Over 600 members of Greater Victoria’s tech sector gathered May 1 for the annual Victoria Innovation, Advanced Technology and Entrepreneurship Council (VIATEC) Awards where some of the best and brightest in the community were awarded.
Fifteen recipients were announced from a pool of over 120 nominees and 50 finalists at the Victoria Conference Centre.
Organizers said they went above and beyond to create an event that highlighted the “impact and creativity” of the tech community.
“We don’t do generic galas,” said Dan Gunn, VIATEC’s CEO, in a news release. “Everything is custom-built – just like the companies we’re here to recognize. We throw whales, we hand-make trophies, we write songs about your startup. If we’re asking people to come together, it better be worth it. And it better be fun.”
The “disco tech” theme had the stage designed like a late-night show set complete with retro furniture and a custom-built desk, hand-made astronaut trophies sculpted by local artist Russell Papp, and the beloved VIATEC tradition: “Orca Toss Chaos,” in which inflatable whales were flung joyfully through the crowd.
VIATEC says each award, and the event itself, was designed to reflect the imagination and drive of the local tech industry, which now contributes over $7.87 billion annually to the region’s economy.
The 2025 VIATEC Award Recipients:
- Company of the Year: Niricson Software
- Growth Company of the Year: Focal
- Scaling Startup of the Year: Revela Systems
- Emerging Startup of the Year: Tourismo
- Product of the Year: MarineLabs (CoastAware)
- Innovative Excellence (Hardware): Solaires Enterprises
- Innovative Excellence (Software or Service): VoxCell BioInnovation
- Leader of the Year: Darren Beckwith (CTO, Barnacle Systems)
- Emerging Leader of the Year: Ania Wysocka (Founder, Rootd)
- Employer of the Year: Barnacle Systems
- Inclusion Champion: CultureFoundry
- Social Impact Award: Victoria Hand Project
- Janet Baird Award for Community Champion: Charter Telecom
- Colin Lennox Award for Technology Champion: Nicole Smith (Founder & CEO, Flytographer)
- VIATEC Member of the Year: PlusROI Online Marketing
