Hey everyone,
This week’s edition captures a familiar tension in Canadian tech right now: real momentum, paired with real questions about what comes next.
On one hand, we’re seeing institutions place longer-term bets—BCIT securing major funding for disaster resilience research, governments locking in tax certainty, and founders thinking seriously about where infrastructure like data centres should live. On the other, capital is still reshuffling. PayByPhone’s pending acquisition, BuildDirect’s expansion play, and founders openly reflecting on what sustainable growth actually looks like all point to a more sober, more selective phase of the market.
There’s also a strong people story running through this issue—from leadership moves and academic appointments to founders choosing scale, ownership, and patience over hype. It’s a reminder that ecosystems don’t move forward because of one deal or one policy, but because of thousands of thoughtful decisions made quietly over time.
As always, we’ve got upcoming events, deeper reads from The Journal, and the week’s most important headlines below.
Thanks for reading—and hope to see many of you out at our events soon.
P.S. For those of you who care, I’m predicting the Seahawks win Super Bowl LX by 3.
Upcoming Events
SOLD-OUT: February 10: The Future of VC with Boris Wertz of Version One Ventures
February 17: The DIGITAL Effect: Innovation Showcase: This event showcases how Canadian-made technologies are addressing national challenges today—and how deeper collaboration with DIGITAL can accelerate adoption, enable dual-use capabilities, and unlock economic opportunity across the country.
From The Journal
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Funding, Deals, and More
BCIT lands $1.3M Mitacs commitment for disaster resilience research: BCIT secured its largest-ever Mitacs funding commitment: $1.3M to support multi-year research and up to 90 internships focused on intelligent disaster management systems, including AI for wildfire detection, emergency response, and resilient infrastructure.
Read more →PayByPhone to be acquired by Lightyear Capital: Vancouver-based mobile parking payments company PayByPhone has agreed to be acquired by New York private equity firm Lightyear Capital from Corpay, with the transaction expected to close in Q2 2026 (subject to approvals).
IcePanel hits $3M ARR with a lean team and a “be more human” strategy: IcePanel co-founder Jacob Shadbolt shared the company’s path to $3M ARR, crediting steady compounding growth, a seven-person team, and leaning into human support while product discovery increasingly happens through AI search tools.
BuildDirect to acquire Greyne Custom Wood: Vancouver-based BuildDirect announced a definitive agreement to acquire Greyne Custom Wood, adding an online flooring marketplace platform and expanding its U.S. retail and marketplace footprint.
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In Other News
Vancouver entrepreneur eyes Terrace for a “Canadian-built” data centre: A Vancouver-based entrepreneur is pitching a major data centre concept in the Terrace area—tied to rising AI-driven demand for power and storage—and exploring sites near the Skeena Industrial Development Park and key energy infrastructure.
Read more →GlüxKind places as a runner-up at Web Summit Qatar PITCH: Vancouver robotics startup GlüxKind finished as a runner-up in the PITCH competition at Web Summit Qatar 2026, marking another strong international showing after appearing on a Web Summit PITCH stage in Vancouver.
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