Welcome to this week’s Sunday Briefing. In this issue, Dan Gunn chats Victoria tech, Jill Climie and Sophie Warwick chat equal pay, Solaires chats with the Canada West Foundation, and plenty more.

Now, onto today’s briefing. It’s 731 words, a three-minute read.

-James, @jimmermatthews

By the way, if you're not already subscribed, you can fix that here.

Another (Red)brick in the wall

Redbrick, a local portfolio of tech companies that build SaaS products for entrepreneurs and businesses, announced its acquisition of Animoto, a New York-based video creation software company.

“We are thrilled to be joining Redbrick and embarking on this exciting new chapter,” said Brad Jefferson, CEO and co-founder of Animoto. “Working with Redbrick will open new doors for Animoto as we continue to grow, bringing even more innovative features to our customers.”

Redbrick set its sights on a $100 million revenue goal back in 2019. With the addition of Animoto, the Canadian tech company will be surpassing that achievement and reaching an international headcount of 200 employees.

The move also marks its third major acquisition in the last four years, following email marketing outfit Delivra in January 2022 and no-code website builder Leadpages in March 2020. Victoria-based software company Shift is also of the Redbrick parish.

"By acquiring Animoto, we're making Redbrick's portfolio stronger and more diverse," said Tobyn Sowden, CEO of Redbrick. "Animoto's role in Redbrick is really important as it allows digital entrepreneurs to tap into the power of video, which is the fastest-growing way to reach people online."

For Sowden, this acquisition is another milestone in an entrepreneurial journey that started with $500 in a UVic dorm room. He and Redbrick are now in the penthouse.

🏙️ Community catchup, powered by VIATEC

ScoutBees is a local company looking to assist international students in finding appropriate housing. Founder Gaze Del Castillo is a soon-to-be UVic grad who first received support from Coast Capital Innovation Centre, UVic’s on-campus incubator. Del Castillo then joined VIATEC’s Venture Acceleration Program. She is working on one segment of the local housing problem, and is hoping to expand to other cities using her unique approach for finding housing for students located in other countries.

📰 More Victoria innovation news

☀️ Glass panels: Solaires was featured in a Canada West Foundation article, Canada’s bright solar (panel) future

👩‍💻 Glass ceiling: Jill Climie and Sophie Warwick of The Thoughtful Co joined SIPP’s Rising Economy podcast to chat about the gender pay gap and why it’s not good for any of us.

💻 Glass half full: Dan Gunn, the CEO of VIATEC, discussed Victoria’s thriving innovation scene with Harbour Digital Media owner John Juricic and broadcaster Robin Adair:

🕴️ Tech jobs of the week

Find your next career:

• Digital Marketing Specialist at Westin Bear Mountain

• Software Engineer at SunTracker Technologies

Hiring in Victoria? Reply to this email and let us know!

📅 Upcoming events

September 6 | ICT Sector in India: Market and Opportunities: Are you a B.C.-based company looking to explore new horizons and opportunities in the ICT sector in the Indian market? Look no further! The British Columbia Trade and Invest India team is thrilled to invite you to an exclusive webinar.

September 9 | iWIST Crafternoon & Wine Tasting at Chateau Wolff Estate Winery, Nanaimo: In partnership with the Lost Arts Club, iWIST would love it if you joined them for a fun “crafternoon” and wine tasting at Chateau Wolff Estate Winery.

Have an upcoming event? Reply to let us know.

🙋 I need…a connection to theatre fans

A reader is looking for members of the Victoria tech community who are also fans of the theatre. Sound like you? Send an email to [email protected] and we’ll connect you.

And, as always, whatever you’re hunting for, let us know. We’ll post it in this section and make it happen. Email your requests to the same address!