Hi everyone,
Back to school may be the season, but in Vancouver tech, it feels more like back to the future. This week, InBC tapped Thomas Park—alum of BDC Capital and the Gates Foundation—as its new CIO to steer a $500M provincial fund. Two local founders laid out their seedstrapping playbook for building with revenue, not just rounds. And Mahalo is turning heads with its tap-to-pay simplicity that could change how money moves between people.
Meanwhile, the ecosystem is buzzing with fresh momentum: from electric buses that double as mobile batteries, to homegrown startups landing spots in global accelerators, to debates on how to choose the right LLM vendor. All this as New Ventures BC gears up for Demo Day, and as new federal dollars flow into carbon management tech across the province.
And on top of the headlines, we’re bringing the conversation offline: this week’s #VTJTalks features Women Who Build: Leadership Lessons from Women Founders & Funders, with stories and insights from Jeanne-Marie Owens (Critical Path Games), Leah Hanvey (Tensory Technologies), and Annika Ng (Blossom Social), moderated by Nicole Brassard of Global Public Affairs. It’s a chance to connect, learn, and be inspired by women shaping the future of BC tech.
From The Journal
Funding, Deals & More
Feds invest $5.8M to boost BC carbon management tech: Natural Resources Canada is investing in three Metro Vancouver firms—Agora Energy Technologies, Anodyne Chemistries, and Svante—to advance carbon management technologies and strengthen Canada’s climate innovation ecosystem.
Read more →dlivrd acquires Omnicart platform: Philadelphia-based dlivrd Technologies has acquired Vancouver startup Omnicart’s delivery platform. Omnicart will continue independently as Omnirev, focused on building an AI-driven CRM for restaurants.
Read more →Walter expands AI Joint Innovation Program: McCarthy Tétrault is the latest participant in Walter’s AI Joint Innovation Program. The firm will collaborate with Walter to integrate AI into legal workflows across Outlook and iManage, following Fasken’s earlier involvement.
Read more →
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In Other News
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New Ventures BC Demo Day returns September 17: The top 25 startups from this year’s NVBC Competition will pitch, demo, and connect with investors at the annual Demo Day showcase, presented by National Bank of Canada.
Read more →Vancouver’s LōD joins Google AI for Energy Accelerator: Vancouver startup LōD has been selected for Google’s AI for Energy Accelerator, bringing its grid-aware optimization technology for data centers into a North American cohort tackling the energy transition.
Read more →Oxygen8’s growth story featured in BIV: BIV highlights how Vancouver-based Oxygen8 used the pandemic to scale exponentially, leveraging demand for indoor air quality and becoming a major player in the clean ventilation sector.
Read more →Jetson launches lower-cost electric HVAC system: Vancouver-founded Jetson has unveiled Jetson Air, a vertically integrated, software-driven heat pump system. The company says it can cut installed costs for homeowners by 30–50% compared to standard HVAC quotes.
Read more →Damon pivots from motorcycles to AI driving performance: Vancouver’s Damon is shifting its focus to software with Damon I/O, a platform that uses machine learning and rider data to provide AI-powered driving performance insights—creating a new revenue stream beyond motorcycles.
Read more →
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👀 Can't-Miss
Join Vancouver Tech Journal and Global Public Affairs for a powerful evening of real talk, actionable insights, and inspiring stories from women who are shaping the future of tech, startups, and investing. Hear from:
Jeanne-Marie Owens, Co-Founder & COO, Critical Path Games
Leah Hanvey, Co-Founder & Director, Tensory Technologies
Annika Ng, Co-Founder & COO, Blossom Social
Moderator: Nicole Brassard, VP, BC, Global Public Affairs
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