VANCOUVER. B.C., MAY 13, 2025 – Through its Ignite program, Innovate BC has awarded $1.5 million across five cutting-edge B.C.-based research and development projects focused on creating solutions that equip industries to tackle priority challenges head-on. From enhancing accessibility in healthcare to promoting sustainability in mining practices, and more, these initiatives are not only driving industry competitiveness and but also creating valuable job opportunities throughout British Columbia.
“Programs like Ignite are key to strengthening B.C.’s innovation economy, and it’s great to see these partnerships between business and academia get recognized,” said Diana Gibson, B.C.’s Minister of Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation. “British Columbia has been leading the country in cleantech, life sciences, and sustainable industries by supporting collaborative, research-driven solutions that create and sustain good jobs at home."
Ignite accelerates the commercialization of solutions in clean technology, engineering, and life science projects developed through collaboration between industry and academia, awarding up to $300,000 per project. Since the program’s inception in 2016, Innovate BC has funded 58 projects for a total value of $15 million.
“Each year, we see impactful, homegrown solutions emerge from projects built on industry-academic partnerships supported by the Ignite program,” said Peter Cowan, President + CEO, Innovate BC, “By connecting research with real-world needs, these collaborations are helping B.C. companies commercialize their innovations and tackle some of our regions’ biggest challenges – like climate change and healthcare accessibility – while driving job creation, strengthening key provincial industries, and building a prosperous, resilient future for British Columbians.”
The successful projects outlined below were selected based on their promising commercial and technical viability as well as their ability to be market ready within three years. To be considered, projects must also address an industry problem with the potential for significant benefit to British Columbia and be implemented by a group of academic and industry members.
- Engineering: Sonus Microsystems is collaborating with Dr. Robert Rohling, Edmond Cretu and their research teams at the University of British Columbia to develop advanced ultrasound sensors based on Sonus’s proprietary polymer-based CMUT (polyCMUT) technology. The research focuses on designing compact, high-performance sensors for acoustic emission testing, a critical tool in non-destructive testing (NDT) used to assess the integrity of structures like wind turbines, pipelines, and pressure vessels, without interrupting operations. Awarded: $300,000
- Clean Technologies: Flash Forest and Gregory Paradis of the University of British Columbia are scaling reforestation in B.C. and across Canada through AI-enabled site selection, drone-based and land-based seedpod deployment, and biologically optimized seedpods. By combining advanced software with novel hardware and ecological science, the project aims to increase biodiversity, improve germination rates, and plant millions of trees through precision seeding annually. The innovation directly supports wildfire recovery, habitat restoration, and climate mitigation efforts across B.C. landscapes. Flash Forest and UBC will provide data and information via workshops or conferences. Awarded: $300,000
- Clean Technologies: Brown’s Bay Packing Company Ltd. and Hossein Kazemian of the University of Northern British Columbia are collaborating on a project to develop biopolymer thermal packaging to replace packaging made from petroleum-based plastics and polystyrene foam. With both a recyclable hybrid and a longer-term biodegradable material in development, this approach has significant potential to transform key industries with high cold-chain logistics needs such as seafood, meal kits and pharmaceuticals. Awarded: $300,000
- Life Sciences and Advanced Health: SISCAPA Assay Technologies Canada (SAT-C) and Dr. Caroline Cameron of the University of Victoria are collaborating to develop an improved syphilis diagnostic test. With cases increasing at an alarming rate worldwide, and current diagnostic assays based upon outdated and suboptimal technologies, an improved diagnostic test compatible with a point-of-care test format is urgently needed. This innovative project uses a bacterial biomarker peptide-based approach combined with the SISCAPA peptide enrichment technology to create a urine-based at-home diagnostic test. Awarded: $300,000
- Clean Technologies: M-MAP, now nPhyla, in collaboration with Steven Hallam of the University of British Columbia, are developing a genomics intelligence platform for mining companies, integrating environmental DNA (eDNA) and microbiome analytics. Their innovation enables biodiversity assessments and microbial-driven process enhancements, accelerating the development and adoption of sustainable mining practices. By combining eDNA sequencing with available metadata from mine sites, they deliver cost-effective and actionable insights with the potential to reduce environmental impact, improve resource recovery, and support regulatory compliance throughout the mining life cycle. Awarded: $300,000
Previous Ignite recipients include notable B.C.-based innovation companies such as VoxCell BioInnovation Inc., Daanaa Resolution Inc., and Terramera Inc., each of which have become significant contributors to high-impact industries , including clean energy, agriculture, and healthcare, through the continued growth of their technologies.
