Morning everyone,
A few days removed from Web Summit Vancouver, the pace across B.C.’s tech ecosystem still hasn’t slowed down. (Quickly: Our post-mortem is May 27.)
This week’s news is filled with signals that governments, universities, and industry are all leaning harder into innovation—from new venture funds and commercialization programs to major investments in AI infrastructure, cleantech, and defence-related technology.
UBC Sauder launched a new Scale Up Program focused on defence and dual-use ventures, SFU and InBC unveiled a $20 million fund to commercialize university research, and Telus and the federal government are advancing plans for a sovereign AI data centre cluster in B.C. that could scale to more than 60,000 GPUs by 2032.
Beyond that, there’s funding flowing into wildfire prevention, clean energy, healthcare technology, battery repurposing, and go-to-market support for startups across the province. It’s a reminder that while Web Summit may have brought the spotlight, much of the real work continues long after the stages come down.
Let’s get into it.
From The Journal
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Funding, Deals, and More
Rainforest Automation was among six B.C. companies to receive a share of nearly $6 million from the B.C. government's Innovative Clean Energy Fund for projects in electricity management, heat pump technology and fleet electrification. Read more →
Skyward Wildfire Technologies has received up to $1 million from the Province to conduct the first field trial of its AI-enabled lightning reduction technology for wildfire prevention. Read more →
Variational AI and NZ Technologies were among the recipients of more than $5.3 million through the B.C. government's Integrated Marketplace Health Testbed for healthcare technology pilots ranging from AI drug discovery to touchless hospital interfaces. Read more →
Eleven B.C. companies have received grants of up to $50,000 each through Innovate BC's Go-to-Market Microgrant Program to build sales capacity and reach new markets. Read more →
Jointly Solutions, an online platform helping Canadians create legally valid relationship agreements, won Innovate BC's BC Founder Faceoff pitch competition at Web Summit Vancouver, taking home the $10,000 grand prize. Read more →
The Government of Canada is investing more than $4.5 million through its Clean Energy for Rural and Remote Communities program to support Indigenous-led clean energy projects in B.C. Read more →
The federal government is investing $3.2 million in the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade to deliver Canada Connect, a new program helping B.C. businesses find customers and grow sales within Canada. Read more →
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In Other News
B.C. has launched consultation on a potential patent box tax regime that would reduce taxes on income from eligible intellectual property, with the life-sciences sector as the primary target. Read more →
Moment Energy is building what it calls the world's largest battery repurposing facility in Vancouver, with capacity to reach 1 GWh by 2030 and create more than 100 jobs — announced weeks after the company closed a US$40 million Series B. Read more →
CDL-Vancouver, Scale Up and UBC Sauder hosted the Alumni Venture Showcase 2026 at TELUS Garden during Web Summit week, spotlighting 16 high-potential ventures across climate, health, defence and other sectors. Read more →
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