Under the glint of glittering disco balls, Victoria’s tech community traded their hoodies for sequins at the Silicon-Valley-meets-Studio-54- themed VIATEC Awards spectacle.
On May 1, more than 600 members of Greater Victoria’s tech sector — including tech professionals, entrepreneurs and industry supporters — gathered at Carson Hall in the Victoria Conference Centre for the annual event.
The Victoria Innovation, Advanced Technology and Entrepreneurship Council Awards celebrate the innovation and achievements of outstanding companies and individuals contributing to the region’s $7.9-billion tech sector. This year, 15 recipients were honoured out of over 120 nominees and 50 finalists.
“This night is about celebrating the impact and creativity of our tech community in a way that reflects who we really are,” said VIATEC CEO Dan Gunn. “We don’t do generic galas. If we’re asking people to come together, it better be worth it. And it better be fun.”
More than half of the attendees arrived dressed in disco-themed outfits consisting of bell bottoms, sequins and plenty of patterned, non-breathable materials. The live band, Tight Hair Disco, played all the night fever dancefloor hits with slightly tweaked lyrics to fit each of the award winners. The late-night talk show set gave award recipients and sponsors the opportunity to be interviewed by “host” Dan Gunn. And throughout the evening, guests were spontaneously prompted to get out of their seats and do the “hustle.” Crowd participation was at 100 per cent.
Award recipients received astronaut trophies that were hand-sculpted by local artist Russell Papp, and the evening ended with pods of inflatable orcas being launched into the ballroom to be batted around beach-ball style.
For more information, visit VIATEC.ca.
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
