Written for Daily Hive by Steve Mitobe, CEO and founder of Hexbite Labs and WestCoast NFT
Vancouver has proven itself to be a top destination for tourists, startup savants and tech giants alike, so it’s no surprise that Vancouver has also found itself at the centre of the Web3 movement in Canada.
With tech giants like Amazon and Shopify attracting talent from across Canada, Vancouver has turned into a community of tech-savvy and future-thinking professionals that have eagerly embraced NFTs, the Metaverse and Web3 with open arms, bringing with it a community of incredible artists and emerging creators.
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So, is Vancouver Canada’s NFT capital? I sure think so. Here’s why.
Growth in local technology sector
When we hear “tech hub” we often think of cities like Silicon Valley, Seattle and Boston. However, there’s a growing tech community right in our own backyard.
In British Columbia, the tech industry employs roughly 100,000 professionals with 84,900 of them living in Vancouver. The city also attracted 12,900 new tech workers between 2020 and 2021 alone, bringing with it the arrival and expansion of giants like Amazon, Shopify and a growing list of homegrown startups, like WestCoastNFT. We even receive a regular influx of tech talent from Seattle, shuttling in on Harbour Air’s aptly nicknamed “nerd bird”. In short, Vancouver has tech and innovation built into its DNA and has cultivated a community of passionate, forward-thinking professionals that have also shown interest in NFTs.
Art lives here
Home to both internationally renowned artists and emerging talent, from Emily Carr to Drew Young, Vancouver has been a hot spot for creative minds since the early 1970s, leading to the creation of creative outlets for artists to showcase their work such as Artspeak, grunt gallery and Western Front. Not to mention The Vancouver Art Gallery has earned a global reputation for ground-breaking contemporary art exhibitions. It’s no surprise that Vancouver is home to some of the most notable artists and projects in the NFT space, including the “Vancouver Crew”, who recently found monumental success at Miami Art Basel. Vancouver’s art scene is cutting edge and adopting technology rapidly, attracting NFT artists from across Canada.
Embracing the new frontier
Vancouver has a strong community of trailblazing professionals that have eagerly embraced NFTs, the Metaverse and Web3 and have created an environment perfect for nurturing and bringing together homegrown NFT artists, with virtual NFT meetups and Q&As taking place across the city.
NFT projects coming out of Vancouver have also gained global recognition and acclaim. With WestCoastNFT client Doodles breaking sales records and quickly becoming a celebrity favourite attracting the attention of Steve Aoki and Dillon Francis, and Dapper Labs playing an integral part in the mainstream rise of NFTs with their recent UFC project launch, Vancouver has no shortage of talented creators, with groundbreaking development companies helping to bring their vision to life. Home to pioneers in the industry, WestCoastNFT is in good company alongside Manifold and Big Head, two powerhouse development agencies with ties to the city. Together, we’re all working toward the common goal of providing artists with the tools they need to ensure each and every drop is a success.
As a city that has historically embraced innovation and creativity, Vancouver has truly staked its claim as Canada’s NFT capital and has established itself as a leading Web3 destination in North America. As NFTs continue to rise in popularity and gain mainstream recognition, I’m excited to see what new, inventive talent Vancouver attracts, whether it be the next big up-and-coming artist or development agency. And, at WestCoastNFT, we hope to continue advocating for accessibility and democratization in this space. After all, how can we grow, if we don’t make the industry easy to navigate and enter into? Vancouver, it’s only up from here. Here’s to a bright 2022, Vancouver. WAGMI.
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