Morning everyone,
Vancouver's life sciences sector had a strong week. The federal government announced two major investments: $48 million for a new innovation hub at Providence Health Care's Clinical Support and Research Centre on the Jim Pattison Medical Campus, and $79 million for Aspect Biosystems to accelerate its bio-printed cellular medicines program.
SFU also had a busy week, landing both a new industry partnership with Siemens Canada on clean hydrogen research and a federal grant to study how distributed energy resources can be better integrated into electricity markets.
On the events side, Web Summit Vancouver is just over five weeks away! Our unofficial master afterparty list is taking shape—if you're planning to be in town for the conference, it's worth a look.
Now, here's the week in review.
P.S. On April 22, join Web Summit Vancouver co-hosts Casey Lau and William Johnson (founder of the Vancouver Tech Journal) as they countdown to the 2026 edition of Web Summit Vancouver. Save your spot.
From The Journal
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Funding, Deals, and More
Squamish-based Quantum Technology Corp. will receive up to $400,000 in provincial funding to double its manufacturing space and expand production of helium and hydrogen systems, creating 10 new jobs. Read more →
SFU has partnered with Siemens Canada on a new research agreement focused on clean hydrogen, linking the university's Clean Hydrogen Hub with Siemens' technology expertise in automation and energy management. Read more →
SFU has secured $614,792 in federal funding to study how distributed energy resources — including EV charging, smart thermostats and battery storage — can be better integrated into electricity markets in B.C. and Ontario. Read more →
Vancouver-based Soma Energy has raised $7 million in seed funding to address the growing gap between AI's appetite for power and the energy grid's ability to keep up, using an AI-driven platform to coordinate supply and demand across data centres and energy assets. Read more →
SPONSORED BY NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY
Tech Careers Meet Industry Partnership
Explore how graduate education connects with industry at Northeastern Vancouver’s Spring Open House on April 16. A featured panel highlights embedded partnerships with organizations across the tech sector. Meet faculty and students, learn about graduate tech programs, and see how professionals build advanced skills while expanding their networks. Register Here.
In Other News
More than 1,000 Amazon employees have moved into the North Tower at The Post in downtown Vancouver, as the tech giant shifts its workforce away from its longtime Telus Garden offices toward a single campus. Read more →
Vancouver's DarkVision Technologies co-founder Graham Manders shared a behind-the-scenes look at how the company rebuilt its industrial ultrasound technology stack layer by layer over the past decade, from sensor hardware to AI-powered 3D imaging. Read more →
adMare BioInnovations is hosting a public open house on April 17 for its new M4 Innovation Centre, a 30,000 sq. ft. life sciences facility in Vancouver's Mount Pleasant neighbourhood. Read more →
Toast CEO April Hicke argued in a BetaKit op-ed that Canada's AI economy risks leaving women behind — noting they face nearly three times the automation risk of men, while remaining dramatically underrepresented in AI development roles. Read more →
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