Photonic’s unique approach to quantum computing is engineered for unlimited scalability. Its innovative Entanglement First^TM Architecture can eliminate the traditional and quantum-specific bottlenecks that prevent other quantum architectures from unlocking the true value of quantum computing. Leveraging the manufacturability of silicon and the connectivity of existing telecom infrastructure, Photonic’s quantum systems will deliver the scale, quality and performance required for breakthrough quantum applications.

The company is on a mission to help solve some of the world’s most critical challenges. Its quantum computers have the potential to exponentially accelerate development across a wide range of industries, including in the areas of drug discovery, secure communications, climate modeling, advanced materials science and more.

“I’ve spent my career in technology, and what the Photonic team is building is transformative. We’re at a point where quantum computing moves from scientific promise to commercial reality, and Photonic is leading that shift globally. Having InBC alongside us signals that British Columbia understands what’s at stake, not just for the province, but for Canada’s place in the world. There is significant economic impact being created by this technology, demonstrated in the talent, the IP, the jobs being built here. This is exactly the kind of forward-thinking investment that keeps B.C. and Canada competitive not just today, but for decades to come.”

— Don Mattrick, CEO, Photonic Inc.

With its roots in British Columbia, Photonic has in only a few years moved from concept to systems manufacturing. Strategic partnerships with market leaders like TELUS, RBC and Microsoft reflect the wide range of sectors, from communications to financial and quantum services, that are positioning themselves for quantum advantage. Their interest in partnering and investing in Photonic now are strong signals of market confidence in the company’s technology and commercial future.

Photonic is one of 13 global companies that have advanced to Stage B of Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s (DARPA) Quantum Benchmarking Initiative (QBI), a rigorous and highly selective U.S. Department of Defence program validating a quantum computing approach’s feasibility towards utility-scale performance.

The company was also selected for Phase 1 of the Canadian Quantum Champions Program (CQCP), which recognizes the strategic importance of quantum technologies to Canada’s economic competitiveness and national security. The program is designed to accelerate the development of Canadian quantum, focusing on fault‑tolerant quantum computers and anchoring high‑value jobs, talent and intellectual property in Canada.

InBC invested in Photonic alongside other investors. With the proceeds of this financing round, the company will continue to develop its quantum products and services, expand the business and technical teams, deepen customer and partner engagements, and advance its commercialization strategy to becoming a global market leader. The company already employs over 160 employees, the majority of whom are based in B.C., with additional team members located across Canada, the U.K and U.S.

“Photonic’s technology is game-changing. InBC is pleased to support a world-leading B.C.-based company that has the potential to solve some of the world’s most critical problems and accelerate industrial growth in B.C. and around the world. This investment supports our goals to grow high-potential sectors in B.C. such as quantum and strengthen our industrial capabilities while supporting economic resilience and technology jobs in the province.”

— Thomas Park, Chief Investment Officer, InBC Investment Corp.

InBC’s investment in Photonic is supporting the scale-up of a B.C. established company that is globally competitive while staying headquartered in the province. It is helping to strengthen B.C. and Canada’s industrial capabilities, and works in parallel with provincial priorities to bolster key target sectors identified to have significant economic potential in B.C.

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The post InBC Invests in Photonic Inc., Strengthening B.C. and Canada’s Quantum Capacity appeared first on InBC Investment Corp.

Today, InBC and the University of British Columbia announce the UBC Catalyst Ventures Fund. Our goal is to help more UBC-affiliated companies move from research to real world impact, and to grow here in British Columbia.

Since joining InBC, I have met many founders whose ideas began in university labs or classrooms across Canada. Their talent, especially in B.C., is remarkable. What they often lacked was early growth financing and the kind of support that helps a breakthrough become a company. Too many felt pressure to leave B.C. just to find the capital they needed.

This fund aims to change that.

Why This Fund Matters

The UBC Catalyst Ventures Fund reflects a simple idea.

Public purpose capital, used strategically, can:

• Attract more private investment into B.C.
• Accelerate the path from research to commercialization
• Keep companies, talent and intellectual property anchored in the province
• Strengthen B.C.’s long term economic resilience

UBC and InBC are each contributing $10 million, and the fund is now raising additional private capital. This blended model is intentional. It aligns with our strategy to mobilize more investment into the sectors where British Columbia already has global strength.

