Will my information be kept confidential?
Absolutely, your privacy is of the utmost importance to the British Columbia Innovation Council. The personal information collected is necessary for the implementation and administration of BC Innovators Network and will only be used to identify and connect people with shared interests in industries and academia the BC Innovation Council supports.
I've submitted a Participation Form, what's next?
Your name will be added to an exclusive list of individuals that have graciously offered their time and support to the growth of BC's technology industry. Your information will be kept in complete confidence and will be housed on a secure server located in BC. You will from time to time be asked for support in the areas that you have indicated, up to the maximum time that you have offered your services. BCIC will track the number of hours/days that you have agreed to contribute to make sure your support is not oversubscribed.
Will I have access to my information and how often should I update my information?
Once every 6 months you will be prompted to update your information. You can do nothing and your file will remain unchanged, or you can make changes as appropriate. Should you wish to update your file between these prompts, simply contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it and we will get you a new form for your new information.
What are some types of reports I could request from BC Innovators Network?
You can at any time request a print‐out of your file, stating the number of hours/days used and the types of events/activities that you have participated in. We track these activities and events carefully to make sure we do not tax you beyond what you are prepared to contribute.
What are some of the benefits of joining BC Innovators Network?
The main benefit is to meet other members and to really make a difference to a student, school, company or other organization that can benefit from your expertise. This network will take collaboration to a whole new level in BC and will help grow the Knowledge Economy all the way from Kindergarten to the most successful new companies in the province. You may be asked to sit on advisory groups too.
If I have selected that I am available to travel either domestically or internationally, who would cover my travel costs?
All reasonable cost incurred on behalf of BCIC will be covered by BCIC on a pre‐approval basis (following Govt of BC guidelines). BCIC will take advantage wherever possible of your being in the right place at the right time for other business, but if we ask you to attend or support an initiative, we would expect to get you there and back.
Provide an example of a public speaking opportunity:
BCIC is hosting or co‐hosting a number of events, such as Pacific Rim Bio, the PNWER Annual Summit in Vancouver in 2008, the Bio Marine Conference in Vancouver in 2009, etc. On a smaller scale we are always looking for inspirational speakers for sector groups, students and faculty groups. There will be lots of opportunities to get in front of a microphone.
Provide an example of a mentoring opportunity:
Mentoring may be directed at a person or a new company. It could also be to a group of companies or individuals that have a particular challenge that you have expertise in. Most likely it will be to a company.
Provide an example of an Evaluator:
Each year BCIC runs a number of scholarships and grant programs that require an application, business proposal, business plan or other documents to be considered for participation. If your area of expertise is related to a specific application, we may ask you to help us as a peer‐reviewer to evaluate the validity of the contents of the application and to help us assess the quality of the application.
Provide an example of a Virtual Board Member:
Based on your personal expertise you may be asked to sit on a panel to evaluate a business plan and provide guidance to young companies. This may take the form of an in‐person consultation or may be done via video conference.
What is the maximum number of commitments to BC Innovators Network per year?
We suggest a maximum of 12 commitments, with the reasoning that 1 commitment per month would be a generous amount.
What is the maximum number of days I could volunteer my time to BC Innovators Network per year?
We suggest a maximum of 12 days per year.
What is the maximum number of hours I could volunteer my time to BC Innovators Network per year?
We suggest a maximum of 100 hours per year (average 8 hour day x 12 days per year).
May I invite others to join the BC Innovators Network?
Of course, we welcome participation across British Columbia. As a guideline we've suggested participants could be Scientists and Technology Engineers/Developers, Academics, Venture Capitalists, Serial Entrepreneurs (mentors), Students and Recent Grads, and/or New Business Owners.
