or maintain more than 2,000 jobs.
“Under the strong leadership of Ms. Douglas, the Women’s Enterprise Centre has successfully become the leading business resource centre for women who are, or are considering, starting, purchasing or growing a small business in B.C.,” said Michelle Rempel, minister of state for Western Economic Diversification.
Douglas is the only person from outside the Lower Mainland to be recognized with a Wendy McDonald award so far.
Community Futures Development Corporation of Central Okanagan (CFDCCO) is pleased to announce that 2015 is the organization's 25th Anniversary. During the past 25 years, volunteers, staff, contractors, partners and clients of Community Futures have helped to shape Central Okanagan community development. "2015 will be a celebration of this success", states Barbra Johnston, Chairperson for CFDCCO, herself a client of Community Futures back in 1992. "Without early support from Community Futures, I am sure I would not be in business today and employing 80 people at Natures Formulae Health Products Inc." "Volunteering and leading CFDCCO is my way of giving back to the community that helped me to be successful" explains Barbra. "I look forward to hearing more testimonials from some of the thousands of people that CFDCCO has helped to start and grow their businesses".
During 2015, CFDCCO is planning to profile and publicize some of the clients from the past 25 years. If you would like to share your Community Futures stories with us, please contact our General Manager, Larry Widmer at 250-868-2132 ext. 223 or by email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
A Golf Tournament in September is also being planned for all of those interested in a fun afternoon and party to follow so look forward to hearing more details in the coming months.
VO SPRING INVESTORS FORUM - Thursday April 9th, 2015
Venture Okanagan Investor Forum is hosted during the Spring and Fall of each year. Guests learn of exciting new businesses in the Okanagan as hand selected entrepreneurs pitch their business to investors, business leaders, and the VO community. Presentations are followed by a fully catered networking reception where the top presenter is awarded a cash prize, after careful review of a panel of judges. With live music, delicious appetizers, and a chance to personally connect with the entrepreneurs, guests are always eager to return to the Venture Okanagan Investors Forum year after year.
Keep up to date with the latest news from Venture Okanagan via our Facebook page
Original article by Wayne Moore | Castanet Story: 135605 - Mar 19, 2015 / 7:00 pm
Photo: Wayne Moore - Castanet File Photo
Canada's largest enterprise cloud service provider is about to be sold.
RackForce Networks, which provides services for national and international clients from its Kelowna-based GigaCentre has entered into a share purchase agreement with TeraGo Inc.
Under terms of the sale TeraGo will acquire 100 per cent of issued and outstanding shares of RackForce for aggregate cash considerations of $31 million plus $2 million in common shares of TeraGo.
The acquisition is expected to close on, or about, March 27.
The purchase will increase TeraGo's data centre footprint from 40,000 to 58,000 square feet of raised floor space and available power from 6MW to approximately 13MW.
"The RackForce acquisition provides TeraGo with a growth platform in the attractive cloud services industry and helps further position TeraGo as a leading national end-to-end data solution company," says TeraGo’s president and CEO Stewart Lyons.
"RackForce will complement our business and transforms TeraGo into Canada's premier enterprise class network, data, voice and cloud services provider."
RackForce serves multiple high value enterprise customers across numerous verticals, including federal and provincial governments, and education. RackForce’s top-25 customers generate average monthly revenue of over $17,000.
"We recognize the value, expertise and experience RackForce exhibits as a proven cloud partner for enterprise clients running mission-critical applications," Lyons continued. "We warmly welcome RackForce professionals and we are excited to enter into a new phase of our business at TeraGo."
Original Posting March 16, 2015 by: Heidi Mann Accelerate Okanagan
BC-based tech startups are the top winners at Interzone pitch competition.
Two of Accelerate Okanagan’s FastTrack Program clients, Control and WTFast finished first and second this past weekend at at the Interzone SubCulture pitching event in Banff, Alberta. Seven of the most disruptive Canadian technology start-ups pitched to a panel of venture capitalists, CEOs and business leaders.
Rob Bartlett, CEO of WTFast, said, “it was a great conference and we won over Rahul Sood (Creator of Microsoft Ventures, now CEO of Unikrn), which is the one guy that mattered most to me. It’s going to lead to a lot of strategic investment partnerships.”
Control and WTFast will look to keep the successful pitches coming on March 30th at a private investor forum in Kelowna. If you're an accredited investor and want to check out these, and other cutting edge tech companies, please contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
