Full-day event prepares B.C. Startups for Global Stage at Major Technology Conference in Vancouver
VANCOUVER, B.C. – Ahead of North America’s first Web Summit - Web Summit Vancouver, which will bring 15,000 attendees and more than 1,000 startups from around the world to Vancouver this May - over 200 B.C. founders, ecosystem leaders, and innovators are gathering today at KPMG Vancouver and online for the first-ever Road to Web Summit Vancouver Bootcamp, hosted by Innovate BC in partnership with Web Summit. Designed to prepare British Columbia’s leading startups to shine on the international stage from May 27-30, the full-day event exemplifies Innovate BC’s commitment to driving economic prosperity by connecting people, solutions, and industries.
Launched in February 2025, Road to Web Summit Vancouver (R2WSV) by Innovate BC prepares B.C.’s startups for investment, media, and partnership opportunities at the conference. Collaborating with 20 key industry partners, R2WSV offered over 25 events and programs, engaging hundreds of high-potential companies across sectors like cleantech, life sciences, and AI. The Bootcamp, a final event, will welcome over 200 B.C. companies participating at Web Summit Vancouver to refine their stories, enhance global readiness, and prepare to unlock new market opportunities.
“This is about momentum and future growth,” said Peter Cowan, CEO of Innovate BC. “We know B.C. companies can lead on the world stage, and this program provides the skills training needed to ensure they’re ready when opportunity knocks. Innovate BC’s Road to Web Summit Vancouver initiative is about more than preparing for a conference. It’s about building the confidence, connections and capacity to create local value that can scale globally.”
“This event demonstrates how our government is building a strong, inclusive, diversified and innovation-driven economy that works for people in every region of the province,” said Diana Gibson, Minister of Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation. “By supporting entrepreneurs, we’re creating and sustaining good jobs and helping companies scale and become globally competitive.”
“With more than 300 B.C. companies participating in our startup program at the inaugural Web Summit Vancouver, the strength and scale of B.C.’s tech sector is on full display,” said Amanda Collett, Deputy Country Manager, Web Summit Vancouver. “We’re excited to help put B.C. companies on the global map and showcase what the province and Vancouver have to offer.”
A Launchpad, Not a Warm-Up
The Bootcamp offers high-impact programming, coaching, and peer-to-peer learning for founders who will represent B.C.’s innovation ecosystem on the global stage at Web Summit Vancouver. Key sessions include pitch development, investor readiness, and mentorship from past success stories like VoxCell BioInnovation , a Victoria-based health tech firm that won the 2024 Collision pitch competition and has since grown its global footprint.
Companies from across the province will be in attendance, both in-person and virtually, representing communities including Vancouver, Squamish, Kelowna, Salmon Arm, and more.
“Being part of the Road to Web Summit Vancouver has been a game-changer for VoxCell,” said CEO Dr. Maya Richards. “Innovate BC has been a consistent champion for our growth, from early-stage support to supporting us at global events like Collision in Toronto. That experience opened doors to investors and international partners we never would’ve reached otherwise. Now, we’re looking forward to sharpening our pitch and expanding our network at the Road to Web Summit Vancouver Bootcamp, as well as being reminded of just how far B.C. innovation can go.”
Other Featured Companies at the Bootcamp
“Web Summit Vancouver is a massive and unprecedented opportunity, for both our innovation ecosystem and the entire province, bringing thousands of international innovators, investors, industry leaders, and media to our doorstep to engage directly with our companies,” Innovate BC’s Cowan says. “This is our chance to engage with new markets, new industries, and new paths forward, and Innovate BC is ready to help our innovation community make their mark and cement our province as an engine for global impact through innovation.”
Media b-roll and photos from today’s bootcamp can be found here.
Media Contact:
Kathleen Reid
kathleen@yourplaybook.co
604-724-1242
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.
Innovate BC is part of a consortium of government and industry partners, including the Government of Canada, through Pacific Economic Development Canada (PacifiCan), the Province of British Columbia, Destination Vancouver, the City of Vancouver, and Invest Vancouver, working to develop opportunities for B.C. companies, international attendees, and other stakeholders through Web Summit’s residence in British Columbia.
About Web Summit Vancouver
Web Summit is a technology events company, bringing together a global community of founders, entrepreneurs, business leaders, and investors to connect and exchange ideas about the technology and trends shaping the world. Web Summit events – including Web Summit in Lisbon, Web Summit Rio in South America, Web Summit Qatar in the Middle East, and RISE in Asia – have gathered nearly one million people since Web Summit’s beginnings as a 150-person conference in Dublin in 2009. Its newest event, Web Summit Vancouver, will launch in May 2025.
Media Accreditation for Web Summit Vancouver (May 27-30)
Accreditation by Web Summit is required to attend Web Summit Vancouver. To apply for media accreditation, visit the Web Summit Vancouver media page.