Vancouver’s startup ecosystem will get an early look at emerging women-led ventures next week as the Vancouver Entrepreneurs Forum (VEF) hosts its Road to Web Summit Vancouver Women in Tech & Impact Tech Pitch Showcase.
Set for April 21 at UBC Robson Square, the evening event brings together founders from the 2026 R2WSV Women in Tech & Impact Tech cohort to pitch their companies to investors, partners, and members of the local innovation community ahead of Web Summit Vancouver.
The curated showcase features a diverse group of startups spanning climate tech, AI, healthtech, legaltech, and advanced materials—reflecting the breadth of innovation currently emerging from British Columbia.
Among the companies taking the stage is Carbonyx Materials, which is transforming industrial waste into valuable byproducts while permanently storing carbon dioxide. Reusables is tackling single-use waste with a reusable packaging platform for takeaway food, while Cypress Falls Technologies is applying AI to construction workflows through its Edwyyn platform, designed to generate estimates and proposals more efficiently.
Health and wellbeing are also a strong theme across the cohort. eSense Health has developed a clinically validated digital platform for female sexual dysfunction, while Ilixur is building tools to support productivity and wellbeing for high-performing professionals. In the legaltech space, Jointly Solutions is aiming to make prenuptial and cohabitation agreements more accessible to Canadians.
Several startups are addressing challenges in sustainability and resource management. PrecisionPest Guard is deploying AI for real-time greenhouse pest detection and treatment, while Tersa Earth Innovations is focused on reducing the environmental impact of mining through advanced waste remediation and metals recovery technologies. Kalino Bio is introducing non-surgical immunocontraceptive vaccines for pets, offering an alternative to traditional spaying and neutering.
Other ventures include Heyya, a micro-mobility company developing street-legal electric carts for urban transportation, Petal.ai, which helps brands understand and optimize their presence across AI systems, and Ilixur, which targets performance and wellbeing in professional environments.
Pitches will be evaluated by a panel of judges including Shivani Chitroda of InBC Investment Corp., Michelle Ng of Vanedge Capital, and Vivian Wang, a former venture capitalist and VEF board member.
For attendees, the showcase offers more than just pitches. Organizers are positioning the event as a preview of founder talent heading into Web Summit, with opportunities for networking and early access to companies that are actively building and raising capital.
The event is supported by Innovate BC’s Road to Web Summit Vancouver program and presented in collaboration with Innovation UBC, InBC Investment Corp., and NorthX.
As Vancouver prepares to host Web Summit, events like this are helping surface the next wave of founders—and giving the local ecosystem a chance to engage with them before they step onto a global stage.
Leave a Reply