Dream Photonics, a Vancouver-based UBC spinout, has been named the grand prize winner of the 2026 New Ventures BC Competition, presented by Innovate BC.
The company is tackling a manufacturing bottleneck in microchip production. Its platform uses 3D-printed micro-lenses to connect optical components automatically, replacing slow and expensive manual assembly. The company says the goal is to enable chipmakers to build faster, cheaper hardware to power the global AI boom.
"To come out on top against a finalist cohort this strong is a massive honour for our entire team," said Lukas Chrostowski, CEO and co-founder of Dream Photonics. "We started Dream Photonics to solve one of the biggest manufacturing bottlenecks in modern hardware, and winning first place gives us an incredible boost as we bring our technology to factory floors and expand our reach across global markets."
This year’s Top 10 at the New Ventures BC Competition. Photo: New Ventures BC
NanoTech Innovation, a cleantech startup providing a non-toxic, plant-based coating to protect industrial equipment from rust, took second place and the $60,000 prize package. Ontoly, which builds carbon accounting software that turns commercial building energy savings into verified carbon credits, claimed third place and a $35,000 prize — and also won the $10,000 Innovate BC Sustainability Prize.
The other specialty prizes went to Radiant Fluidics, which won the $10,000 Life Sciences Prize, VEGAIN Nutrition, which took the $10,000 Woman-Led Venture Award, and NanoTech Innovation, which was named Top Science-Based Company by SFU VentureLabs.
The 2026 competition drew 283 early-stage tech ventures from across B.C. Over its 26-year history, NVBC has helped create more than 15,000 local jobs and attracted over $3.4 billion in investment into the province.