After seven months of mentorship, workshops, pitches, and evaluations, the 2026 New Ventures BC Competition is ready for its final act.
The province’s longest-running startup competition will crown this year’s winners on September 21 at the VIFF Centre in Vancouver, with more than $250,000 in cash and prizes on the line.
A record 283 companies entered the competition this year, making the 26th edition its most competitive yet. That field has now been narrowed to 10 finalists spanning artificial intelligence, health sciences, food and beverage, advanced hardware, and cleantech:
- Circl Brain Health Metrics
- Dream Photonics
- Eagle Eyes Search
- Enya Learning
- NanoTech Innovation
- Ontoly
- Radiant Fluidics
- TruthSayer AI
- VEGAIN Nutrition
- VitaPulse Technologies
Vancouver accounts for six of the finalists, while Squamish is home to two and Victoria and Richmond each have one.
The startups are competing for a prize pool that includes a $110,000 Innovate BC first-place package, a $55,000 second-place package, and a $30,000 third-place package.
Specialty awards include $10,000 prizes recognizing sustainability, life sciences, and a woman-led venture, along with an in-kind Top Science-Based Company award presented by SFU VentureLabs.
The awards ceremony represents the culmination of a competition journey that began earlier this year. Along the way, founders refined their business plans, worked with mentors, participated in educational programming, and pitched to juries of investors, entrepreneurs, and technology executives.
Last year, Vancouver fintech startup Binta Financial captured first place for its platform enabling newcomers to carry verified credit histories across borders.
Other notable companies to have participated in the competition include AbCellera, Aspect Biosystems, Certn, Jane Software, and Moment Energy. Since 2000, more than 4,200 startups have taken part, collectively raising more than $3.4 billion and creating over 15,000 jobs, according to New Ventures BC.
The 2026 New Ventures BC Competition Awards Ceremony runs from 4:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Monday, September 21, at the VIFF Centre at 1181 Seymour Street. The awards begin at 5:30 p.m.
The hybrid event will also be available through an online livestream.
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