When Victoria-based Motus Design Group started working on advanced diagnostic components for General Fusion's groundbreaking fusion energy machine, they weren't just solving a technical challenge—they were positioning themselves at the forefront of what could be the world's next clean energy revolution. When Niricson— another Victoria-based business—began deploying night imaging systems and AI to monitor Vancouver International Airport's (YVR) runways, they were building the foundation for predictive maintenance systems that could be deployed at airports around the world. And when Surrey's Hybrid Audio Visual reimagined airport paging systems with 40% energy savings and improved sound quality for accessibility purposes, they were creating a showcase that would catch the attention of airport operators globally.

What these three B.C. companies have in common isn't their technology—it's their launchpad. Through the Integrated Marketplace program, created by the Government of B.C. in partnership with PacifiCan, and delivered by Innovate BC, all three gained access to the YVR testbed: a real-world environment where they could prove their innovations work, refine them under operational conditions, and build the reference customers that open doors to international markets.

YVR's role as the first Integrated Marketplace testbed represents something fundamentally different from traditional innovation zones. It's about offering access to live operational environments where technology must meet the rigorous demands of mission-critical infrastructure.

The YVR testbed extends beyond the airport itself to include select organizations like General Fusion, whose Richmond facility houses some of the world's most advanced fusion energy research. This clustering creates an ecosystem where B.C. technology companies can find real customers with real needs, right in their backyard.

“At YVR, we are proud to serve as a testbed under the Integrated Marketplace and provide an environment where local innovators and clean-tech companies can develop and implement made-in-B.C. solutions in a real-world setting. The outcomes of the YVR testbed continue to enable us to leverage new technology across our operations for the benefit of passengers and customers while also creating value for other airports and even industries beyond aviation,” says Albert van Veen, Vice President, Innovation and Chief Information Officer at YVR."

The partnership between Motus Design Group and General Fusion perfectly illustrates how Integrated Marketplace connects companies at different scales. General Fusion is pursuing one of humanity's grandest technological challenges: harnessing fusion energy. Their Lawson Machine 26 (LM26) represents a critical milestone, designed to continue to achieve first-of-a-kind breakthroughs throughout 2026.

The diagnostic component that Motus designed enables General Fusion to rapidly install sensors on LM26, extract vast amounts of data, and use thousands of data points to improve the machine's capabilities with each run.

"The technology aims to improve the reliability and scalability of hundreds of channels of sensor systems needed to collect and manage data on General Fusion's transformative LM26 fusion demonstration machine," says Josh Erickson, CEO of Motus Design Group. "Better data helps General Fusion on its path to make British Columbia a leader in commercializing zero carbon energy through fusion."

For Motus, this project positions them as a proven supplier to cutting-edge fusion research—a reference that could prove invaluable as fusion technology scales globally.

Like all major infrastructure, airport runways require regular maintenance. Niricson's solution provides an additional tool for airport maintenance programs, by adding frequent pavement scanning through self-driving equipment. By using advanced imaging, artificial lighting and advanced sensors, the Victoria-based company enables airports to quantify runway conditions across the entire pavement surface. This data could then be used to inform and project future maintenance needs.

"The idea is to build a deterioration model with technology-acquired driven datasets, to go from reactive maintenance to predictive maintenance," explains Harsh Rathod, Ph.D., CEO of Niricson. "Moreover, the goal is to help the asset owner improve the efficiency of the entire pavement condition assessment and repair design workflow by transitioning from manual to digital."

The benefits extend beyond efficiency. By reducing the need for fleet vehicles to conduct monitoring, the system cuts carbon emissions. And the methodology has clear applications across other airports and industries with large infrastructure assets.

Airport paging systems must deliver clear audio across vast spaces with different acoustic properties, route announcements to specific zones, and troubleshoot problems across thousands of speakers—all reliably, 24/7.

Surrey-based Hybrid Audio Visual's enhanced mass paging system addresses these challenges while adding sustainability. The new system improves sound quality, enables precise troubleshooting, and allows sophisticated customization. Perhaps most impressively, the system incorporates power management that switches speakers to low-power mode when not in use, potentially delivering energy savings up to 40%.

"As a relatively new company this YVR project has allowed our company to design, install and service state of the art technologies in a world class facility," notes Stu Wight, Co-Founder. "This system will undoubtedly be showcased to airports around the world and bring YVR to the forefront in public announcement technologies."

What makes these three projects particularly powerful is how they demonstrate the program's versatility. Three completely different sectors, three different technologies, all accelerated by access to the same testbed ecosystem.

"The Integrated Marketplace connects some of the province's most significant economic drivers to local innovation providers that have the ideas and expertise to evolve how our industries operate while supporting their efforts to decarbonize," explains Peter Cowan, President and CEO of Innovate BC.

Brenda Bailey, B.C.'s Minister of Finance (formerly Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation), emphasizes the broader implications: "Creating innovative ideas and solutions that reduce emissions, improve competitiveness and support local companies is essential for creating a strong economy that moves British Columbians forward."

“Our investment in the Integrated Marketplace is supporting clean tech solutions at Vancouver International Airport and ensuring that B.C. businesses have the resources they need to grow and contribute to one strong Canadian economy.” says the Honourable Gregor Robertson, Minister of Housing and Infrastructure and Minister responsible for Pacific Economic Development Canada.

For Motus Design, Niricson, and Hybrid Audio Visual, the program delivered exactly what a launchpad should: the platform, partnerships, and credibility to move from promising companies to proven solution providers. In fact, some of these technologies are now operating in high-profile, mission-critical environments, building case studies that are opening doors in markets around the world.

For Niricson, the runway pavement pilot at YVR helped the company gain valuable experience that has accelerated the global expansion and export of its specialized technology, with deployments completed at major international airports including Gerald R. Ford International Airport in Michigan and Auckland International Airport in New Zealand, and more on the horizon.

Motus Design’s work also revealed broader potential for its technology beyond aviation, with potential applications emerging in sectors such as nuclear energy and high-energy physics—environments where strong electrical interference presents unique engineering challenges.

For Hybrid Audio Visual, the experience has strengthened the company’s technical capabilities, positioning the B.C.-based firm for long-term growth and an estimated 20 per cent increase in business over time.

That's the essence of using testbeds as launchpads—creating the conditions where innovation can prove itself, scale rapidly, and compete globally.