Binta Financial, a fintech startup building infrastructure for borderless credit histories, has captured first place in the 2025 New Ventures BC Competition.
The Vancouver company secured the $110,000 Innovate BC First Place Prize, cementing its position as one of the province’s most promising startups.
Binta’s platform enables newcomers to carry verified credit histories across borders, giving faster access to housing, loans, and employment. It also provides rent reporting and an AI-powered financial literacy companion to help build local credit from day one. By making credit a borderless asset, Binta aims to ensure people arriving in new countries no longer have to start from zero.
“Winning the New Ventures BC Competition marks a major milestone for us. Not only does this further validate our vision, but it gives us the extra publicity and recognition we need to accelerate our growth, refine our product, and expand our impact here in B.C. and beyond,” said Paschal Okwundu, CEO and Co-Founder of Binta Financial.
PeerSupport.io earned the $55,000 Innovate BC Second Place Prize for its referral and care navigation tool, which helps clinics cut wait times and reduce administrative burnout. Originally founded in Yukon before moving to B.C., the healthtech startup is improving access to care for patients while easing strain on providers.
The $30,000 Innovate BC Third Place Prize went to BuildMapper, a fast-growing platform giving construction sales teams real-time project insights and smarter pathways to new contracts. BuildMapper also received the Leap to the Cloud Prize, presented by National Bank.
Other standout winners included Baerfell, which received the $10,000 Sustainability Prize, and ImageCyte, which captured both the $10,000 Health and Life Sciences Prize and the Top Science Award. Maddie Aliaslkhiabani, co-founder of CanDry Technologies, was recognized with the $10,000 Women-Led Venture Prize, while Syrina Therapeutics received the NVBC Diamond-in-the-Rough Prize for top pre-revenue startup.
Aspect Biosystems, a world leader in bioprinted tissue therapeutics, received this year’s Alumni Impact Award. The recognition highlights alumni whose achievements have advanced their industries while strengthening the broader B.C. tech community.
This year’s competition drew 216 startups from across the province, competing for more than $250,000 in cash and prizes while gaining access to mentorship, workshops, and a community of founders. Now in its 25th year, New Ventures BC has supported more than 4,000 startups, fueling thousands of jobs and billions in investment.
“Now in its 25th year, the Competition continues to show how innovation drives economic opportunity,” said Angie Schick, Executive Director at New Ventures BC.
“This year’s winners are not only advancing technology through the use of AI, but also fueling growth in key sectors like healthcare, food, finance, and manufacturing — industries that touch the lives of every British Columbian.”
Leave a Reply