Award
Private
Between Intakes
New Ventures BC Competition
New Ventures BC (presented by Innovate BC)
Prize
1st place $80,000; 2nd place $40,000; 3rd place $20,000;...
Between intakes — 2026 applications closed March 12, 2026; next cycle expecte...
Difficulty
Moderate
Payment
Advance Payment
Trend
Stable
First-Timers
Friendly ✓
New Ventures BC Competition provides up to 1st place $80,000; 2nd place $40,000; 3rd place $20,000; specialty prizes $10,000 each (Sustainability, Life Sciences, Woman-Led Venture); $250,000+ total annual prizes. BC's longest-running technology startup competition, awarding over $250,000 in annual cash prizes to early-stage tech ventures. Between intakes — 2026 applications closed March 12, 2026; next cycle expected January–March 2027.
Approval odds: ~1–3% (GrantCompass analysis)
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Eligibility & Details
What this program funds and who can apply
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Program Description
BC's longest-running technology startup competition, awarding over $250,000 in annual cash prizes to early-stage tech ventures. Open to any BC-based technology startup under 5 years old with less than $1M in non-grant funding raised. The 26th annual competition ran in 2026, with alumni raising over $3.4B in financing across 25 years.
Eligibility Requirements
- BC resident, team, or business (at least one team member must be a BC resident)
- Technology-based product or service (any technology type: cleantech, health-tech, deep-tech, life sciences, SaaS, hardware)
- Business must be less than 5 years old from incorporation or founding date
- Must have raised less than $1,000,000 in non-grant funding (VC, angel, convertible notes — grants and competitions don't count)
- Incorporation is optional — unincorporated teams and pre-company projects may apply
- $200 non-refundable entry fee required
- Specialty prize categories: Sustainability Award (clean and sustainable tech), Life Sciences Award, Woman-Led Venture Award (team led by a woman)
Provinces
Industries
Business Stage
Quick Assessment
Difficulty
Moderate
Competition
High
First-Timer
Friendly
Funding Details
- Amount
- 1st place $80,000; 2nd place $40,000; 3rd place $20,000; specialty prizes $10,000 each (Sustainability, Life Sciences, Woman-Led Venture); $250,000+ total annual prizes
- Type
- Award
- Level
- Private
- Deadline
- Between intakes — 2026 applications closed March 12, 2026; next cycle expected January–March 2027
Program Scorecard
Competition, effort, and approval at a glance
Competition
High
Deadline
Between Intakes
Approval
Moderate
Approval Rate
~1–3%
Accessibility
--/5
Competition
--/5
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What's in this Playbook
Everything you need to win New Ventures BC Competition
Not a marketing summary. The actual checklist, intel, and stack strategy reviewers look for.
- 7 rejection pitfalls reviewers flag — so you catch them first
- 6-document checklist with what each reviewer is actually checking
- 5-step application timeline with prep hours per step
- Insider tip from program officers on what separates winners
- 4-program stacking strategy to combine with compatible funding
- Success profile + evaluation criteria — exactly what reviewers score on
$19 covers this one program. $39/mo covers every program, plus the workspace that walks you through each application.
How to Win
Insider tips, common pitfalls, and what successful applicants look like
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Insider TipThe $200 entry fee is the lowest barrier to a potential $80,000 non-dilutive grant in BC.
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See what trips up most applicants for this program — and how to avoid it.
Rejection Pitfalls 7
- Team has no BC residents (at least one BC-based member required)
+6 more pitfalls
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See the most common reasons applications get rejected — before you submit yours.
Success Profile
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See what successful applicants for this program actually look like.
Evaluation Criteria
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See exactly what reviewers score on — so you know where to focus.
Don’t lose this one to a preventable rejection
7 reasons applications get rejected, what winners look like, and exactly what reviewers score on
The $19 Playbook covers this one program. Premium covers every program, plus the application workspace.
Application Playbook
Step-by-step process, required documents, and expenses
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5 steps
6 docs
Application Steps
1
Review eligibility and categories Confirm BC residency, technology focus, age (<5 years), and funding level (<$1M non-grant). Identify applicable specialty categories (Sustainability, Life Sciences, Woman-Led).
Required Documents 6
✓ Online application form with business description, founding team bios, and technology overview
✓ Business plan or pitch deck (submission format varies by competition stage)
Deadline Notes
Ineligible Organizations
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Applying for New Ventures BC Competition? Our Grant Proposal Template ($19) mirrors the section structure Canadian reviewers actually score on. Or get all 4 templates in the Founder Pack ($59 · saves $27) →
Funding Stack Strategy
Compatible programs, clawback risk, and combined funding potential
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4 partners
Compatible Programs
Innovate BC — Venture Acceleration Program
BC Tech Association Programs
NRC IRAP
Canada Accelerator and Incubator Program
Combined Funding Potential
See your total funding potential
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See which programs combine with this one — and how much more you could get.
How New Ventures BC Competition Compares
Side-by-side with similar programs
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| Program | Amount | Difficulty | Payment | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Ventures BC Competition | 1st place $80,000 | Moderate | Advance Payment | Between intakes — 2026... |
| NRC IRAP Clean Technology Program | $100,000–$500,000 | Hard | Mixed (Advance + Reimb.) | Ongoing |
| Innovative Solutions Canada | up to $150,000 | Hard | Milestone-Based | Challenge-specific — new... |
| Ocean Supercluster | Up to $5 million | Hard | Reimbursement | Call-specific — no open... |
| Digital Technology Supercluster | Up to $5 million | Hard | Reimbursement | Open — Call for... |
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Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the questions founders most often ask about New Ventures BC Competition
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Who can enter the New Ventures BC Competition?
BC-based technology startups under 5 years old with less than $1M in non-grant funding raised. At least one team member must be a BC resident.
What prizes does the New Ventures BC Competition award?
Over $250,000 annually — $80,000 for first place, $40,000 for second, $20,000 for third, plus $10,000 specialty prizes.
What types of technology ventures are eligible?
Any technology-based product or service — cleantech, health-tech, deep-tech, life sciences, SaaS, and hardware ventures all qualify.
When does the next New Ventures BC Competition open?
The 2026 cycle closed March 12, 2026. The next cycle is expected to open January through March 2027.
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Full Playbook: New Ventures BC Competition
5 steps · 6 docs · reviewer insights