British Columbia's startup ecosystem offers a variety of resources for new businesses. These programs are designed to guide founders from the idea stage to market entry.
Key organizations in the area have a strong record of support. For example, entrepreneurship@UBC has made over 100 investments, while Innovate BC has funded more than 60 companies.
Below is our list of the best 17 accelerators and incubators in British Columbia.
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2,189 Accelerators & Incubators
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1,600+ Unicorns
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250 BioTech & Health Investors
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Get the Sheet for $50Born from the University of British Columbia, entrepreneurship@UBC helps transform university research and ideas into market-ready ventures. They support innovators within the UBC community by providing the necessary resources and mentorship to build and launch their companies.
| Year Founded | 2013 |
| Founders | — |
| Nº of Investments | 106 |
| Nº of Exits | 8 |
| Program Type | On-Site |
As a Crown agency for British Columbia, Innovate BC connects tech startups with the funding, resources, and support needed to commercialize their ideas. They focus on fueling the province's economic growth by backing innovators in sectors ranging from Enterprise to FinTech.
| Year Founded | 2004 |
| Founders | — |
| Nº of Investments | 63 |
| Nº of Exits | 5 |
Launch Academy equips entrepreneurs with the essential mentorship, resources, and network to fund and scale their companies. They cultivate a collaborative environment for early-stage startups, particularly those in emerging fields like renewable energy and information technology.
| Year Founded | 2012 |
| Founders | Ray Walia, Alex Chuang, Roger Patterson, Mike Edwards |
| Nº of Investments | 11 |
| Nº of Exits | 3 |
| Program Type | On-Site |
| Duration (Weeks) | 5 |
Specializing in Canada's health sciences sector, Accel-Rx offers seed funding and expert mentorship to early-stage companies. Their program is designed to help founders commercialize innovative research and navigate the industry's unique regulatory challenges.
| Year Founded | 2014 |
| Founders | — |
| Nº of Investments | 14 |
| Nº of Exits | 3 |
As Canada's global life sciences venture, adMare BioInnovations builds new companies by sourcing promising research from academic and biotech partners. They provide specialized expertise, infrastructure, and capital to help these ventures scale into national industry leaders.
| Year Founded | 2019 |
| Founders | — |
| Nº of Investments | 12 |
| Nº of Exits | 2 |
Victory Square builds, acquires, and invests in promising startups focused on emerging global trends like Web3, digital health, and the creator economy. The venture builder provides its portfolio companies with senior leadership and the resources needed to fast-track their growth.
| Year Founded | 2015 |
| Founders | Ray Walia, Shafin Diamond Tejani |
| Nº of Investments | 12 |
| Nº of Exits | 2 |
New Ventures BC champions British Columbia's tech ecosystem by running the province's largest competition for early-stage startups. The program provides founders with vital mentorship, education, and access to non-dilutive prize money to help them build and scale their companies.
| Year Founded | 2001 |
| Founders | — |
| Nº of Investments | 24 |
| Nº of Exits | 2 |
Born from a partnership within the University of British Columbia, HATCH ventures equips researchers and entrepreneurs to build deep tech and social impact startups. The venture builder provides critical mentorship, resources, and community access to help transform novel ideas into market-ready companies.
| Year Founded | 2016 |
| Founders | — |
| Nº of Investments | 33 |
| Nº of Exits | 2 |
As a publicly traded technology accelerator, they build, acquire, and accelerate high-growth tech companies, including portfolio company Strutta. They provide entrepreneurs with a turn-key solution that combines capital, mentorship, and shared services to bring consumer-facing products to market.
| Year Founded | 1998 |
| Founders | Keir Reynolds |
| Nº of Investments | 4 |
| Nº of Exits | 2 |
As a non-profit hub for Victoria's technology sector, VIATEC equips startups with the curriculum and resources needed to build successful companies. They foster growth by connecting founders with a supportive community and vital business development opportunities.
| Year Founded | 1989 |
| Founders | — |
| Nº of Investments | 11 |
| Nº of Exits | 1 |
7 Additional British Columbia Accelerators and Incubators Worth Applying To
Our top picks are excellent places to start, but the support for founders in the region doesn't end there. Other local programs have collectively backed more than 110 startups on their journey. This shows a healthy and growing environment for new businesses. Here’s a look at some other accelerators and incubators helping founders across British Columbia.