New Ventures BC has revealed the 25 startups advancing to Round 3 of its milestone 25th annual competition, with Vancouver-area companies once again demonstrating their strength in the province's innovation ecosystem.

The announcement follows a competitive Round 2.5 pitch event where 26 ventures competed for the final 10 spots to join the 15 companies that had already secured direct advancement to Round 3. This intermediary round, designed to give promising startups a second chance at advancement, concluded with 10 additional companies earning their place in the Top 25.

Vancouver startups maintain their strong presence in this year's competition, with 11 companies from the city making it to Round 3. Among the new additions from Round 2.5 are Vancouver-based ventures Baerfell, Binta Financial, BuildMapper, ImageCyte Technologies, Minpraxis Solutions, and SpamKill.

These companies join six Vancouver startups that advanced directly to Round 3: A-Scent Innovations, BryoSphere Biotechnologies, EyecareX, Non-Euclidean, Sigen AI, and Syrina Therapeutics.

The broader Lower Mainland is also well-represented, with additional companies from Richmond (Ediccare and Soiltrackers Solutions), North Vancouver (Axis Base Systems and HannahHR Technologies), Burnaby (Cater Dash, Metallyze, and PINA Creation), Coquitlam (CanDry Technologies), New Westminster (Refoundry), Langley (PeerSupport.io), and Lions Bay (Precision Aquatics).

The 25 finalists represent a diverse range of sectors and innovation areas, from biotechnology and artificial intelligence to manufacturing and financial services. The second round of the competition began with 199 startups, highlighting the depth of entrepreneurial talent across British Columbia.

New Ventures BC's annual competition offers early-stage startups the opportunity to compete for over $250,000 in cash and prizes, while providing crucial mentorship, industry exposure, and expert feedback. The competition has served as a launchpad for innovative tech companies across the province for a quarter-century.

The competition will continue to narrow the field as it progresses toward the final pitch round and awards ceremony later this year, where the ultimate winners will be determined from this accomplished group of B.C. startups.