In a competition designed to tackle early-stage development issues, mPulse is giving away $2,000 in cash prizes. The UVic-based start-up is hoping that the challenge will attract high-quality talent to the team. The current team, comprised of current and former UVic students, also hopes that the competition will help build the initial foundations of a community.
Recently, mPulse won gold at the 2007 IDC Challenge, a local business plan competition. In addition to acclaim, the company took home $15,500 in earnings, some of which has been put toward the aforementioned prize money.
The company is in its very early stages, although a limited alpha release was launched last week. The company isn't saying much about the product at this point, except that it intends to enter the podcast space with an innovative new offering.
For more information about the competition, visit the official website: mPulse Coding and Design Challenge.
Company Profile:
"mPulse is web company that is building innovative solutions that will help bring podcasting to the mainstream. The company was formed in the summer of 2007 as a student entrepreneurship project and, after winning a $15,000 business plan competition, became the founding member’s full time jobs."
DISCLOSURE: I am on the company advisory board. The goal of this post is simply to outline the challenge, not sway any opinions about the company.
Victoria-based Apricado has an ambitious goal in mind. The company is set to take on the indie music industry by offering musicians a one-of-a-kind service.
What sets this new start-up apart from 'all the rest'? Emphasis is being placed on 80% revenue-sharing with the artist. This is unheard in the current music environment. Furthermore, the service promises to break down other traditional barriers to entry in the space. Namely, artists can quickly set up a store in under 5 minutes, at no cost.
Simple storefronts also reduce barriers for fans looking to support their favourite indie artist(s). All tracks are 99 cent downloads, or free if the artist so chooses. Artists are compensated on a quartlery basis via Paypal.
All tracks are DRM-free, eliminating headaches and hassles for the fans. Artists can market their music via social networks or blogs using an Apricado widget. These embedabble storefronts will facilitate widespread exposure and awareness.
Apricado is still in its very early stages. A BETA is not yet available. The company assures me that screenshots will be coming soon.
The company behind Apricado is Animikii, creators of the popular CMS service YikeSite.
Tomorrow, Island Tech 2007 takes place at the Victoria Conference Centre in (yes, you guessed it) Victoria, BC. The annual event is a one-day exposition of more than 80 Vancouver Island technology firms and research agencies. VIATeC, the organization behind the event, describes Island Tech as follows:
"Island Tech 2007 celebrates the world-class innovation, research and technology that’s generated on Vancouver Island. It’s a venue for local technology companies and research agencies to meet and show their creations, and a chance for the public, the media, government, students, potential investors and technology workers to discover what’s happening in our thriving technology community."
Guest speakers will be presenting throughout the day on a variety of topics. Here is the schedule:
Once again, here are the details of the event:
Check the VIATeC website for further information.
On Friday, November 2nd, AbeBooks will open its doors to potential job seekers - literally. The Victoria-based online book retailer is hosting its first ever 'Open House' in an attempt to attract new talent to the company. The event is intended to provide job candidates with a first-hand view of the working environment, as well as the company culture. After an introduction by AbeBooks CEO, Hannes Blum, guided tours will follow. Current job openings will be outlined, and those who choose to leave a resume will be entered in a draw to win $100 worth of books.
The online retailer plans to attract and retain applicants by offering perks such as new top floor offices, extensive benefits packages, competitive wages (including bonuses), innovative employee perks, and an exciting work environment. Add to that the fact that the Victoria-based firm has been listed as one of Canada's top 100 employers by Macleans Magazine for the past 5 years.
Current opportunities range from product management, to site operations, to systems administrator, and more. The complete list can be found here. For more information, view the company press release located here: Award-Winning Ecommerce Pioneer Invites Job-Seekers To Open House.
Disclosure: AbeBooks COO Boris Wertz is a Director of Techvibes Media Inc.
