William Johnson and The Work of Innovate BC

William Johnson, Director of Marketing + Communications at Innovate BC

Innovate BC is a crown agency of British Columbia, connecting innovators to government funding, resources, and support. William says they call it the “innovation marketplace” describing the service as a kind of concierge. They provide funding the tech companies across the province, no matter the place or kind of technology, to push the tech industry forward and keep it local. The marketing department and Innovate BC works to build the Innovate BC brand and drive awareness to their programs and services, as well as educating businesses on the value of technology and how to make life better. Innovate BC also puts on a conference every year, the BC Tech Summit, Western Canada’s largest tech innovation event that takes place at Vancouver's Convention Centre with visitors from over 20 countries. With big names like Tesla, to local companies that share the latest in tech to 5-8 thousand visitors. William says the BC tech summit is made for not only innovators, but for business owners looking for tech that offers solutions to make your business run more smoothly, or for marketers looking for new startups to have as potential clients.

Learn more about the BC Tech summit at bctechsummit.ca

William boasts plenty of homegrown successes that Innovate BC is proud to have help fund, including a local company called Acuva Technologies, a water purification company that created a device no bigger than a smartphone than can filter your water using UV rays, increasing the access to clean water and solve challenges around the world.

WIlliam uses these tools to stay connected, innovative and inspired:

• Joe Rogan Podcast
• Tim Farris Podcast
• The Ringer FC Podcast
• Loves books like, “Atomic Habits”
• “Made to Stick” by Chip & Dan Heath, marketing book
• “REWORK” by Jason Freid
• New York Times Mag

Written by Darian Kovacs, host of the Marketing News Canada News Show and founder of Jelly Digital Marketing and PR.