What is technology, exactly? Or innovation? These days, technology is so ubiquitous it’s largely invisible. If the technological advancements of even the last 20 years were to suddenly disappear from our lives, even for a day, most of us would be lost. Even if we could get ourselves out the door and to work, what would our day look like? Could we do our jobs? Doubtful.
That’s because technology has completely revolutionized the way we do almost everything in our lives — the way we bank, the way we commute, the way we communicate, the food we eat, the cars we drive, the way we heat and cool our homes. So the concept of a ‘tech sector’, doesn’t quite ring true.
Calling technology or innovation a sector suggests that it’s a standalone sector that exists in parallel with other sectors and industries, like resources, healthcare, agriculture or entertainment. Instead, we believe technology to be inextricably embedded within those industries and every other. Today, to some extent, every company in every industry is powered by innovation.
Tech is not its own sector. It is much, much more than that. Every sector of the economy benefits from technology. We are seeing innovation and technology that was unimaginable 20 or 30 years ago in almost every sector. — Honourable John Horgan, Premiere of British Columbia
We’ve spent some time exploring some of the major innovation categories that are changing the way we as a society produce food, cure disease, educate learners, and essentially everything else we do, every day. The following eight sectors are huge drivers of the Okanagan economy and excellent examples of the kind of world-class innovation happening in our small region. There is no question that rural Canada has a lot to offer, and the Okanagan Valley is ripe with opportunity.
Soilmate, Veg Pro, BC Tree Fruits Cooperative, Rent the Chicken, AVA Grows, Full Harvest are just a handful of the other local companies disrupting in agriculture.
Do you have a budding agritech idea of your own? Check out this BC-based Agritech Accelerator. Looking for research support? Connect with Agriculture Canada’s Summerland Research Station.
As our planet gets more crowded and our resources grow scarcer, cleantech (often used interchangeably with ‘greentech’) becomes increasingly vital. Clean technology includes any process, product, or service that reduces negative environmental impacts through significant energy efficiency improvements, the sustainable use of resources, or environmental protection activities.
If you remember the Atari and early Disney cartoons, you know how far gaming and animation have come in recent decades. What you may not know is that Okanagan innovators have played a role in getting gaming and animation to where it is today (and where it’s going next). 
When you hear the word ‘technology,’ much of what you immediately think of falls within the category of information and technology (ICT), which is the infrastructure and components that enable modern computing. This includes all devices, networking components, applications and systems that, combined, allow people and organizations to interact in the digital world. Some Okanagan success stories in this space include Bananatag, a Kelowna-based ICT company that provides email tracking, scheduling, templates, and internal communication tools designed to drive engagement and sales, and Loop Media Group whose online, mobile-first platform allows businesses to deliver real-time promotional offers directly to their customers’ mobile phones. Other ICT innovators in the Okanagan include Wtfast, RFG Software, Fresh Grade, Provision Data Systems, Big Bear Software, and eDynamic Learning.Looking for more? Check out Matt Crowell’s new column on ICT News.
Given the time we live in, it shouldn’t come as any surprise that the way manufacturers make just about everything has changed dramatically. Manufacturing has given way to advanced manufacturing, which has radically transformed—and will continue to transform—industry and production value chains and business models. With additive manufacturing, advanced materials, smart and automated machines (including the Internet of Things) and other innovations, advanced manufacturing is ushering in a new age of physical production.
What does that look like in the Okanagan? For one, there’s Waterplay, which supplies communities across the globe with aquatic play solutions manufactured at their Kelowna headquarters . Waterplay’s full suite of products includes aquatic facilities, community spaces, holiday parks, hotels and resorts, housing developments, water parks, and attractions. Other local leaders in advanced manufacturing include Vitalis Extraction, Tolko, Anodyne Electronics Manufacturing, and Axis Forestry. If you want to engage in advanced manufacturing in the Okanagan, there’s good news. UBC Okanagan recently announced that it will build a revolutionary new space for research and development activity in the region. Situated on a 30-acre parcel of land at the institution’s Kelowna campus, the Innovation Precinct will be a physical and intellectual hub for innovation and expertise. Learn more about the Innovation Precinct’s inaugural research venture with Avcorp Industries.
