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 […]
Neil Patel: Data, Not Gut, Will Drive the Future of Marketing
At Web Summit Vancouver, marketing guru Neil Patel delivered a rapid-fire, data-packed presentation titled “20 Charts in 20 Minutes That Will Transform Your Marketing.” Drawing from an in-depth analysis of 150,000 blog posts, 3 million social media updates, and insights from 10,000 marketers, Patel’s session served as a wake-up call for marketing teams still relying […]
B.C. Startups Go Global with Help from Province’s Real-World Testbeds
How A&K Robotics and MarineLabs are scaling thanks to the Integrated Marketplace Two British Columbia-based startups—A&K Robotics and MarineLabs—are turning local pilot projects into global momentum, thanks to the province’s Integrated Marketplace program. Unveiled this week at Web Summit Vancouver, the B.C. government announced an additional $30 million for the initiative, which connects innovative startups […]
Three B.C. Startups with Female Founders Reach PITCH Final at Web Summit Vancouver
PITCH, Web Summit’s signature startup competition, brings together top early-stage companies from around the world to compete live onstage. The competition is open to ALPHA and BETA startups exhibiting at Web Summit Vancouver that have raised less than $5 million in funding and maintained a consistent business model over the past three years. This year, […]
KPMG’s AI Lead on Helping Canadian Businesses Move from Pilots to Impact
At Web Summit Vancouver this week, Techcouver sat down with Walter Pela, AI Client and Market Development Lead for KPMG in Canada, to discuss the professional services firm’s deepening commitment to artificial intelligence. From launching its proprietary generative AI assistant, Kleo, to acquiring spatial intelligence platform LlamaZOO, KPMG is not just advising on digital transformation—it’s […]
Vertical SaaS Will Own the Future, Says Clio CEO at Web Summit
At Web Summit Vancouver, Clio CEO Jack Newton made the case that vertical SaaS platforms—and increasingly, vertical AI—are reshaping industries and creating outsized opportunities for Canadian startups. Taking the main stage in his hometown, Newton began by revisiting a classic idea: “Some of you might recognize the title of this talk as a callback to […]
Why a Vancouver Brokerage is Betting Big on Its Own Tech
As commercial tenants demand more flexibility and brokers face increasing complexity, the tools that power real estate decision-making have struggled to keep up. Floorspace, a Vancouver brokerage-turned-proptech startup, is building something better. Co-founders Matt and Lindsay Carlson are industry veterans who saw firsthand how much time was wasted on outdated processes and fragmented systems. “We’ve […]
Rebuilding Local News for the Trust Economy: A Conversation with Indiegraf CEO Erin Millar
As traditional media models falter and trust in institutions wanes, a new wave of entrepreneurial journalists is rising to fill the void—especially in underserved communities. At the forefront of this movement is Vancouver-based Indiegraf, a startup empowering local news founders with a comprehensive technology platform designed to make independent journalism sustainable. In this exclusive interview, […]
IBM Canada CTO Manav Gupta on Scaling AI for Productivity and Trust
As Canadian businesses accelerate AI adoption, the challenge is no longer if but how to scale effectively, responsibly, and productively. In this exclusive Techcouver interview, Manav Gupta, CTO and VP of IBM Canada, shares key insights from IBM’s latest global CEO and ROI of AI studies—and explains how AI agents, trust-first governance, and strategic upskilling […]
How Spexi Is Building the World’s Largest Aerial Imaging Network—From Vancouver
As climate risks rise and infrastructure ages, the demand for real-time geospatial data has never been greater. Enter Vancouver-based Spexi, a startup reimagining aerial imaging through the power of drones. At the helm is CEO Bill Lakeland, a 20-year veteran of the imaging industry who believes the legacy systems of satellites and aircraft no longer […]