Vancouver tech firm Unbounce lays off 47 employees

A Vancouver-based tech firm announced it has laid off 47 of its employees as the tech industry struggles as a whole.

With Wednesday's layoffs, Canadian software company Unbounce has reduced its staff by nearly 20 per cent.

"For a close-knit team like ours, this news is particularly difficult — the people leaving us today are not just our teammates but our friends," said CEO Felicia Bochicchio in a LinkedIn post announcing the job losses.

She said the decision was necessary given the "current economic environment."

Unbounce produces landing pages for websites, which ask web visitors for their contact information in exchange for a piece of content, like an e-book.

The company, founded over a decade ago in Vancouver, also uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to determine which landing pages work better than others.

Those working in the tech industry were quick to react to the news on Twitter with dismay, citing a number of other layoffs in the sector, at companies including Thinkific, Shopify, Clearco and Article. 

The official Twitter account for Unbounce asked people to help share a list of "awesomely talented team members" who were impacted by the layoffs in the hopes of finding them new job opportunities.

"Please reach out directly if you are looking for particular skill sets," said Bochicchio in her LinkedIn post. "I will be doing everything I can to open up my network to help our people find their next great opportunity."