It’s no secret that B.C. is one of Canada’s innovation hubs. More than 39 percent of individuals in the region have started their own businesses, making the West Coast the most entrepreneurial of any province. Add Vancouver’s accolade as the country’s number one startup ecosystem to that mix, and it’s impossible to deny B.C.’s chops as an emerging technology leader.

It’s fitting, then, that the annual #BCTECHSummit has this time chosen the theme of the “reality revolution.” With new tech leaving the world in a state of flux, the event will invite speakers and delegates to explore developments in areas like artificial intelligence, robotics, quantum computing, cleantech, blockchain, and—of course—Vancouver speciality virtual and augmented reality. The goal of the conference is to bring together leaders in technology, industry execs, investors, government officials, researchers, and students to share their knowledge and explore ways to solve the issues facing B.C. and the world.

The first speaker slated to appear at the spring event is attorney and former FBI counterterrorism and counterintelligence operative, Eric O’Neill. As well as being the inspiration for 2007 Hollywood film Breach—a true spy movie that explores O’Neill’s role in bringing down one of the most notorious double-agents, Robert Phillip Hanssen—the American remains at the forefront of cybersecurity. Set to discuss how people and organizations can manipulate big data and innovation for devious ends as well as the way that companies and individuals can protect themselves in the world of the web, O’Neill will bring expertise and star power to the conference.

Next to be announced is Tan Le, an inventor best known as the CEO of Emotiv, a cutting-edge brain research company. Landing in Australia as a Vietnamese refugee as a child, Le went on to work with electroencephalography (EEG) headsets—caps that measure brain wave patterns—and has created a technology that has allowed a quadriplegic man to drive a Formula One car using only his thoughts. Le is set to demonstrate how affordable EEG tech can help to improve British Columbians’ lives, as well as those of mobility-impaired individuals around the world.  

Additional speakers will include B.C. premier John Horgan, B.C.’s innovation commissioner Alan Winter, and Shirley Vickers, president and CEO of Innovate BC.

“We are absolutely thrilled by the incredible demand we’re seeing to get involved in this year’s event,” said Vickers. “Businesses are recognizing that technology is everywhere and revolutionizing every part of our economy—so this year’s program will empower conference attendees to discover and learn how emerging technologies can be harnessed to solve global problems, benefit British Columbians in all regions of our province, and enable the industries and jobs of the future.”

This year’s #BCTECHSummit is forecast to have over 260 exhibitors at the event, and anticipates an audience of 7650 attendees from across all industries and sectors. Super Early Bird tickets to the March 11-13 event have sold out, but Early Bird tickets are now available for $699 at the #BCTECHSummit website.

Follow Kate Wilson on Twitter @KateWilsonSays