Innovate BC

Innovate BC is a one-stop service center to connect innovators — large and small —with BC Government funding, tools, resources, and support. Some of the programs they offer are: 

Hiring Grants to hire young professionals. They currently have two programs Digital Skills for Youth: Are you looking to hire someone 30 and under? You might be eligible for funding to subsidize related costs. With this program you can get one grant for salary costs up to 4,000; and/or one grant for capital direct costs to support the participation of youth facing barriers up to a maximum of 10,000 to help employers hire a new employee. The program helps under-represented people get their first job in B.C.’s tech sector and supports companies facing skills shortages to grow and expand. For more information, visit their website.

Mentorship for small to medium-sized tech companies that are looking to grow their business with two particular programs:  Venture Acceleration Program: this program connects you to a group of business and technology experts to take your idea further.  ScaleUp Program: the ScaleUp program supports companies that have completed product-market fit validation and are ready to focus on ramping up product development, manufacturing, marketing, and sales, as well as scaling their organizations and business opportunities. Learn more about the program here. 

Research grants: Innovative BC offers the program Ignite, a $300,000 grant to help commercialize research projects by expediting R&D and go-to-market faster. 

Want to demonstrate the impact of your product? Innovate BC offers up to “200,000 through the BC Fast Pilot Program. The program aims to help SMEs design, build and operate a pilot plan or small demonstration of their technology in real-world conditions. The initiative is delivered in partnership with the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC-IRAP). Find out if you meet the eligibility criteria for the program here. 

Suggested Prompts

How can small and large innovators effectively leverage multiple programs from Innovate BC simultaneously to maximize their growth potential?

In what ways might participating in these funding and mentorship programs influence an innovator’s ability to scale their technology internationally?

What metrics or indicators should organizations track to measure the impact and success of their involvement in programs like Ignite or the BC Fast Pilot Program?

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Introduction & Onboarding (Pre-Program)

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Immigration Module Progress Update

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Module: Lifestyle Module

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Lifestyle Module

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Workshop: Housing and Real Estate

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Housing: Choosing Where to Live in Vancouver

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Housing: Choosing Where to Live Around Vancouver

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Module: Non-Dilutive Sources of Funding in Canada

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Introduction: What is Non Dilutive Funding?

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Introduction: Resources

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Loans Available in Canada: Resources

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Loans Available in Canada: RBCx

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Loans Available in Canada: TIMIA Capital

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Loans Available in Canada: Clear.Co

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Loans Available in Canada: Canada Small Business Financing Program (CSBFP)

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Loans Available in Canada: WeBC - Loans for Young Women Entrepreneurs in British Columbia

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Loans Available in Canada: Other Loans (list)

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BDC: Introduction

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BDC: Technology Financing

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BDC: Small Business Loan

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BDC: Newcomer Entrepreneur

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BDC: Other Services

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Tax Credits: Scientific Research and Experimental Development (SR&ED)

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Tax Credits: Interactive Digital Media Tax Credit (IDMTC)

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Tax Credits: Other Tax Credits

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Talent: Innovate BC

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Talent: MITACs

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Talent: Student Work Placement Program

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Grants: NRC IRAP

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Grants: ISED

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Grants: Canada Digital Adoption Program

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Grants: CanExport SMEs

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Grants: CanExport Innovation

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Other Sources Available in Canada: Digital Technology Supercluster

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Other Sources Available in Canada: BC Government Procurement Concierge Program

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Maple - Program Wrap Up

Module: Lifestyle Module for Ontario

Lifestyle Module for Alberta (Calgary)