Frequently asked questions

Our four impact objectives are to:

• Drive climate action
• Innovate for the future
• Advance reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples
• Elevate inclusive communities

InBC is investing to generate both financial and impact returns through: 

• Investing directly in companies with strong connections to B.C. 
• Investing in venture funds committed to investing in B.C.-based companies

Each investment InBC makes is individually assessed according to the following:

• Business model and financial returns
• Strong connection to B.C.
• Alignment to one (or more) impact objective
• Environmental, social and governance (ESG) risks

We will not invest directly in seed stage companies, only through venture funds. InBC will not be offering grants, loans and guarantees, short-term financing, investment into infrastructure or real estate projects. InBC will also not invest in distressed businesses or illegal industries. The full list of exclusions is available in our Investment Policy Statement. Over time, InBC will consider additional investment types.

We assess each investment’s connection to B.C. based on but not limited to the following:

• Location of headquarter and/or offices in B.C.
• Proportion of decision-makers and management team based in B.C.
• Percentage of investment and deal flow, revenue, employees and/or infrastructure in B.C.

While the definition of Series A can fluctuate based on the market and industry, InBC generally defines companies raising a Series A round as those at or just after commercialization and ready to scale up. In most cases, these companies are generating revenue.  

We invest in both early- and later-stage companies fundraising a Series A or later round.

We are considering investment in all economic regions of the province. There is no advantage or disadvantage based on a company/fund’s location.

We are focused on companies currently generating revenue and showing positive signs of market traction (such as a customer base, successful pilot, previously raised financing, etc.). In very limited cases, we may consider pre-revenue companies.

Yes, we are seeking a positive financial return across our portfolio.

Returns on investments will be reinvested to create an evergreen fund for B.C., with a goal to generate enough investment income for InBC to become financially self-sustaining in the medium to long-term. Achieving this goal, InBC will be able to continue working for British Columbians well into the future.

If you are a company or venture fund looking for investment, learn more about our criteria and fill out a short submission form on our website to get the conversation started:

Companies
Venture funds

InBC’s investments are ongoing and there is no set deadline for submission. We will be deploying $500 million over the next few years. Over time, profits will be reinvested so that InBC can be an evergreen fund serving B.C. for years to come.

Our investment process is as follows: initial screening -> due diligence -> deal execution -> post-investment monitoring and reporting

For companies moving forward in the process, the average timeline from initial contact to investment can vary but typically averages four to six months. We recommend beginning the process at least six months in advance of needing capital.

For help with your submission, please email info@inbcinvestment.ca. Due to volume, we are unable to provide status updates on demand for existing submissions.

Due to the volume of interest, we may not be able to respond to all submissions immediately. As of today, you can expect an initial response within approximately two weeks. Companies and funds proceeding to the next stage will also be contacted for additional information.

If there has been a significant change to your business since your submission that results in your business meeting InBC’s criteria, please follow up your previous submission with this additional information. Due to the volume of submissions received, we may not be able to respond immediately to every submission.

We measure the success of our investments based on financial returns at the portfolio level, as well as economic, social and environmental returns tied to our impact objectives and tailored to each investment.

We also measure the following across our portfolio:

• Financials
  • Revenue and cash flow
  • Investment dollars committed
• Job creation, productivity and economic development
  • Annual jobs change
  • Research and development spend by B.C. companies
• Portfolio diversification
  • Across economic regions of B.C.
  • Across InBC’s impact objectives
• Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI)
  • Portfolio adoption/reporting of ESG risks
  • Equity-deserving groups at the board and management levels

InBC will be sharing investments once they are committed. Our founding legislation also requires that we publish annual reports detailing our investment performance and activities. In order to maintain confidentiality of the commercially sensitive data that is accessed during the investment evaluation process, InBC cannot share investment decisions in advance. For specific investment dollar amounts, we are respecting each fund or business’s communications plan for when they are ready to publicly announce.

InBC’s shareholder is the Government of British Columbia, represented by the Minister of Finance and the Minister of Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation. InBC is governed by a nine-member Board of Directors, two appointed from the public service, and the remaining seven made up of representatives from industry, finance, academia and other areas of leadership in the province.