Since it was established in Vancouver in 1908, the University of British Columbia has become a global centre for research, learning, and teaching. Today, it consistently ranks as one of the top universities not just in Canada but also all over the world. Aside from research excellence, it is also known for innovative and multi- and interdisciplinary programs that produce alumni of exceptional calibre. Some of their most notable alumni include Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, renowned astronaut Bjarni Tryggvason, prominent actress Evangeline Lilly, and esteemed business leader Belinda Wong, to name a few. Along with these stellar names are industry leaders of well-known start-ups and global tech companies.
UBC Alumni Making Waves in the Tech Industry
Kristoffer Vik Hansen, Josh Andrews, Alexey Indeev
From building autonomous racing sailboats for the UBC Sailboat Team, these three UBC alumni are now building shared mobility technology for the whole world. Soon after their graduation, team captain Vik Hansen recruited both Josh Andrews and Alexey Indeev to establish the tech start-up Spare Labs. With the solid foundation for innovation and excellence set by UBC, they are powering the future of mobility services and autonomous vehicles through the Spare platform. Together, they are at the helm of a fast-growing global company set to making transportation more accessible and economical for everyone through technological solutions.
Shehzad Noor Taus Priyo
In 2021, Priyo, along with his Gaze co-founder Rahman, made it to the Forbes Top 30 Under 30 for enterprise technology. Still in his early 20s, Priyo already has several patents under his belt and a successful AI start-up. Gaze, a tech company based in Singapore and Bangladesh, develops visual recognition technologies for online transactions. Gazepay now offers frictionless payments powered by face recognition. Aside from this, Priyo also serves as a software development manager at Amazon Web Services. He acknowledges the role UBC has played in his success. He believes that his accomplishments so far would not have been possible without the education and support he has received from UBC.
Clint Hocking
Clint Hocking earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees at the University of British Columbia, which is known for encouraging creativity and developing interests beyond one’s field of study. So, it should come as no surprise that a fine arts major from UBC builds a successful career in the tech industry. While completing his MFA, Hocking began exploring game development using Unreal Engine. Today, he has made a name for himself in the gaming sector as the creative director for several of the most popular games in history, including Splinter Cell, Far Cry 2, Legion, and Assassin’s Creed.
Ryan Trenholm
When Trenholm graduated from the University of British Columbia, he set out to use his ingenuity to develop creative solutions for real-world problems. With a BSc in Honours Computer Science (minor in Psychology) and an MSc in Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, he established a career in the field of UX design and development. He now serves as a lead user experience designer at CentralSquare Technologies, helping deliver mission-critical software solutions for the public sector.
Kaela Loffler
A biology graduate, Loffler pivoted her career plans while earning her master’s in business management at the University of British Columbia. After seeing the vast opportunities for growth in the tech sector, she gained more experience in the field by working with software development teams and marketing teams of tech companies. Today, she holds an executive position as the VP for marketing at Accedian, a tech leader in performance analytics and end-user experience solutions.
Equipping Future Tech Leaders
By producing today’s prominent technological leaders, the University of British Columbia proves that it is focused on innovation and superior education. Its interdisciplinary programs and specialised courses equip students with the right tools and extensive knowledge needed to achieve success in the tech industry.
For those interested in growing a career in XR, UBC Extended Learning offers online courses in XR development and design. In collaboration with Circuit Stream, the XR courses provide a solid foundation for building in-demand skills for the metaverse and booming AR/VR sector. The syllabus for each course is available for download on the following course pages:
After completing each of these courses, students receive a certification that validates their mastery of skills and practical expertise in XR design and development. Recognised across the industry, these certifications help course completers stand out in the XR talent market.
