Skip to content

Tech culture in Nelson is thriving

Rose Hoeher is the Star's new tech columnist.
91335westernstarRosecopy
Rose Hoeher is the Star's new tech columnist.

by Rose Hoeher

For better or worse, we have all committed ourselves to technology. In this digital marriage we’ve locked ourselves into online banking, social media, smartphones and the occasional love affair with a Fitbit. We are completely immersed and integrated in our relationship but it’s anything but smooth. It’s filled with the fear of hackers, threats, doubts, and a profound lack of privacy. But for all of its shortcomings, this partnership provides opportunities that we would otherwise never have imagined. Perhaps this is a marriage made in heaven or at least in the cloud.

Navigating the world of technology can be intimidating for both personal users and for businesses. It’s a progressive industry that’s shrouded in complexity, riddled with acronyms and peppered with jargon. Although the need for fundamental knowledge of this field grows more critical each day, many remain unaware of the threats and opportunities at their disposal. This column is here to help.

In the coming weeks it’s our mission to help provide you with a basic understanding of the role technology plays in our daily lives and how to utilize it more effectively and securely. We’ll be looking behind the curtain to expose and manage common threats and to reveal tips, tricks, hints, and best practices.

We will also be highlighting initiatives taking place in our community that are aimed at inspiring and informing new users and maybe even a few surprises for the more advanced users.

With that in mind, we’re happy to start off by reporting that the tech culture in Nelson is thriving as demonstrated by the fifty tech enthusiasts who dropped by Louie’s Lounge last month for a glass of wine and a quick byte. The monthly meetups are a fantastic networking opportunity where like-minded professionals come together to collaborate on enhancing and expanding the region’s tech opportunities.

The goal is to establish Nelson as a model of innovation and collaboration for not only the Kootenays, but for the province and Canada as well. If you’re a tech orientated individual and curious about what’s happening in the Nelson area, why not be a part of this fascinating movement?

The next tech meetup will be at the Nelson Co-working Space in the Jam Factory at 303 Vernon St. on January 24 at 6:30 p.m. For more information contact me at Coaching@kast.com. In the meantime, join the FaceBook page: Nelson Tech and Knowledge Workers.

Rose Hoeher is the Innopreneur Director for the Kootenay Association for Science and Technology, and a consultant in the area of technology and entrepreneurship. Paige Harwood assists her in writing this column.