The journey to crown British Columbia’s top early-stage tech startup has reached its final stretch. After seven months of pitches, expert coaching, and multiple judging rounds, the 2026 New Ventures BC Competition, presented by Innovate BC, is excited to unveil this year’s Top 10 finalists.
Meet the Top 10 (in alphabetical order)
- Circl Brain Health Metrics, Victoria
- Dream Photonics, Vancouver
- Eagle Eyes Search, Squamish
- Enya Learning, Vancouver
- NanoTech Innovation, Richmond
- Ontoly, Squamish
- Radiant Fluidics, Vancouver
- TruthSayer AI, Vancouver
- VEGAIN Nutrition, Vancouver
- VitaPulse Technologies, Vancouver
Covering everything from health sciences and AI to food & beverage, advanced hardware, and cleantech, this year’s Top 10 showcases the depth and strength of B.C.’s startup community. What makes this group stand out is real market traction—over half of these companies are already earning revenue or running pilots with major partners. With founders based in Vancouver, Squamish, Victoria, and Richmond, the lineup shows that great companies are growing all across the province.
What’s Next
As the competition enters its final leg, the 10 finalists will prepare for their most critical challenge yet. Each venture will present a comprehensive business pitch and undergo dynamic Q&A sessions with a panel of leading venture capitalists, angel investors, and veteran entrepreneurs.
The founders are competing for over $250,000 in combined cash and in-kind business services.The award recipients and grand prize winners will be officially announced on September 21st during the 2026 NVBC Competition Awards Ceremony.
2026 Prizes Up for Grabs
- $110,000 Innovate BC First-Prize Package
- $55,000 Innovate BC Second-Prize Package
- $30,000 Innovate BC Third-Prize Package
- $10,000 Innovate BC Sustainability Prize
- $10,000 Innovate BC Life Sciences Prize
- $10,000 Innovate BC Woman-Led Venture Award
- Top Science-based Company, presented by SFU VentureLabs
More details about eligibility criteria and prize packages can be found on the New Ventures BC Competition website.
Meet the Judges
Rob Attwell, Founder & COO, Careteam Technologies
Irene Dorsman, CEO, Angel Forum Vancouver
Rochelle Grayson, Investor and Founder, Mosaic Accelerator
Jennifer Hamilton, Lifesciences Advisor
Thealzel Lee, E-Fund and Phoenix Fire Fund
Leah Nguyen, Investor and Tech Executive
Julien Sellgren, Angel Investor and Past NVBC winner
Frans Tjallingii, CEO, 7Gen
