BigGeo steps to the stage

Welcome to this week's Sunday Briefing. In this issue, read about a competing Calgary startup, plus 8 other stories you may have missed. Have a great day. We'll see you again on Wednesday.

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🗳️ Question of the Week

BigGeo steps to the stage

Calgary co-founders Brent Lane and Brett Jones will be giving it their all on June 6 at the Snowflake Startup Challenge, a global competition that awards up to $1M USD in investment. The duo’s venture, BigGeo, was named as a top 3 finalist earlier this month.

BigGeo is a geospatial intelligence platform. Crunching vast amounts of geospatial data is an intimidating, resource-consuming task. But the potential rewards are rich: mapping the spread of diseases; determining optimum places for new housing developments; creating more efficient travel and shipping routes; and providing more accurate and timely weather and traffic reports. BigGeo is looking to remove the intimidation factor and give companies immediate, interactive geospatial insights.

The team is excited to present at the Startup Challenge finale. Not only is it an opportunity to expand BigGeo’s network and sharpen its competitive edge, but the team hopes to gain valuable insights from top-tier leaders.

“This accolade has definitely energized the entire BigGeo team to continue developing solutions that address real-world challenges, drive significant industry change, and build environmentally conscious solutions that align with our vision for a greener future,” said Jones, co-founder and president, BigGeo.

The 2024 Snowflake Startup Challenge began with over 900 applications from startups in more than 100 countries. The group was then narrowed down to a top 10, and now the final three.

🤝 Funding, Deals, and Partnerships

• Alberta Innovates recommits to ongoing clinical trials development. The growth of Alberta’s clinical trial environment is dependent on the development of a sustainable and highly qualified workforce. Alberta Innovates

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📰 Need To Know

• Amazon to open first-ever robotics fulfillment centre in Calgary. The facility will be Amazon’s largest in Canada. City News

• The side hustle he started at age 15 led to a $4 billion boon for small businesses: 'They would take a chance on me with their hard-earned money.' Everyone says they love small businesses, yet most service providers continue to treat them poorly. Entrepreneur

• Founders, builders, disruptors & disturbers - THANK YOU! As I mark my two-year anniversary as an advisor at Platform Calgary, I can't help but reflect on the incredible journey we've been on together. Mina Demian

• Alberta, Canada: A prime destination for Kiwi companies to ‘land and expand.’ As the province emerges as a leader in sustainable technology, Alberta also stands as a cost-effective hub for tech startups seeking to make their mark in North America. Tech Week NZ

• Haskayne School of Business launches dynamic new forum series to explore critical issues facing business and society. The inaugural Haskayne Business Exchange event series aims to bridge the academia-industry divide by examining the real-world implications of cutting-edge research. University of Calgary

• Innovators of the Week: Animal HealthLink launches first veterinary telehealth program for Northwest Territories and Nunavut. Since 2021, Animal HealthLink has triaged more than 200,000 cases for patients across Canada and the U.S. Avenue Magazine

• Calgary developer breaks ground on net-zero community led by visionary Fraser Landeen. The new net-zero community, situated in the core of Calgary, is designed to be quite possibly one of the most exceptional sustainable living spaces in Canada. Landev Homes