Inspired by iStockphoto

Kelly Thompson, iStockphoto's COO

University of Calgary Computing Science alumni and students joined with STIRR Canada members on January 21st to exchange start-up stories, advice, and ideas at the most recent TechMixer. Calgary-based  iStockphoto’s global success in the microstock photography industry was the topic of the evening.

Kelly Thompson (iStockphoto COO) and Patrick Lor (iStockphoto founding team) shared stories about their early years as entrepreneurs, highlighted the company’s peaks and valleys, and fielded questions from the audience of aspiring tech entrepreneurs.

Thanks to Macleod Dixon for their continued sponsorship of Calgary’s tech entrepreneur community!

Brad Sewall welcomes the audience

Starting Your Own High-Tech Business

Learn about the high-tech startup world with current and former senior managers of iStockphoto (a Calgary-based company that pioneered the world’s first micropayment stock imagery website). iStockphoto was sold to Getty Images, in 2006, for US$50 million. Then, mingle with seasoned and emerging tech industry players, and grab some beer and pizza on us!

The event is free for students, and $5 for STIRR members and University alumni.

The event takes place Wednesday, January 21, 2009 – 6:00 pm at MacEwan Hall on the University of Calgary campus. For more details and to register, click HERE. [link will direct you to a secure University of Calgary information and registration page]

Masterminding the Amazon Exit

As promised, some more details on the upcoming STIRR Canada Tech Mixer in Calgary:

How Canada’s AbeBooks engineered its multi-million dollar sale

Boris Wertz, CEO at Nexopia & Director at Abebooks (photo courtesy of Kris Krug, via a Creative Commons Licence)

On Oct 15th, headliner Boris Wertz, CEO of Edmonton’s Nexopia, will be in Calgary at a STIRR Canada Tech Mixer event to share insights on how his previous venture, AbeBooks, won the attention of Amazon and was recently acquired.

Attendees to this invitation-only event will also be first to hear 60-second elevator pitches from a select group of local “under the radar” tech founders. Get ready to mingle with a great group of seasoned and emerging tech industry players!

YOU MUST BE A MEMBER OF STIRR CANADA TO ATTEND.

Our membership is limited to high-tech startup founders, founding teams, former founders, angel and VC funders, and technology journalists. Please click on the “APPLY” tab above to complete our application form.

General Information: Info [at] stirr.ca

Press Contact: Media [at] stirr.ca

Sponsors: Sponsors [at] stirr.ca

Calgary Tech Mixer announced – Oct 15

STIRR is known for great events – big and small. Get ready for a BIG STIRR Canada event this October 15th – more than 100 tech entrepreneurs will meet up in Calgary for the Fall Tech MIxer. Come to this Main Event to meet founding high-tech peers, get great advice from successful founders and funders; learn about some under-the-radar emerging tech companies, and have a great time.

WATCH FOR MORE DETAILS ON TICKETS AND FEATURED COMPANIES – COMING SOON!

You must be a member of STIRR Canada to purchase tickets! If you haven’t joined already, please click on the APPLY tab (above) and tell us more about you.

Tech Talks Visibility – Event Wrap-up

We were back at the Tribune Restaurant in Calgary for the August Founders’ Table dinner. Founders and/or funders participating in this STIRR Canada event represented the following organizations:

Wireless Dynamics
dTech
CoolIT Systems
x-Tech
DirectVoxx
VoodooPC
Octane Capital
iNovia Capital

Much talk was around marketing, PR, getting visibility, and tech product management. The importance of a brand strategy that is implemented with consistency was discussed as an important component of getting noticed. The dinner conversation then turned to the ups and downs of selling into big, multi-national companies (many stories were told!), as well as the differences in marketing enterprise technology vs. consumer devices. Before the evening ended, the topic of “building businesses with an exit strategy in mind” was tabled.