Each member of the Campbell River Area Angel GroupTM (CRAAG) has been inspired by the beautiful nature that surrounds us, by the quality of the people in our community, by the talented businesses that are established here and by the incredible resources that exist at our doorstep in the Campbell River area.

It is against this backdrop of positive experiences and with a sense of gratitude towards place, that we endeavour to play our own part in building economic capacity and resilience in the region. Given our backgrounds in technology, investment and entrepreneurship, our mission is to establish Campbell River as a high tech growth area, focused on markets that are inspired by local culture, that have global impact and that are aligned with a broader vision defined by our community.

www.craag.ca

WHAT IS NEXSTREAMTM?

The NexStream Tech Challenges are problem solving opportunities aimed at strengthening Campbell River’s economy. The challenges are designed to motivate individuals and businesses to invent in areas that are immediately relevant to industry challenges of the BC Coastal region and to accelerate and broaden interest in Campbell River as a technology destination. We hope that locals and people from around the world will take interest in solving these challenges and subsequently establish new and grow existing businesses in the region.

The NexStream process is designed to be supportive and will include opportunities for mentorship and skill development in business strategy, prototype development and marketing. Our goal is to make the challenges accessible to a broad range of individuals and businesses. Ideally, we will see participation from university students, well-established businesses and everything in-between.

Administration and funding of the contests will be done by the Salmon Capital Holdings and Campbell River Area Angel Group (CRAAG), with support from the City of Campbell River as well as other partners and experts invited to selection panels. Funding and services up to $100,000 will be awarded in each challenge category, with over $300,000 allocated for NexStream 2.0. Furthermore, there are opportunities for additional funding through CRAAG and our investor network. Over $600,000 in additional funding has been provided to several companies who participated in our first generation of prizes.

www.nexstream.is

Bringing together a broad range of creative individuals and businesses can lead to rich discussions about the challenges, capabilities and opportunities that exist within community. Add financial resources; collaborative work spaces; access to subject experts as well as learning opportunities, and creative solutions will follow.

With an eye towards building economic capacity and resilience in Campbell River and the surrounding region, and with the goal of establishing a locally relevant and accessible definition of technology, TECHatchery will endeavour to:

Promote and support existing business networks that bring people together, so that we increase our chances for collaborative problem-solving.
Celebrate the stories of local businesses, so that we can all be inspired by and learn from their experiences.
Inventory our local community of inventors, educators, makers and businesses with the goal of building a strong network of accessible capabilities.
Build a locally responsive and well-informed culture of investment, so that individuals with resources can be made aware of impactful, investment-ready opportunities and so that individuals and business in need of capital know how to find it.
Identify gaps in our own capabilities and invite local and outside experts to share their knowledge. This should include everything from promoting existing diploma and certificate programs, through sponsoring short-courses, hands-on skill-building workshops and seminars. Maximizing accessibility and participation by considering cost, approachability and scheduling will be a priority.
List spaces, equipment, businesses and other physical resources that support the development and expansion of new businesses, collaboratively.
Engage with other communities and organizations in the province and around the world with similar passions, so that we can learn from them and also share our learnings.
Inspire people and businesses to move here who have the skills we need and who share our local values, through meaningful storytelling.