VoxCell BioInnovation Wins The $10K Pitch: BC’s Startup All-Stars Competition at Web Summit Vancouver

The healthtech startup beats a stacked field featuring some of British Columbia’s fastest growing startups. 

VANCOUVER, B.C. – VoxCell BioInnovation has been named the winner of The $10K Pitch: BC’s Startup All-Stars, a live pitch competition that brought together 12 of the most promising ventures from across British Columbia. Hosted by New Ventures BC and Innovate BC, the competition took place at Web Summit Vancouver, where tech leaders from across the globe watched VoxCell walk away with the $10,000 grand prize.

VoxCell outlasted GlüxKind, SkyAcres, and yPilot in the finale. The healthtech startup impressed judges with their vascularized, human-like cancer tissue models that help pharmaceutical companies screen drug candidates earlier, accelerating development and bringing life-saving treatments to patients faster.

The competition field featured 12 standout startups who all placed in the Top 10 of the New Ventures BC Competition, presented by Innovate BC, within the last five years. After an initial round of short pitches to a panel of expert judges, the top four startups advanced to a high-stakes finale for a shot at a $10,000 prize, provided by Innovate BC.

The province’s thriving startup ecosystem took centre stage at Web Summit Vancouver. Over 250 early stage ventures participated in Web Summit’s Alpha, Beta, and Growth programs, connecting them to new mentors, founders, and investors from across the globe. Additionally, several local tech companies were showcased in the B.C. Pavilion—a curated zone on the exhibit floor designed to spotlight the province’s innovation leaders. As part of the B.C. Ventures Spotlight, these companies represented a range of high-impact sectors including life sciences, artificial intelligence, digital entertainment, and more.

Pitch Competition Judges:

• Peter Cowan, President & CEO, Innovate BC
• Ricardo Lima, Head of Startups & Investors, Web Summit
• Irene Dorsman, CEO & Director, Angel Forum
• Mike Montian, Senior Director, Technology and Innovation, National Bank of Canada
• Mike Volker, Angel Investor & CEO, WUTIF Capital
• Michele Wallcraft, Executive In Residence, Innovation UBC
• Sheila Schindel, Managing Director, Commercialization & IP Programs, Innovate BC
• Elizabeth Dutton, Chief Operating Officer, Innovate BC
  
  

QUOTES

“We know these companies well from their time in the New Ventures BC Competition, but seeing them now—with stronger teams, bigger visions, and real traction—is a testament to the strength of BC’s startup ecosystem. Our startups are now pitching on international stages like Web Summit and catching the attention of the industry’s biggest investors."

- Angie Schick, Executive Director at New Ventures BC

“Web Summit is one of the largest and most significant global platforms for tech, connecting companies to the people, industries, and investment that can help turn great ideas into growth and success - and B.C. innovators have stood out all week as bold change makers and engines for economic prosperity and meaningful impact. We’re thrilled to support VoxCell through this pitch competition alongside New Ventures BC to help them take that next step and make their mark here in B.C. and beyond.”

-Peter Cowan, President + CEO, Innovate BC

“There are a lot of incredibly talented and high potential entrepreneurs in the B.C. tech ecosystem and it’s wonderful to hear their stories and learn about the work they are doing to grow and strengthen our province’s economy,” said Diana Gibson, Minister of Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation. “Congratulations to all of the start ups who were part of the competition. I look forward to watching your companies grow and thrive in B.C.’s world class technology sector.”

- Honourable Diana Gibson, Minister of Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation

“These types of competitions help startups like ours break through the noise and prove we’re building something that matters. This win gives us a strong signal to investors and customers alike, marking a real turning point for our business.”

- Karolina Valente, CEO and CSO at VoxCell BioInnovation

About New Ventures BC (NVBC)

For 25 years, New Ventures BC (NVBC) has been part of BC’s startup community, empowering early-stage tech companies with the tools, mentorship, and funding they need to succeed. As a non-profit, NVBC programs include the annual New Ventures BC Competition, Accelerator Programs, Capital Compass, IP Pathways and AccelerateIP -- supporting thousands of founders as they launch and grow. To date, NVBC has helped launch some of BC’s top tech success stories, contributing to a thriving innovation ecosystem that has created thousands of jobs and attracted over $3.2 billion in investment.

About Innovate BC

Innovate BC helps foster innovation in B.C. so that British Columbians in all regions of the province can benefit from a thriving, sustainable, and inclusive innovation economy. A Crown Agency of British Columbia, Innovate BC funds and delivers programs that support the growth of the B.C. economy by helping companies start and scale, train talent that meets labour market needs, and encourage technology development, commercialization, and adoption.

Media Inquiries:

media@newventuresbc.com