A Strong Foundation to Build On

UBC’s record speaks for itself.

To date, UBC has generated:

• Nearly 300 spin offs
• Significant licensed discoveries
• An estimated $13 billion in revenue from those discoveries

Few research institutions in Canada have this scale or impact. The Catalyst Ventures Fund builds on that momentum and expands B.C.’s capacity to move ideas into the market. It ensures these spin-off companies and the jobs they create will stay in the province.

Focus Areas Where B.C. Can Lead

The fund will begin by investing in:

• Life sciences
• Deep tech

These fields combine scientific depth with long term growth potential. They also reflect areas where B.C. is already competitive internationally and where the province sees strategic economic opportunity.

Supporting these sectors helps founders, but it also strengthens B.C.’s long term economic foundation.

Anchoring Companies and Talent in B.C.

At its core, this fund is about anchoring.

Anchoring means:

• Companies can grow from B.C. and stay here
• Talent sees a future in this province
• Intellectual property remains rooted in the local economy
• High quality jobs are created and sustained in B.C.
• Economic benefits cycle back into B.C. communities

When founders have reasons to stay, the entire ecosystem benefits.

Looking Ahead

I am proud of this partnership with UBC. It shows what is possible when public institutions, researchers, and private investors work together. It also demonstrates the strength of B.C.’s research base and what can happen when we match that strength with strategic investment.

This fund is not just about supporting individual companies. It is about shaping the future of B.C.’s innovation economy and creating opportunities that will benefit the province for decades.

If you are building a company connected to UBC, or you are an investor interested in contributing to B.C.’s economic future, our team would be glad to connect.

— Tom

Connect with the InBC team:
I am a UBC-affiliated company | I am an investor interested in the fund

Quotes:

“British Columbia is home to world-class research and development, and this fund will accelerate the growth of university-related innovations. We are proud to partner with UBC, one of Canada’s largest research-intensive universities. This partnership aligns with our goal to attract more capital to B.C. and scale more businesses, anchoring them here to generate economic and jobs growth in the province.”

— Thomas Park, Chief Investment Officer, InBC Investment Corp.

“As co-lead investors, UBC and InBC are working together toward this unique academic public-private partnership to anchor and grow companies in B.C. and further the impact of UBC’s research and innovation in the province, across Canada and beyond. One of UBC’s strategic goals is to partner for purpose to generate economic and social impact, and this partnership is a perfect example of what we can do by working together.”

— Dr. Benoit-Antoine Bacon, President and Vice-Chancellor, University of British Columbia

“Since spinning out from UBC and leaving campus in 2017, Aspect Biosystems has grown to a team of over 130, raised more than US$350 million, and developed an industry-leading tissue therapeutic platform. We are deeply committed to continuing to grow here in B.C., and it’s fantastic to see this new fund from InBC and UBC that will help more companies like Aspect scale and innovate here at home.”

— Tamer Mohamed, Founder and CEO, Aspect Biosystems

“Some of the most impactful businesses in North America have begun at UBC. Access to capital is as competitive as ever, and it’s vital that we find new ways to support these innovative companies to grow, create jobs and stay right here at home in B.C. UBC and InBC’s initiative, representing one of the largest government investments of its kind in Canada, works in parallel with our Look West strategy, supporting a stronger, more resilient and more diverse economy that everyone in B.C. will benefit from.”

— Honourable Ravi Kahlon, Minister of Jobs and Economic Growth

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As of January 31, 2026, InBC’s portfolio is directly and indirectly supporting the growth of 38 B.C. companies that have generated over $90 million in revenue and employing nearly 2,000 British Columbians.

Catch up on what some of them have been up to in the last few months.

Arca has signed an agreement with Giga Metals to explore a 220-million-tonne carbon dioxide removal (CDR) project in B.C. Arca’s Industrial Mineralization pathway leverages existing industrial operations and repurposes alkaline waste to capture and permanently store atmospheric CO₂. This agreement gives Arca exclusive rights to evaluate the potential of the site’s ultramafic waste rock for CDR.

