Is Mount Pleasant Vancouver’s Next Tech Hub?
Aug 25, 2016
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Ryan BerlinSHARE THIS
Dubbed as the new Silicon Valley North, some of the largest tech companies have chosen to make Vancouver their home. Well-known social media giant Hootsuite is one leading the way, making its mark by setting up headquarters in Mount Pleasant. Below are a few reasons why Mount Pleasant could be the epicenter of emerging tech companies.A partnership that could change the future of Mount PleasantHootsuite owner Ryan Holmes and Westbank Corporation owner Ian Gillespie formed a personal partnership in hopes of giving Mount Pleasant a boost in tech. This pair joined forces to buy a block of land in Mount Pleasant, including Hootsuite’s 27,000 square-foot office. The vision for Gillespie and Holmes is to develop a digital campus in Mount Pleasant to attract new and existing startup companies.Vancouver is poised for growth for startup visionariesWhile the Silicon Valley is known as the mecca for tech, it’s possible the future could see a northward shift. According to a study by Compass.co, Vancouver is ranked 18th in the world among the top startup “ecosystems”. Tech moguls have already begun to make Vancouver its home, including Mobify, Slack, Unbounce and Indochino. Vancouver’s geographic location benefits tech companies, as it matches the same time zone as the San Francisco. It’s rumoured that Slack expanded to Vancouver because of Canada’s immigration policies and a time zone that matched its flagship office in the Silicon Valley.The location of where Vancouver’s technology core isn’t entirely clearWhile there are high hopes of Mount Pleasant attracting new startups, there isn’t a magnetizing force drawing startups to one area. Start-ups are popping up everywhere in the city, including Gastown, Yaletown and Coal Harbour. But if history repeats itself, the technology business is known to grow in clusters, as seen in cities such as San Francisco, Seattle, New York and Los Angeles. Will the partnership between Holmes and Gillespie move the needle? Vancouver waits and sees with great anticipation.
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