BC Innovation Council

Whether supporting tech startups, partnering with educational institutions or modernizing stalwart industries like fishing and mining, the BC Innovation Council (BCIC) is laying the groundwork for new ideas— and B.C.’s economy— to flourish.
 
The provincial Crown agency is dedicated to helping new and established companies grow. BCIC supports tech companies through 13 partner organizations across the province that deliver the Venture Acceleration Program. This structured business growth program provides startups with mentorship and coaching. Meanwhile BCIC’s partnerships, such as those with the University of British Columbia, Simon Fraser University and the non-profit organization Launch Academy, support new entrepreneurs through education, business training and networking. Myriad grant programs, such as the Tech Co-Op Grants Program, also help startups hire B.C. students, while the annual BCIC-New Ventures Competition serves as a launch pad for many in the province’s tech sector.
 
With technology a key pillar of the BC Jobs Plan, BCIC also nurtures companies in established sectors, helping them take advantage of new technologies and make sense of a shifting world. “Technology today is converging, everything is coming together, whether it be the people in the mine or the FitBit on your wrist,” says CEO Greg Caws. “We’re just beginning to understand how to deal with it.”
 
To bridge the gap between old and new, the Province of BC and BCIC produce the annual #BCTECH Summit.  With no sector left untouched by technology, the event will bring B.C.’s business community under one roof to showcase how technology is transforming the economy. “We’re harnessing innovative ideas to solve real problems,” says Caws.