Aspect Biosystems has entered into a new phase of its partnership with Novo Nordisk to develop curative medicines for diabetes. This new phase builds on the existing partnership to develop advanced cellular medicines designed to replace, repair or supplement biological functions, including an islet replacement therapy for type 1 diabetes that can restore blood glucose control without the need for chronic immune suppression.

ChopValue continues to showcase how its circular wood furniture solutions can be applied across industries. From wall panels at Rally Pickleball in Charlotte, North Carolina to custom boardroom tables for a well-known Canadian non-profit, this Vancouver company is helping organizations build sustainable spaces, transforming locally recycled chopsticks into premium wood furniture.

Mangrove Lithium has announced financing from the Canada Growth Fund and other existing investors. This investment comes at a pivotal moment of the company’s growth as it accelerates Final Investment Decision for a second 20,000-tonne plant in Canada, and will support operations at its commercial plant in British Columbia. The company recently completed Phase 1 construction of its lithium refining facility in Delta, B.C., marking a major milestone in Canada’s clean energy future and the domestic battery-grade lithium supply chain.

Following the grand opening of its new headquarters in Victoria, B.C., MarineLabs continues to expand its marine technology across North America, including deploying new sensor nodes in Savannah, Georgia — bringing the B.C. company’s coastal intelligence technology to the U.S. southeast coast for the first time.   

Grand opening of MarineLabs’ new headquarters in Victoria, B.C.

Novarc Technologies has appointed Donato Montanari as Chief Technology Officer. Montanari brings more than three decades of experience in artificial intelligence (AI), machine vision and industrial automation. As CTO, he will spearhead the company’s technical vision at a critical point of the company’s growth as it advances its suite of technology solutions to meet industrial demand in B.C., Canada and globally.

Burnaby-based Svante has commenced operation of its carbon dioxide capture demonstration unit at the Mercer Peace River pulp mill in northern Alberta. The pilot project will evaluate Svante’s solid sorbent carbon capture technology on biogenic CO₂ emissions from the mill’s recovery boiler flue gas. This demonstration phase will enable Svante to gather practical data to assess future opportunities for commercial-scale carbon capture in the wider pulp and paper industry.  

The B.C. companies supported by the venture funds InBC had invested in are also making strides in their growth. Some examples include:

Supported by Pender Ventures

Traction Complete has launched its new product, Complete Discover. Complete Discover turns Google Sheets into account data for experimenting with AI enrichment, testing prompts and uncovering go-to-market insights. These AI enrichment prompts can then be deployed into Salesforce using Complete AI.

Supported by Pender Ventures

Veritree has partnered with Manulife to launch Manulife Impact Forests. Manulife Impact Forests is implementing veritree’s Smart Forest technology, which will provide real-time insights and transparency for its restoration projects. To date, Manulife Impact Forests has restored over 160 hectares of land across the globe, including planting trees at the Nicola Watershed in British Columbia which had suffered extensive wildfire damage.

These are just a few examples of the comnies and funds in our portfolio driving impact both here in B.C. and across the globe.

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The post InBC Portfolio News & Updates: February 2026 Edition appeared first on InBC Investment Corp.

2025 was an eventful year for InBC. We focused on strengthening and diversifying our portfolio, including announcing an additional eight investments. As of December 31, 2025, our portfolio is directly and indirectly supporting the growth of 37 B.C. companies.

We also continued to engage in the community to meet entrepreneurs across the province, and collaborate with other investors to drive more investment activity in B.C.

Also in 2025, the inaugural Web Summit Vancouver provided unprecedented opportunity for B.C. businesses to showcase their innovations and meet investors, and for us to promote B.C. as a destination for innovation and investment.

Here are some of our 2025 highlights.

January-March

We began the year by announcing our investment in Aspect Biosystems, a Vancouver-based biotechnology company pioneering Bioprinted Tissue Therapeutics to treat life-threatening diseases such as diabetes, liver disease and obesity.

Then in February, we announced our investment in Reverb Therapeutics, which is advancing an antibody-based platform to redirect and amplify the body’s natural cytokines for the potential treatment of cancer, autoimmune conditions and other diseases.