The Ignite Program is funded by the Natural Resources and Applied Sciences (NRAS) Endowment Fund, which was established by the Province of British Columbia to enhance the quality of life for British Columbians by building strong environments in research and development, advanced training, technology transfer, and commercialization.
Additional Quotes
Sonus Microsystems + University of British Columbia
Hani Eskandari, CEO, Sonus Microsystems
“Our polyCMUT technology offers distinct advantages, including high sensitivity, flexible form factors, and scalable manufacturing, that open the door to applications far beyond healthcare. This collaboration accelerates our work in industrial sensing, enabling practical solutions in sectors ranging from aerospace to infrastructure safety.”
Dr. Robert Rohling, Director, Institute for Computing, Information and Cognitive Systems Mechanical Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering
“Imagine a low-profile, stick-on sensor that wirelessly transmits structural health data in real time, with no shutdowns and no manual inspections. This is the future of NDT we’re building together.”
Flash Forest + University of British Columbia
Marc Apduhan, Innovation and Business Development Manager, Flash Forest
“Canada is facing unprecedented reforestation challenges due to wildfires and climate change. Through Innovate BC’s Ignite funding, we've accelerated the development of AI-driven tools, biological seedpod technology, and automated planting systems that allow us to scale tree planting more efficiently and strategically across B.C. and beyond. This support has been instrumental in turning bold ideas into tangible progress, and our experience with the program has been collaborative, impactful, and aligned with our mission to restore ecosystems at scale.”
Browns Bay Packing Company + University of Northern British Columbia
Jesse Knight, Chief Executive Officer, Brown’s Bay Packing Company Ltd.
“Innovate BC’s Ignite funding is helping us turn innovative ideas into real-world impact – from reducing plastic waste to supporting the transition to sustainable seafood packaging right here in Campbell River. Working with UNBC, we’re leveraging leading-edge materials science to solve a pressing industry challenge. We’re proud to be laying the groundwork for new economic opportunities for north island communities and playing a role in advancing B.C.’s leadership in clean technology.”
Dr. Hossein Kazemian, PhD, Associate Professor, Environmental Science, University of Northern British Columbia
“This project reflects the power of university-industry collaboration in creating tangible solutions to an urgent environmental challenge. Innovate BC’s support is mobilizing our biopolymer research into commercially viable and sustainable thermal packaging solutions for the seafood sector and beyond – reducing plastic waste and lowering carbon footprints. This funding will continue our work with Brown’s Bay Packing to bring a recyclable hybrid alternative to polystyrene foam to market and supports continued research on a fully compostable biopolymer solution.”
SISCAPA Assay Technologies Canada (SAT-C) + University of Victoria
Matt Pope, COO, SISCAPA Assay Technologies Canada
“The Innovate BC Ignite program has united academic and industry expertise to tackle a critical challenge in the diagnostics field. At SAT-C, we are excited to continue our longstanding collaboration with Dr. Cameron’s team at the University of Victoria to develop a diagnostic test for syphilis—a serious and growing health concern in British Columbia.”
Dr. Caroline Cameron, Professor, Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Victoria
“The Innovate BC Ignite funding is supporting development of a diagnostic test that is critically needed to improve reproductive health worldwide.”
M-MAP, now nPhyla + University of British Columbia
Mike Kennedy, CEO, nPhyla
“Our project addresses the urgent need for mining companies to better understand and manage biodiversity and environmental health at their sites. With the Ignite funding, nPhyla is expanding its eDNA analytics to deliver powerful, scalable tools for environmental monitoring and sustainable mining. The program has been instrumental in accelerating our R&D and bringing us closer to commercial deployment.”
Steven Hallam, Professor in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology, UBC
“This project brings together public and private sector partners to develop innovative software solutions that bring us closer to the earth system in ways that inspire wonder and solve real world problems that touch on the very nature of progress and sustainability within a rapidly changing regulatory climate. The Ignite funding will help develop the mining sector and beyond."
About Innovate BC
A Crown Agency of British Columbia, Innovate BC works to foster innovation across the province and bolster the growth of the local economy through delivering a wide range of programs that help companies start and scale, access talent and encourage technology development, commercialization, and adoption. Innovate BC also harnesses crucial data collection and research, and works to forge strategic industry and community partnerships that create more opportunities for B.C. innovators.
Media Contact
Michael Gleboff
Communications + Community Manager
mgleboff@innovatebc.ca
604-602-5210
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