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A $500M raise. A $5B valuation. A $1B acquisition. One company. One week. Clio’s milestone-packed announcement dominated the headlines—and set a new bar for what B.C. scaleups can achieve. But that wasn’t the only story worth your attention. From a billion-dollar governance-tech engine growing in Vancouver, to fresh insights into B.C.’s venture market, to new wins in AI, decarbonization, and biotech, this was a heavyweight week for the province’s innovation economy.
From The Journal
SPONSORED BY VRIFY
Building Technical Confidence in AI | Podcast
In Episode 2 of The VRIFY Podcast, the discussion digs into why human feedback is essential for building trust in AI, especially in fields where accuracy matters. VRIFY CEO Steve de Jong, sits down with CTO and geoscientist, JP Paiement, for a candid conversation about what it really takes to make AI reliable in geoscience workflows.
Together, they unpack the value of skepticism, share lessons learned from deploying AI in mineral exploration, and offer practical guidance for anyone looking to integrate AI into their day-to-day work in a meaningful way.
While rooted in mineral exploration, the takeaways apply to anyone championing responsible AI adoption.
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CereCura secures $1.4M to tackle brain disorders: Vancouver-based UBC spinout CereCura Nanotherapeutics raised $1.4 million in seed funding to use COVID-era LNP-RNA vaccine technology to deliver therapeutic proteins to the brain and treat neurological diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
Read more →NorthX backs two BC industrial decarbonization startups: NorthX Climate Tech has invested $1 million in non-dilutive funding into Vertogen Technologies and Rockburst Technology, two BC-based companies developing renewable gas and low-carbon mining solutions to decarbonize heavy industry.
Read more →UrbanLogiq expands its Global Foundation Model with LOCUS: Vancouver’s UrbanLogiq added geospatial intelligence company LOCUS to its Strategic Alliance Program, strengthening its Global Foundation Model that helps governments use AI and high-fidelity movement data to understand and plan communities.
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*Sponsored
SPONSORED BY FASKEN MARTINEAU
Legal support for AI visionaries
Whether you’re a tech startup or an established corporation, the opportunities to innovate and increase efficiencies through AI are endless. As the first Canadian law firm to establish a practice dedicated to emerging technology, Fasken can help with the protection, commercialization or acquisition of your AI technology. Learn more: Artificial Intelligence | Services | Fasken
In Other News
Parrot named a top YC startup to watch by Forbes: Vancouver-founded Parrot was recognized by Forbes as one of the top startups to watch from Y Combinator’s Fall 2025 batch, spotlighting the company among the most promising emerging YC companies globally.
Read more →Innovate BC launches year two of Road to Web Summit Vancouver: Innovate BC has kicked off the second year of its Road to Web Summit Vancouver initiative, partnering with ecosystem organizations across the province to deliver bootcamps, masterclasses, and investor readiness programming ahead of Web Summit Vancouver 2026.
Read more →CURA emerges from stealth to decarbonize cement: Vancouver climatetech startup CURA unveiled an electrochemical process that can cut cement production emissions by up to 85%, with plans to build a 100-tonne-per-year pilot plant in Canada as a stepping stone to large-scale deployment.
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