In March, we announced our investment in Burnaby-based Novarc Technologies and its autonomous welding technology that is improving productivity, safety and weld quality across a wide range of industries.

We also announced a commitment to Vanedge Capital‘s Fund IV, a Vancouver-based venture fund focused on investing in early-stage hard tech (deep tech) companies.

We continued to engage in the community to meet a diversity of entrepreneurs and drive more investment activity in B.C. including:

• Speaking on a panel at the Western Angel Investment Summit in Victoria
• Speaking on a panel at the Misfits Ventures Vancouver launch event for LGBTQ2S+ founders and investors
• Engaging with Asian Canadian investors through Asian Canadian Ventures Collective (ACVC)
• Meeting B.C. tech companies at TechExit.io
• Meeting Black entrepreneurs at the Black Entrepreneurship & Research Symposium
• Meeting Vancouver Island entrepreneurs at the Rising Economy conference presented by South Island Prosperity Partnership (SIIP)
• Cheering on B.C. cleantech companies at the Foresight Canada BC Cleantech Awards

April-June

In the Spring, we committed an investment to BrightsPark Ventures’ Brightspark Canadian Opportunities Fund II, a venture fund investing in early-stage technology companies. Brightspark expanded its presence in B.C. with the appointment of a B.C.-based Partner to lead its investments in Western Canada. The fund has so far invested in two B.C.-based companies.

In May, we attended the grand opening of our portfolio company Svante’s new Centre of Excellence for Carbon Capture & Removal in Burnaby B.C., the world’s first commercial gigafactory for carbon capture and removal filters.

Later in May, we kicked off Web Summit Vancouver by welcoming national and global investors to B.C. In collaboration with our partners Invest Vancouver, AinBC, DigiBC, Innovation UBC, Invest Surrey, Life Sciences BC, Naturally Innovative Alliance and NorthX, we organized insider bus tours to leading companies in the life sciences, cleantech and creative tech sectors across the Metro Vancouver region. A total of 25 B.C. companies were featured through facilities tours, speaker panels and showcase receptions and over 200 attendees — including investors from 17 countries, plus innovation supporters, community leaders and media — participated.

At Web Summit itself, we moderated a life sciences panel and helped judge a life sciences pitch at the B.C. Pavilion. We referred opportunities for our portfolio companies to showcase at the conference and proudly watched them speak and exhibit. Lastly, we met numerous entrepreneurs and investors both on the conference floor and at the many community-run side events.  

Our community engagements in the spring also included:

• Speaking on a virtual panel for Road to Web Summit to help B.C. companies prepare for the conference
• Meeting marine tech companies and speaking at the Association of British Columbia Marine Industries (ABCMI) and Coast Innovation Forum
• Meeting Indigenous entrepreneurs at Indigenomics Impact
• Meeting healthtech companies at the National Health-Tech Innovation Conference hosted by the CHEO Research Institute at BCIT
• Mentoring women entrepreneurs and speaking at The Odlum Brown Forum Pitch Finale
• Meeting advanced materials innovators and speaking at the CAMTEC Annual Research Symposium at the University of Victoria
• Cheering on Victoria tech companies at the Victoria Innovation, Advanced Technology & Entrepreneurship Council’s VIATEC Awards
• Engaging with investors at Invest Canada conference presented by Canadian Venture Capital & Private Equity Association (CVCA)

July-September

In the summer, we committed our first follow-on investment to 4AG Robotics. 4AG was InBC’s first direct investment in a company and in less than two years, we watched the company grow from prototype to now operating on leading farms in B.C. and across the world. In 2025, the company opened a satellite office in Vancouver to support its global sales and will be moving into a 36,000-square-foot facility in Salmon Arm, B.C. to increase its production capacity.

In July, we enjoyed a sneak peek of our portfolio company Mangrove Lithium’s new lithium refining facility in Delta, B.C., which will be North America’s first commercial electrochemical lithium refining plant and a milestone in securing the domestic battery-grade lithium supply chain and advancing the climate goal toward a net-zero future.

