Finalists announced for 2019 Technology Impact Awards

B.C.'s tech innovators are showing off their skills this week. The Technology Impact Awards (TIAs), a competition recognizing the province's top startup performers, has revealed its 2019 finalists. Hosted by the BC Tech Association, which aims to "make B.C. the best place to grow a tech company," the 26th annual TIAs come...

Credit: Technology Impact Awards

Winners to be announced at a June 27 gala

B.C.’s tech innovators are showing off their skills this week. The Technology Impact Awards (TIAs), a competition recognizing the province’s top startup performers, has revealed its 2019 finalists.

Hosted by the BC Tech Association, which aims to “make B.C. the best place to grow a tech company, the 26th annual TIAs come with two new categories: the Spirit of BC Tech – True Grit, which celebrates bold and pioneering entrepreneurship, and Excellence in Global Export, which rewards success in taking B.C.-developed tech international.

The awards highlight entrepreneurs’ perseverance because B.C. digital startups face two big challenges: a lack of anchor companies—firms that expand to a large scale and stimulate the creation of new ventures—and the difficulty of retaining talent in Vancouver.

The winners will be announced on Thursday, June 27, at a gala at the Vancouver Convention Centre.

In addition to the awards, BC Tech will grant six scholarships with a focus on technology to Grade 12 and post-secondary students.

Here are the finalists for each category of the 2019 Technology Impact Awards. Several of them have been EY Entrepreneur Of The Year (EOY) winners and finalists. EOY, which is sponsored by BCBusiness, will announce the finalists for its 2019 Pacific Region awards in July. The EOY Pacific Gala takes place on October 3 at the Vancouver Convention Centre.

COMPANY OF THE YEAR – STARTUP SUCCESS
CoPilot Advisor
Precision OS
SmartShare Solutions

COMPANY OF THE YEAR – GROWTH SUCCESS
Beanworks
Freshworks Studio
Nanotech Security

COMPANY OF THE YEAR – SCALE SUCCESS
AbCellera Biologics
Allocadia
Article (EOY winner, 2017, Emerging Technology)
Bench Accounting (EOY finalist, 2018, Emerging Entrepreneur)

COMPANY OF THE YEAR – ANCHOR SUCCESS
Clio (EOY winner, 2017, Software as a Service)
Fortinet
Sierra Systems, an NTT Data Company

EXCELLENCE IN GLOBAL EXPORT
ACL
Motion Metrics
PressReader
Semios

SPIRIT OF BC TECH – TRUE GRIT
Appreciation Engine
LightIntegra Technology
UrbanLogiq

TECH CULTURE OF THE YEAR
Ayogo Health
East Side Games
Thoughtexchange
SAP Vancouver

EXCELLENCE IN TECHNOLOGY ADOPTION
B.C. Government: Citizens’ Services, Office of the CIO
Goldcorp
Kal Tire

EXCELLENCE IN TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION
MediaValet
Novarc Technologies
Safe Software
Wiivv

PERSON OF THE YEAR
Kim Kaplan, VP product management, revenue optimization and marketing, Plentyoffish.com
Thomas Ligocki, CEO, Clevest Solutions (EOY finalist, 2018, Cleantech)
Greg Malpass, founder and CEO, Traction on Demand (EOY finalist, 2015, Technology)
Lisa Shields, founder and CEO, Fi.Span (EOY winner, 2015, Innovative Technology and Financial Services; B.C.’s Most Influential Women in Finance, 2019, Corporate & Entrepreneurship)