This month, Web Summit Vancouver, one of the biggest global technology conferences, returned to the Vancouver Convention Centre for the second year of its residency in British Columbia. At the centre of the excitement stood the B.C. Pavilion, a dedicated hub bringing together some of our province’s most promising and high-potential innovators, plus government and ecosystem partners, and investors, and media, resulting in a thrilling experience that pushed the summit to new heights.
Building on last year’s debut, the 2026 event served once again as a platform to spotlight and strengthen British Columbia's position as a powerhouse of North American tech growth, drawing a record-breaking 20,235 attendees from over 100 countries — nearly a 30% jump from last year. Moreover, the conference saw the largest investor turnout for a North American edition ever — welcoming a record 768 investors, up 13% from last year.
Getting B.C. ready for Web Summit Vancouver Year Two
To ensure that B.C.’s innovators and tech companies were ready to capitalize on the return of Web Summit, Innovate BC and delivery partners representing a wide range of industry and focus delivered an expanded Road to Web Summit Vancouver (R2WSV) program during the months leading up to May. For the second consecutive year, this comprehensive schedule of programming gave local companies the tools, connections, and confidence to showcase and pitch their leading-edge technology and solutions to seasoned investors. They also gained the invaluable opportunity to connect and network with potential partners.
Through Innovate BC-led R2WSV programming, more than 440 B.C. startups participated across seven events, including the R2WSV Bootcamp at KPMG’s Vancouver headquarters, the exclusive Investor Showcase hosted by Microsoft Vancouver, and the Venture Spotlight at the BC Pavilion. Across the broader R2WSV initiative, more than 1,050 people participated in programming delivered by both Innovate BC and 16 province-wide delivery partners, including Accelerate Okanagan, ACETECH, CIBA (Central Interior Business Accelerator), Indigenous Tech Circle, Life Sciences BC, New Ventures BC, Mosaic Accelerator, AInBC, Angel Forum, BEBC, Climatedoor, Spring, VEF, iUBC, NorthX, and DigiBC.
The B.C. Pavilion Gathers Crowds and Delivers Measurable Impact
At the heart of the exhibit floor, the B.C. Pavilion served as the ultimate hub for the province's key sectors: creative tech, AI and quantum, clean energy, life sciences, agritech and oceantech. This collaboration of ecosystem drivers and enablers, high-potential companies, and thought leaders was made possible through an ongoing alliance with Pacific Economic Development Canada (PacifiCan), the Province of British Columbia, the City of Vancouver, Invest Vancouver, Destination Vancouver, and Innovate BC, each of which saw their team members taking part and contributing to all of the innovation excitement.
The B.C. Pavilion saw:
- 72 emerging tech companies showcasing their technologies at the pavilion’s three-day Investor Showcase
- 2 major ecosystem announcements, one from the Honourable Evan Solomon, Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario — and one from the Honourable Ravi Kahlon, Minister of Jobs and Economic Growth, MLA for Delta North with the Honourable Rick Glumac, B.C.'s Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence and New Technologies
- 6 addresses from government members, including the Honourable Brenda Bailey, Minister of Finance, Government of British Columbia; Taleeb Noormohamed, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation; Minster Solomon; Minister Kahlon; Minister Glumac; and Mayor Mike Hurley
- 17 curated panels discussing the latest innovations, technology, and advancements being made in B.C.’s flourishing tech and innovation ecosystem
- 12 Road to Web Summit Vancouver participants competing to win recognition as B.C.’s top startup at the B.C. Founder Faceoff: $10K Pitch Competition.
- 2 bustling networking receptions hosted by Trade and Invest BC, and PacifiCan with the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade
Big Takeaways and Thought Leadership at the B.C. Pavilion
There were a number of big themes present at the Pavilion throughout the conference – everything from sovereignty to AI application was represented through the companies showcasing, discussions on stage, and in conversation amongst visitors. However, tech growth, potential, and success stories within B.C. remained paramount, with many speakers noting the incredible acceleration, talent, investment opportunities, and resources that B.C. brings to the global innovation arena.
Notable highlights include:
- An announcement from Minister Solomon, detailing the first round of funding through Canada’s AI Compute Access Fund, supporting 44 small and medium-sized businesses. This $66 million fund will help these businesses access AI Compute and is part of a $300-million program that offers financial support to subsidize the cost of compute to commercialize or scale AI projects.
- An announcement from Minister Kahlon alongside Minister Glumac and Innovate BC's President and CEO, Peter Cowan, spotlighting an investment of over $5.3 million through the Integrated Marketplace Health Testbed to support 10 B.C. health and life-sciences projects deploying innovative technologies across the province.
- A panel discussion featuring the Minister Glumac alongside Handol Kim (Variational AI) and Nima Ziraknejad, Ph.D., P.Eng. (NZ Technologies), exploring how B.C.-based companies are developing and scaling made-in-B.C. health technologies — and the role programs like the Integrated Marketplace play in helping innovators validate solutions, reduce adoption risk and reach global markets.
B.C. Innovation Across the Conference Floor
Beyond the Pavilion, B.C. innovation also took centre stage at Web Summit through the Innovate BC Startup Showcase hosted on the conference main stage by Peter Cowan alongside Hiive Co-Founder, COO and General Counsel Sarah Huggins. This showcase highlighted strength and diversity of B.C.’s innovation ecosystem and also featured Handol Kim from Variational AI, Tom Ligocki from Holinova Technology Ltd., Dr. Karolina Valente from VoxCell BioInnovation Inc., Andrew Polanyi from Ocean AID, and Jaclynn Wong from Buffalo Buffalo. The summit also saw Innovate BC’s Sheila Schindel join IBM’s Sports Tech Startup Challenge showcase.
Sessions across Web Summit explored a multitude of topics. These ranged from growing B.C.’s tech sector and advancing life sciences through the province's Look West strategy to supporting innovators and the evolving role of government in enabling growth.
Premier David Eby also highlighted B.C.'s booming AI economy, noting that the province is now home to 600 AI companies, with an impressive 75% already tracking revenue-positive operations.
Innovate BC’s BC Founder Faceoff: $10K Pitch Competition Puts Local Innovation in the Spotlight
A standout moment at the B.C. Pavilion was our BC Founder Faceoff: The $10K Pitch Competition, delivered through the Road to Web Summit Vancouver initiative. The live competition brought 12 high-growth B.C. startups to the stage, showcasing the strength, diversity, and growth potential of the province’s innovation ecosystem.
- The Winner: Jointly Solutions took top honours and the $10,000 grand prize for its online platform that helps Canadians create legally valid relationship agreements — including prenups, postnups, and cohabitation agreements — entirely online and at a fraction of the traditional cost.
- Standout Finalists: The finale also featured KnowledgeKeepr, Butterfly Legal, and Farpoint Technologies, highlighting the range of high-impact solutions emerging from B.C. across sectors including AI, legal innovation, and Indigenous tech.
The Momentum Continues
Web Summit Vancouver 2026 broke records and expanded possibilities this year, proving that B.C.’s tech ecosystem is a major competitor on the global stage. The province is bourgeoning with the talent, capital, and creativity to solve the world’s most pressing issues.
As Web Summit 2027 is already on the horizon, Innovate BC looks forward to deepening these global partnerships, supporting our founders, and driving long-term economic growth across the province.
See you all back at the Vancouver Convention Centre for Web Summit Vancouver 2027!
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