We also enjoyed a visit to Sanctuary AI’s headquarters in Vancouver, where its general-purpose humanoid robot Phoenix showed off its dexterity skills.

Later in July, we committed an investment in Yaletown Partners’ Innovation Growth Fund III. InBC had previously invested in Yaletown’s Innovation Growth Fund II, which has backed the growth of six B.C. companies.

In September, following a robust recruitment process, we welcomed our new Chief Investment Officer (CIO) Thomas Park to the InBC team. Tom brings with him a broad and diverse set of experiences and credentials, including nearly a decade at BDC supporting innovation at the national level. He is leading InBC’s investment strategy during this exciting next stage of our growth. Read our Q&A with Tom.

With BDC, we supported two IP strategy workshops hosted by Innovation Asset Collective (IAC) for B.C. founders and investors.

We had a busy summer month supporting the innovation ecosystem across B.C., including:

• Co-hosting the Canada-EU Agri-Food Innovation Roundtable with EIT Food, Innovation UBC and the Canadian Food Innovation Network
• Providing opening remarks at Carbon Connect, an event hosted by Arca and Svante with support from NorthX and Deloitte during PNW Climate Week
• Meeting B.C. entrepreneurs at BC Founders Day
• Engaging with women investors through Canadian Women in VC (CWVC)

October-December

In October, we announced our investment in MarineLabs, a coastal intelligence company with a growing sensor network that provides hyper-localized, high-resolution weather and oceanic data to help marine industries and coastal communities make smarter, safer decisions. Later in November, we attended the grand opening of the company’s new headquarters in Victoria, B.C.

We also attended Raven Indigenous Capital Partners’ Annual Impact Feast. Raven was one of InBC’s first commitments to a venture fund. Since 2022, the fund has invested in seven Indigenous-led companies across B.C.

Then in November, we attended Novarc Technologies’ Open House in Burnaby alongside other supporters such as Seaspan and Pacific Economic Development Canada. During the event, Novarc demonstrated its new SWR TIPTIG Autonomy, the world’s first autonomous Tungsten Inert Gas (TIG) welding solution that can deliver precision and consistency previously unattainable in TIG welding.

In preparation for developing our next three-year strategic plan, we have begun a series of consultations to gather input from the innovation ecosystem to help inform our strategy, including one-on-one engagements and roundtables with entrepreneurial support organizations, investor networks, economic development agencies across B.C., Indigenous innovation supporters, post-secondary institutions and more. The purpose is to gain a well-rounded perspective on the state of entrepreneurship and investment needs across the province. We thank all the supporters across B.C. who engaged with us.

We continued to engage in the community to meet promising B.C. companies and other investors such as:

• Cheering on B.C. tech companies at BC Tech’s Technology Impact Awards
• Giving fundraising tips on a panel at Vancouver Tech Journal’s Fall Fundraising Playbook
• Meeting cleantech companies at NorthX Converge
• Meeting life sciences companies at Invest in BC by Life Sciences BC
• Meeting UBC spin-off companies at UBC Day
• Meeting early-stage companies at the VANTEC Angel Network pitch
• Meeting femtech founders at the Femtech Canada Forum

Throughout the year, we also organized another three venture capital roundtables to connect the B.C. venture capital community and share synergies. We thank BDC for generously hosting us in their space.

This new year, we are excited to continue the important work of investing in the growth of B.C. businesses, to support local founders, anchor companies to B.C., drive more investment in the province, and generate economic and jobs growth while contributing to social and environmental impact.  

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MarineLabs operates a North America-wide fleet of rugged ocean sensors that deliver hyper-local and high-resolution weather intelligence, providing real-time wind, wave and weather data along with AI-driven forecasts that enable maritime operators to make critical decisions with confidence.

“MarineLabs is proud to be building Canadian-made technology that’s already making maritime operations measurably safer and more efficient across North America. With the support of BDC and InBC, we’re growing our network coverage and entering new markets to deliver even greater impact for the ports, pilots and terminals that keep our economy moving.”

— Dr. Scott Beatty, Founder and CEO, MarineLabs

Its flagship product, CoastAware, sets a new benchmark for weather intelligence by combining real-time data with advanced data processing. The subscription platform delivers hyper-local, real-time weather intelligence and AI-powered 10-day forecasts, helping ports, pilots and other maritime operators to make more confident decisions and improve efficiency and safety, while minimizing environmental impact.

