Tech investing is a bit like farming – something I am learning a bit about.  If we just let Mother Nature take her course and only check the fields every few months would we want the vegetables, grains, animals and fruits we are offered (back to cave-man and pre-agriculture). Not likely.  We look at soils, micro-climates, sun-hours, topography, drainage and host of local factors and only then decide what will grow to best to meet our needs.  We pick winners – literally.  We don’t always get it right but we learn from our mistakes that were based on the best research and information we have at the time.  We don’t sit back and see what we are offered.  I believe we should use our best information, experience and judgment to pick winners and learn as we go.

In a pure capitalist world – if it ever really existed  – the market would take care of business and the government would keep taxes low and stay out of the way. So, why do governments all over the world get involved with technology parks, tech ventures, funding, training , taxation etc?   Perhaps because the risks are so high that the market is weary?  Perhaps because there have so many failures that angels, VC’s and other investors have had enough of taking all the risk?  Is tech investing any less of a gamble than going to Vegas?  Many of the technologies we take for granted today came from governments investing in military programs, research labs, strategic industries and purely political goals, such as putting a man on the moon.  The government is actually all of ‘us’ hiding behind bureaucracy and the elected types.  But they have to be involved so we in BC don’t fall further behind the technology continuum.