A Fireside Chat with Tech Legend Michael Brown
The Importance of People in a Successful Technology Company
Tuesday, February 17 @ Vancity Theatre
Back on track with our “Technology Legends” theme, the VEF is pleased to present a fireside chat with local tech legend Michael Brown. Mike has been successfully building technology companies in Vancouver for over 40 years. During this time, he co-founded Ventures West, and contributed to the success of pioneering companies, such as MacDonald, Dettwiler, Ballard Power Systems and Mobile Data International (acquired by Motorola). He is currently active with a range of emerging local technology companies such as D-Wave Systems and General Fusion. Along the way Mike developed an interest in alternative energy which eventually led him to co-found the alternative energy venture fund Chrysalix. Mike also is the founder of Fuel Cells Canada and is a director at Sustainable Development Technology Canada.
Todd Farrell of Growthworks will moderate the fireside chat. He and Mike will talk about how building world changing technology companies requires bringing a group of people with very diverse skill sets, opinions and motivations together in a cohesive way – something that is not always any easy task to accomplish.
Click here for Express Registration
Doors and bar open at 5:30 P.M. for pre-event networking. The presentations will begin at 6:00 p.m. with five 100-second lightning talks by members of the community that have an important message to share. The keynote presentation will follow the lightning pitches. The presentations will be followed a networking session and light dinner to provide attendees with time to chat with their colleagues and the presenters.
Please note that seating in the theatre is first-come-first served. If we reach capacity in the theatre, attendees are welcome to sit with colleagues and enjoy the presentations on the screen in the theatre café.
The event will be held on Tuesday, March 24 at the Vancity Theatre at 1181 Seymour Street (at Davie). Pre-registration is highly recommended. Admission is free for members, $35 for non-members.
About Michael Brown
Mr. Brown , a co-founder of Chrysalix in 2001, was previously a co-founder (in 1968) and up to March 1999 the President of Ventures West Capital Ltd., one of Canada’s largest private sources of capital for early-stage technology companies. Mr. Brown has extensive knowledge of the fuel cell industry, market trends, VC financing, recruitment and building valuable companies within the Clean Energy sector.
Mr. Brown has been directly involved as a co-founder and director in several companies in the fuel cell/energy technology space. Notably, he was the first venture investor in Ballard Power Systems, Inc. in 1987 and remained on its Board until 1998. He was also the Chair of MDI Mobile Data International Inc., a Director of MacDonald Dettwiler & Associates Ltd. and six other public companies. He was a founder and is a director of Fuel Cells Canada, and is a director of Sustainable Development Technology Canada, and is Managing Director of the Canada/China Hydrogen & Fuel Cells Coalition.
In 2000, the Science Council of BC named Mr. Brown as the winner of the Cecil Green Award for entrepreneurialism, and the following year the Vancouver Board of Trade named him one of eight B.C. Pioneers of Innovation. His other numerous honours include British Columbia Lieutenant Governor’s Silver Metal, IDAC Gold Medal, and the Bill Thompson Award for leadership in the British Columbia technology industry.
Mr. Brown graduated from UBC in 1960, BA (Hons Economics). He attended Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar (BA (PPE) 1962). He has been a junior officer in the Canadian Army and also a university lecturer. He currently lives in Vancouver, near many of his 12 grandchildren.