InBC invested in MarineLabs alongside BDC Capital’s Sustainability Venture Fund. Already active in four of Canada’s five largest ports, as well as internationally, the company will be using the investment to further expand its sensor network and grow its market share across North America.

This investment is advancing InBC’s objective to support innovation and is enhancing safety and operations for coastal industries. It is supporting the growth of a globally competitive B.C.-based business that is developing IP on Vancouver Island and contributing to jobs and economic growth in the region.

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Are you a B.C.-based company ready to scale in the market and looking for investment? Learn more about how InBC is investing in British Columbia and connect with our team today: Learn More

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As of July 31, 2025, InBC’s portfolio is supporting 36 B.C. companies employing over 1,800 British Columbians.

Catch up on what some of them have been up to in the last few months.

4AG Robotics just completed its Series B raise, an up round closing at $40 million, which will enable the company to continue expanding its manufacturing footprint in Salmon Arm, B.C., grow its team and further develop its technology. This comes on the heels of the company’s rapid commercial growth, with its harvesting robots now deployed across Canada, Ireland and Australia, and soon in the Netherlands and United States. In June, the Thompson Okanagan Business Excellence Awards named 4AG Big Business of the Year for its economic impact in the region.

Arca, a leading Industrial Mineralization company, has announced that its methodology for permanent carbon removal has been validated by DNV, the global independent leader and energy expert in quality and risk assurance. This is the first time a mineralization methodology focused on enhanced air capture and ex-situ mineralization within ultramafic mine tailings has received such recognition, marking a milestone for the Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) industry.

Aspect Biosystems presented new preclinical data on adrenal Bioprinted Tissue Therapeutics, advancing a potential treatment for primary adrenal insufficiency as an alternative to hormone replacement therapy and its associated side effects. Recently, Aspect’s CEO Tamer Mohamed was named in BIV’s annual BC500 list as one of the most influential business leaders in B.C. under the innovation category.

ChopValue partnered with Purebread to introduce new sustainable countertops and tables engineered from recycled chopsticks to its YVR Airport terminal location. Since 2017, more than 1.5 million chopsticks have been collected at YVR Airport through ChopValue and transformed into new viable products, diverting material from landfill and saving over 77,000 kilograms of CO2e emissions.

In June, ChopValue received the A&W Award of Excellence for its team’s performance and service to the restaurant chain in 2024.

Mangrove Lithium gave a sneak peek of its new lithium refining facility in Delta, B.C. to the Minister of Jobs and Economic Growth Honourable Ravi Kahlon, Premier of B.C. Honourable David Eby, and InBC. Slated to become operational later this year, the state-of-the-art facility will be the first commercial electrochemical lithium refining facility in North America, and a significant milestone in securing B.C. and Canada’s battery-grade lithium supply chain. Just last month, the company unveiled plans for a second larger refinery to meet strong demand from multiple leading battery gigafactories.

Svante has signed a joint development agreement with Samsung E&A, a total solutions provider for the global energy industry. In May, the company launched the new Centre for Excellence for Carbon Capture and Removal in Burnaby, B.C., the world’s first gigafactory for carbon capture and removal filters. Spanning 141,000 square feet, the facility is equipped to manufacture filters to capture up to 10 million tonnes of CO2 annually, equivalent to the emissions of more than 27 million cars.

Poseidon Ocean Systems reached a milestone producing its 100th Flowpressor® unit, a testament to the skill and dedication of its team in Campbell River, B.C. where each unit is designed, built and shipped to customers worldwide. The company also launched the second generation of its Oxypressor, improving energy efficiency and farming conditions for offshore aquaculture operations.

These are just a few of the B.C. companies in our portfolio driving innovation and creating meaningful impact locally and globally. See more of them in our portfolio.

Stay tuned for the next update, or subscribe to our newsletter and follow our LinkedIn and X pages for the latest stories.

Are you a company seeking investment? Learn more and express your interest here.

The post InBC Portfolio Company Updates: August 2025 Edition appeared first on InBC Investment Corp.

