NVBC’s new gold sponsor, BCIT, has programs to complement the NVBC competition.

“We recognize that NVBC has one of the best models in the province for spurring entrepreneurship,” says Kyle Gruen, a BCIT business development associate. “We have several program areas that complement NVBC’s goals, including our new Commercialization Assistance Program, and the long-running Peter Thomson Centre for Venture Development.

BCIT’s Commercialization Assistance Program, funded through Western Economic Diversification, offers free business assessments and advice for product concepts. A key benefit is referrals to local experts who can help businesses in areas such as marketing and technical evaluations or product development.

“The program has a broad mandate to support economic growth in British Columbia by connecting entrepreneurs to both BCIT and the BC industry resources they need to succeed,” says Gruen.

For almost 25 years, the BCIT School of Business Peter Thomson Center for Venture Development has offered full-time, part-time, online and custom-designed courses to help entrepreneurs develop their research and marketing skills, create business plans, and grow their businesses. One example is the Venture Program -,

with an intake starting in September 2010.

“We can help prepare entrepreneurs for the NVBC competition or give past competitors support to fill in the gaps that will increase their chance of commercial success in the future,” says Gruen.

And, of course, the BCIT School of Business also offers several relevant programs for NVBC competitors or would-be competitors, including its flagship BBA degree program and applied diploma programs in entrepreneurship, marketing communications and professional sales.

For more information, please visit BCIT’s website.

New Ventures BC is pleased to announce that Goal Holdings is now a bronze sponsor of the 2010 Competition and will be providing in-kind prizes for top 3 winners this year.

Goal Holdings Group of Companies is a private investment company based in Vancouver. The group is operating its own subsidiaries as well as investing in and partnering with business ventures across various industries such as information and communications technology, digital media, telecommunications, business services, real estate, clean technology and health care.

The investments are either angel size investments with an average transaction size of $100,000 which is invested in earlier stage companies.  The group also makes venture capital size investments with a minimum transaction size of $500,000 in companies that are further along in their development.  Goal Holdings is known for using unique and non-standard investment and business development structures that further minimize investment risk and allow them to offer terms that are generally not offered in the marketplace – this generally results in their investee companies maintaining board control and selling a smaller piece of their company.