Applications are now being accepted for the Rick Hansen Institute Emerging Company Showcase, scheduled to take place at Interdependence 2012 Global Conference and Exhibition, May 15-18, 2012 in Vancouver.

The Rick Hansen Institute is providing emerging companies, seeking financing for an innovation related to accelerating progress to a cure for paralysis after spinal cord injury or innovations that will improve the lives of those living with SCI, the opportunity to pitch their company and innovation to the delegation at Interdependence 2012.

Five companies will be selected by an external panel and have the opportunity to present directly to various experts and key opinion leaders from across the continuum of spinal cord injury research and care, including investors with experience in the life sciences and healthcare sectors. Timing of the presentations with respect to the Interdependence 2012 program schedule will be determined at a later date.

Learn more about application criteria and important dates online.

Vancouver’s Mike Volker is a legend in BC technology and he isn’t slowing down.

He is presently the director of Simon Fraser University’s Innovation Office, President and Chairman of Greenangel Energy Corp, President of the Western Universities Technology Innovation Fund (WUTIF), and runs the Vancouver Angel Network (VANTEC).

And now Volker’s book titled Making the Business Case is available in e-book format and downloadable for free online.

Do you have an idea for a business? This book will help you to determine how to go about turning your idea into reality and cash. More importantly, though, as a first step it will help you determine if the idea is even worth pursuing in the first place. To get partners and investors, you must make a business case. This means having the answers to some tough questions, the most important question being: How will your idea make money? You will also learn how to best communicate your idea using an effective Executive Summary and a well-honed elevator pitch.

This week the Forum for Women Entrepreneurs launched their Vancouver k-series (knowledge series) which features 6 sessions on business topics led by industry experts and entrepreneurs in an interactive and informative format.

Designed, but certainly not limited to women entrepreneurs who have launched or are looking to launch a new business. Everybody is welcome.

The 6 interactive workshops run from January to June and are 2.5 hours each. Each workshop is limited to 20-25 individuals per session (15 women entrepreneur members, 5 entrepreneurial-minded members;, and up to 5 non-members).

Sign up online today.  Questions? Please email ashlee@fwe.ca or call 604.682.8115.

This past November at the 18th Under the Radar conference five startups represented Canada. Now’s your chance to get some exposure in Silicon Valley as event organizers are calling for companies to present at the 19th Under the Radar conference in Mountain View on April 25-26th.

The deadline to apply is January 20th and this time around they’re interested in your company if it falls into one of these categories – Platforms, Big Data, Developer Tools, Analytics/BI, Mobile, Enabling Tools, Infrastructure, Automation, and Performance Management.

The 2012 .CA Impact Awards are open for entries. The .CA Impact Awards recognize youth, educators, not-for-profit and public organizations, small businesses and web developers and designers for their innovation and the impact of their .CA websites and applications.

“The .CA Impact Awards is truly unique amongst awards programs,” says Byron Holland, President and CEO of the Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA). “By celebrating .CA websites that make an impact, we are recognizing the Internet as a powerful agent of social change.”

CIRA is looking for people and organizations that use their .CA websites to make a positive difference in the lives of their users and those around them. Impact can be social, cultural, political, technological, or economic.

The Impact Awards is seeking entries in four categories: Public Sector and Not-for-Profit, eLearning, Small Business and Applications. Entries for the 2012 awards will be received until March 23rd.

Winners of the Impact Awards will receive $5,000 each and the added visibility which comes from winning a national award.

Every other week another startup accelerator seems to pop up promising to help you grow your business by offering a mix of money and mentoring.

If you’re thinking of applying to you, you should ask yourself: Is an accelerator right for me and my business?

Vancouver-based GrowLab is looking for applications for their next cohort, so they have taken on the task of helping you answer that question.

On January 17th, GrowLab is hosting an Info Night for the startup community to explore the topic of accelerators a little further. GrowLab founders and portfolio companies will be there to share some insights and personal experiences that will hopefully help you determine if applying to an accelerator is the right move for your startup.

The Info night is at GrowLab headquarters at 116 West Hastings on January 17th from 5:30pm to 8:00pm. Register online for free.

The Women’s Executive Network honours 100 women who are 2011′s top achiever’s – and leaders – in Canada’s private, public and not-for-profit sectors. Among them this year are two members of the BCIC-New Ventures family.

Connie Linder was recognized in the Trailblazers and Trendsetters category and Cybele Negris was acknowledged in the Champions category.

Linder co-founded Vancouver-based Polymer Research Technologies Ltd. which won the top prize at the BCIC-New Ventures Competition for 2011. Negris is the President of Webnames.ca – a sponsor of the BCIC-New Ventures Competition.

Here are their write-ups from today’s Financial Post. (more…)

On November 28th Rocket Academy is hosting a free bootcamp designed to help technology companies use Market Research to improve products, enhance revenue and stimulate better access to capital.

The bootcamp is a one-day session to help companies design, implement and capitalize on the benefits of market research using the latest tools, techniques and practical approaches that companies of any size can use.

Designed for both startups and growth companies, the Rocket Academy session will combine an overview of key concepts with applied learning through case examples, interactive discussions and best practices checklists.

Register online today.

FreshBook’s mission is to deliver fast and simple invoicing and time tracking services that help you manage your business.

With 3.5 Million new users since launching in 2004, FreshBooks is undoubtedly the Canadian pioneer in SaaS solutions for small businesses.

FreshBooks Co-Founder Mike McDerment is coming to Vancouver to host a workshop titled How to build a web app business and it’s a great opportunity to learn from from the best.  During the workshop McDerment will outline:

• Building – your web app, your company, your team
• Marketing – with and without dollars
• Product management – so you know what’s right to build
• Metrics – to track your progress
• Financing – the who, what, when, where, why and how 5Ws of fund raising

How to build a web app business is on December 6th – tickets are $100 and space is limited, so sign up now.

The C100′s 48 Hours in the Valley returns in December and it is time to apply.

The C100 flagship mentorship program is put on in conjunction with the Canadian Consulate of San Francisco and Palo Alto. Twice a year they invite 20 of Canada’s most promising startups to the Silicon Valley for two days of mentorship, workshops, investor meetings, strategic partner visits and networking.

The next 48 Hours in the Valley will take place Decemeber 5-7th. This edition will feature two separate streams: one IT specific stream and a CleanTech specific stream. Apply now if you’re interested.