4AG Robotics was InBC’s first direct investment in a company, which we announced in the fall of 2023. In less than two years, we have watched the company grow from prototype to its autonomous, vision-guided mushroom harvesting robots now deployed on three continents, helping farmers in B.C. and across the world to improve operating efficiencies and reduce food waste while addressing labour challenges.

Mushroom farming is the original vertical farm and today, mushrooms grow on aluminum shelves known as “Dutch racks” in dark, humid environments. Because mushrooms double in size every 24 hours, harvesting is required around the clock. This work is physically demanding with workers reaching between shelves to hand-pick the mushrooms. 4AG Robotics is tackling this global challenge — addressing labour shortages, improving product consistency, and optimizing mushroom yield and quality through advanced automation and AI.

The Forager HX400: 4AG Robotics’ autonomous, vision-guided mushroom harvesting robot.

The company’s autonomous, vision-guided robots can pick, trim and pack mushrooms. They are retrofitted directly to a farm’s existing shelving and are mobile between growing rooms for optimal efficiency. This flexibility enables 4AG to scale the deployment of its robots onto farms across the world. Integrated with AI, the robots continue to make smarter decisions over time — on which mushrooms to harvest, when to harvest and how to optimize trimming — continuously improving yield and quality.

4AG Robotics employees building Forager HX400 harvesting robots and installing them onto farms.

The company, based in Salmon Arm, recently expanded with a satellite office in Vancouver, representing a significant milestone in its growth. 4AG proves that you can build a global category leader in a small town, supporting economic growth and jobs in its community. Last month, the Thompson Okanagan Business Excellence Awards recognized 4AG as Big Business of the Year for its economic impact in the region.

InBC committed our follow-on investment to 4AG Robotics’ Series B alongside other investors, which closed at $40 million — an up round in a market where that’s increasingly rare. The raise comes on the heels of rapid commercial growth: 4AG has expanded across three continents, sold dozens of robots and deployed systems at the world’s leading mushroom farms, all while building from a small town in B.C. In a capital- and labour-constrained sector, this traction is no small feat. The new investment will support the company’s continued global expansion, team growth and mission to build a more sustainable food system powered by B.C. innovation.

Congratulations to the entire 4AG Robotics team for its achievements.

See InBC’s portfolio  

InBC is investing in companies with strong connections to B.C and ready to scale in the market (typically raising a Series A or later round). Explore if InBC is the right investor for you and connect with our team today: Learn More

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Hear directly from the founders of impactful B.C. companies, including Felix Böck of ChopValue, Laurent Pelissier of Clarius Mobile Health, Saad Dara of Mangrove Lithium and Olivia Norton of Sanctuary AI, as well as our investing partner Maria Pacella of Pender Ventures, on how InBC’s investment has enabled them to accelerate their growth and scale their businesses.

The post [Video] InBC Investment: Scaling Innovation, Growing B.C. Businesses appeared first on InBC Investment Corp.

Brightspark Ventures is a leading Canadian early-stage venture capital firm experienced in supporting Canadian technology companies for success. The fund will continue investing in groundbreaking early-stage technology companies, with a focus on supporting seed-stage ventures.

“The Brightspark team truly is passionate about what they do. They thrive on partnering with founders and they want to be a part of building great, global companies. I’m excited to bring my experience and energy to help build on that foundation. Being based out west, I also want to help Brightspark tap into the incredible talent and innovation happening here, and connect the firm with the teams building new, impactful companies.”

— Andrew Lugsdin, Partner, Brightspark Ventures

Brightspark Ventures expanded its presence in British Columbia with the appointment of a B.C.-based Partner, Andrew Lugsdin, to lead the fund’s investments in Western Canada. Lugsdin, who is a seasoned investor and startup consultant with over twenty years of experience, has a strong track record for investing in and supporting B.C. technology companies. Since InBC’s investment, Brightspark has already made an investment in B.C.-based RetreatsAndVenues, a B2B marketplace that is transforming how companies find and book corporate retreat spaces and logistics.

InBC’s investment in Brightspark Ventures is helping to increase the number of investors in the province, driving more investment activity and strengthening the overall business environment for more companies to grow and thrive in B.C.

