Frequently asked questions

InBC considers all sectors and industries, prioritizing key growth areas that can generate short- and long-term economic and employment growth in B.C. while contributing to social and environmental impact.

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) of InBC’s investment themes
• Environmental, social and governance (ESG) risks

No, meeting all criteria does not guarantee an investment. InBC invests responsibly, with a portfolio approach that balances strength and risk across our portfolio at any given time. If you are not a fit for InBC at this time, we encourage you to stay in touch.

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 in the market. In most cases, these companies are generating revenue.  

We invest in early- and later-stage companies ready to scale commercially, typically raising a Series A or later round.

InBC prefers to not lead an investment. We co-invest alongside other investors. In very limited cases, we may consider leading.

While InBC can provide follow-on investment, it is not guaranteed and investment opportunities will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

We consider investment in all economic regions of the province. There is no advantage nor disadvantage based on a company or 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 private company or investment fund looking for investment, learn more about our criteria and fill out a short submission form on our website to get the conversation started:

Private companies
Investment funds

InBC’s investments are ongoing and there is no deadline for submission.

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

For companies or funds 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 may 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 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 investment themes
• 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 shares investments once they are committed. We are required to 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 company or fund’s communications plan for when they are ready to publicly share.

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