Lite-1, a Vancouver-based startup developing bio-based colorants using microorganisms, has been named the winner of Web Summit Vancouver’s first-ever PITCH competition.
Co-founded by Roya Aghighi, Lite-1 is on a mission to replace toxic, synthetic dyes with sustainable, regenerative pigments that eliminate the need for mining and harmful chemicals. The company’s breakthrough technology harnesses microorganisms to create natural, non-toxic colorants—offering industries a clean and scalable alternative in a market traditionally dominated by polluting processes.
“PITCH has been really good. It’s not all the time that you get an opportunity to pitch to this many people all at once,” said Aghighi after receiving the trophy on Centre Stage. “We’ve had some meaningful conversations with investors right after each pitch. We still need more public education around it, but the interest has been incredible.”
Lite-1 topped a competitive field of hundreds of startups to reach the final round of the pitch competition, which culminated in a live showcase judged by FPV Ventures’ Wesley Chan, Race Capital’s Edith Yeung, and The Co-Founders Hub’s Tanis Jorge.
For the first time in Web Summit’s history, all three finalists—Lite-1, GlüxKind, and VodaSafe—were co-founded by women, marking a milestone for gender diversity in tech. This year’s event saw 44 percent of participating startups founded by at least one woman.
“I see us really shrinking the market of synthetic dyes,” Aghighi said ahead of the final. “The way we’re approaching the problem can plug into any industry that uses color. That’s my mission—to scale this technology and make a real impact.”
Web Summit’s PITCH stage has become a global launchpad for startups. Past winners like VoxCell, a Victoria-based biotech company that won Collision’s PITCH competition in 2024, have gone on to raise millions in funding and secure international attention.
By taking home the PITCH title in Vancouver, Lite-1 joins an elite group of global innovators now poised to scale with newfound credibility, visibility, and investor interest.
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