Learn more about Brightspark’s commitment to B.C. and get to know Andrew, including his extensive experience and how he supports founders, in this spotlight interview:

See InBC’s portfolio

InBC invests in venture funds to increase the number of investors in the province and reach more B.C. companies across a range of sectors, growth stages and impact areas. Funds looking for an investment can learn more and connect with our team here.

The post InBC Invests in Brightspark Ventures, Welcoming Fund’s Expanded Presence in B.C. appeared first on InBC Investment Corp.

As of March 31, 2025, InBC’s portfolio is supporting 30 B.C. companies that are employing over 1,500 British Columbians.

Since unveiling robots that can pack mushrooms directly into small punnet containers ready for the grocery store, 4AG Robotics’ new modular robots have now made their way onto a Canadian farm — picking into punnets for the first time on a working farm. The company has also installed their bulk box robots onto a new Canadian farm, bringing their total live farms to four of the largest farms worldwide. 4AG Robotics continues to expand its farm partnerships, now fulfilling orders into 2026, and its AI-enhanced robots continue to learn in real-world environments across the world.

Arca Climate Technology has revealed its upgraded lab and office space in Mount Pleasant, Vancouver, which will support the company’s groundbreaking research and growing team of employees in B.C. In February, the company announced new partnerships in Australia, which coincided with the Team Canada Trade Mission to Australia reinforcing our two countries’ commitment to collaborating for economic growth.

Arca’s new whitepaper “Beyond Extraction: Transforming Mine Waste into a Net Zero, Multi-Billion Dollar Opportunity”, has also been well received with more than 250 downloads so far and over 200 registrations for the launch webinar, demonstrating the interest from industry and other stakeholders in carbon dioxide removal technologies.

This year, ChopValue celebrated a major achievement having recycled its 200 millionth chopstick, collected at Vancouver’s Marugame Udon Canada. More recently, the company welcomed a trade delegation from Vietnam to its HQ Microfactory in Vancouver. Now, it is preparing for Expo 2025 Osaka in collaboration with the Canadian Embassy. It also continues to launch more microfactories across the world, including upcoming in Japan, bringing its local approach to manufacturing to more markets.

Clarius Mobile Health has been busy launching new products, such as the Clarius Enterprise Solution for healthcare institutions managing multiple Clarius scanners, the A-Mode enabling ophthalmologists to measure the axial length of the eye, and new releases of the T-Mode AI learning tool now available for certain musculoskeletal applications and breast ultrasound training. The company also continues to expand its market presence, bringing more Clarius products to countries such as Japan and Egypt.

Recently, Great Place to Work Canada named Clarius one of the Best Workplaces with Most Trusted Executive Teams.

Mangrove Lithium has been busy building its new facility in Delta, B.C., slated to open later in the year as the company’s first industrial scale plant.

Recently, the company was named a finalist in Foresight Canada’s BC Cleantech Awards as Scaleup Venture of the Year, and in Cleantech Group’s Global Cleantech 100 list as one of the world’s most promising private companies in cleantech.

Soon after unveiling new touch sensors, Sanctuary AI has now integrated the technology into its general purpose robots. In a recent blog, the company details how it leverages NVIDIA Isaac Lab, an open-source, unified framework for robot learning, to accelerate dexterous learning.

Earlier this year, Svante launched the “Save the Ice” campaign with Speed Skating Canada, featuring Canadian Olympic speed skater, Gaétan Boucher. This innovative campaign invites the audience to learn about how CO₂ impacts climate change and enables them to take action. Users who watch and share the video will trigger Svante and its Canadian carbon removal partner, Deep Sky, to remove CO₂ from the air via direct air capture (DAC). Check it out in the video below!

Svante was just named one of the World’s Top Greentech Companies by Time Magazine and Statista; it was one of five Canadian companies selected from a pool of over 8,000 worldwide. It was also recognized in Cleantech Group’s Global Cleantech 100 list as a leader in cleantech.

These are just a few of the B.C. companies in our portfolio driving innovation and creating meaningful impact locally and globally. See more of them in our portfolio.

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