New Ventures BC has announced the top 10 British Columbia (BC) companies in its 21st annual tech startup competition. This year’s list of finalists were selected from a pool of over 200 competitors.
The top 10 includes healthtech, cleantech, proptech, and martech companies, and half of the firms named—Moment Energy, Pocketed, Rootd, Total Flow Cannula, and TrafficDriven—are led by female founders. The other five finalists include LetHub, Matidor, RightMetric, Streamline Athletes, and Train Fitness.
This year’s list of finalists were selected from a pool of over 200 competitors.
The competition, which is open to early-stage BC-based tech startups, offers participating companies the chance to win a total of $250,000 in cash and prizes. Participants also have the opportunity to earn non-dilutive cash prizes, connect with mentors, network with founders, and raise their company’s profile.
The competition’s fourth and final round will take place on October 4, when the top 10 companies will pitch a panel of entrepreneurs and investors that includes some former New Ventures BC competition winners, after which the winners will be crowned. Since its launch, New Ventures BC said the competition has supported over 3,000 BC companies.
This year, there are eight prizes total available. The competition’s first prize winner will take home $110,000, while the startups that finish second and third place will secure $60,000 and $35,000, respectively.
RELATED: New Ventures BC opens applications for 2021 competition
Established in 2001, the New Ventures BC Competition is operated by New Ventures BC, a nonprofit that promotes entrepreneurship in BC’s tech sector. The competition is supported by Innovate BC, other private and public sponsors, and volunteer mentors, speakers, and judges.
Despite shifting online last year due to the pandemic, the competition saw a record 240 applications in 2020. Nanaimo-based aDolus Technology took home the top prize last year, while Vancouver’s Daanaa Resolution and Fable snagged second and third place overall.
Fable is a sustainability-focused, direct-to-consumer startup that designs and produces tablewares. The startup recently built on its win by securing $3.4 million CAD in seed funding to fuel its international expansion and product development efforts.
This year’s full list of finalists includes the following startups:
LetHub – a Victoria-based AI leasing platform that serves rental property managers and landlords, taking care of prospect communication without the need for staff.
Matidor – a Vancouver-based startup that offers intuitive project management software on a live map, and is also participating in Y Combinator’s Summer 2021 Demo Day.
Moment Energy – a Vancouver cleantech company that is creating sustainable energy storage by repurposing retired electric vehicle batteries.
Pocketed – a Vancouver-based FinTech startup that aims to unlock billions in grant funding and tax credits for startups and small businesses across North America.
RightMetric – a North Vancouver subscription-based insights company that helps marketing strategists.
Rootd – a Victoria-based healthtech startup that offers a mobile app focused on providing panic attack and anxiety relief.
Streamline Athletes – a Vancouver data-driven collegiate sports recruitment platform that supports student-athletes as well as coaches.
Total Flow Cannula – a Vancouver-based startup developing medical devices to prevent injury to patients who require the use of a heart-lung machine.
TrafficDriven – a Vancouver company building an AI-powered auction platform that enables the buying, selling, and trading of cars.
Train Fitness – a Vancouver-based startup that offers a wearable workout tracker capable of automatically detecting sets and reps during strength-based workouts.
Feature image by Komal Brar via Unsplash