Lighthearted competition on the ping pong table will be the background for some charitable giving from the local tech sector, as TechPong returns to the west coast on Tuesday evening, happening at Imperial Vancouver. Tickets for the event are still on sale for $10.
The third incarnation of this event will feature 30 local tech companies, including heavyweights like ACL, BuildDirect, Microsoft, Appnovation, Plenty of Fish and BroadbandTV, as well as a number of nimble startups.
Their representatives will battle for ping pong glory in singles and doubles teams. While competition may be fierce, the event is more in line with entertainment than serious sport. Participants are instructed to “dress like the Royal Tenenbaums (think track jackets, sweat bands, knee highs, trucker hats, printed shirts).”
That said, the competitors will be aiming to do some serious good. The winner gets the prize purse to donate to their chosen charity (To date, the total is at nearly $38,000 and counting as pledges continue to come in). Last year’s event raised around $72,000 for charities helping the global refugee crisis, while the aim this year is to support charities focusing more on local community support.
“Vancouver is one of the world’s greatest cities with an equally important and booming tech industry, and TechPong has emerged as a leading industry event where it comes together for a night of fun and for a chance to make a positive contribution to the community,” said John Bromley, founder and CEO of charitable giving platform Chimp, alongside event co-host Unbounce.
“It’s about providing a forum for the tech industry to give back, addressing and helping the needs in our neighbourhood,” added Rick Perreault, CEO of Unbounce, a platform for digital marketers.
