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Resources / Events / Web Summit Vancouver

Web Summit Vancouver 2025

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​The Invest Vancouver team is proud to welcome tech industry leaders and investors from around the world to our region for Web Summit Vancouver 2025.​​

While you’re in the Metro Vancouver region, we want to give you a firsthand look at the region’s thriving innovation ecosystem, high quality of life, and world-class infrastructure. From visiting tech hubs and AI research centers to experiencing the city’s dynamic business culture, you’ll see why the Metro Vancouver region is an ideal place to invest and grow.

Want to find out more? Invest Vancouver provides free, concierge services to make it easy for businesses to expand and find success in the Metro Vancouver region. Explore what our region has to offer below, and connect with our team to learn​​ more.

Where to find Invest Vancouver at Web Summit

Follow Invest Vancouver on LinkedIn, Threads, and BlueSky for real-time updates! ​

  • Innovation and Investment Insider Tours – Monday, May 26

    Join us for the Innovation & Investment Insider Tours, a curated investor experience showcasing groundbreaking innovation in Cleantech, Life Sciences, and Creative Tech. Connect with high-growth companies, industry leaders, and investors in a dynamic setting designed for meaningful conversation. Taking place on Monday, May 26, ahead of Web Summit Vancouver (May 27-30), this full-day experience charters investors across the Metro Vancouver region.

  • Vancouver, British Columbia Pavilion at Web Summit Vancouver – May 27 - 30

    Meet the Invest Vancouver team at the Vancouver, British Columbia pavilion on the Web Summit Vancouver conference floor! Find us on the Web Summit Vancouver app, and check out our panel discussion on May 28 (details below).

  • Panel Discussion - Metro Vancouver: The Ultimate Playground for High-Growth Tech Companies – May 28, 2:00 pm – 2:30 pm

    This panel, taking place at the Vancouver, British Columbia pavilion, explores why the Metro Vancouver region is a top destination for global investment, where both multinational and homegrown companies thrive on world-class talent.
    ​With strengths in AI, clean tech, life sciences, and digital media, the region’s diverse, highly skilled workforce fuels innovation and rapid scaling. Companies like SAP and Mastercard have thrived here, drawn by a deep talent pool that also powers local leaders like D-Wave. Strong industry-academic ties, government support, and a collaborative ecosystem make Metro Vancouver a launchpad for cutting-edge advancements. Investors will see firsthand how talent drives innovation — and why Metro Vancouver is the place to build the future.​



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Welcome to the Metro Vancou​ver region, a powerhouse of talent and tech

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​The Metro Vancouver region thrives on exploration and innovation. We welcome top companies and skilled talent to our thriving tech ecosystem in a globally- connected region known for its unmatched quality of life. With world-class innovators, lower operating costs than competing cities, and a business-friendly environment, this is where tech companies looking to make an impact come to scale and succeed.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

The Metro Vancouver region’s tech sector is where innovation meets opportunity.

Ranked as the 5th fastest-growing tech market in North America1, the region is home to global giants like Microsoft, SAP, and IBM. With thriving clusters in gaming, aerospace, AI, semiconductors, and more, the region is a powerhouse for innovation.

Investors are taking notice. Over $31B has been invested in local tech firms (2018-2023), and Metro Vancouver ranks among the top 10 global markets for venture capital, securing $10B+ USD in deals in 20232.​​​

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5th fastest-growing tech market

Top 10 global markets for venture capital

Tax credits for R&D, venture capital programs, and industry-specific grants

Fueling this growth is a rich ecosystem of government funding and incentives. Businesses benefit from tax credits for R&D, venture capital programs, and industry-specific grants. With world-class research institutions, accelerators, and strong government support, the Metro Vancouver region is where tech companies launch, scale, and thrive.


Metro Vancouver has an exceptional start-up ethos that’s well suited for innovative ideas.

Apurva Jain, Vice President Engineering, Lumotive

The Metro Vancouver region is Canada’s west coast business capital.

Operating a tech firm here costs half of what it would in the Bay Area and less than in Seattle, LA, Calgary, or Toronto3.

Costs half of what it would in the Bay Area

2nd best country in the G20 for doing business

Your customers and business partners are always in reach

Your customers and business partners are always in reach: we have non-stop flights to 35 US cities, 16 Asian cities, and 10 European cities4, and our time zone means you can do business with Europe in the morning and Asia in the afternoon.

Our stability and safety let you focus on what’s most important to your business. Canada was ranked by the Economist Intelligence Unit as 2nd best country in the G20 for doing business over the next five years5.

Metro Vancouver’s stunning natural surroundings aren’t just a backdrop—they’re a catalyst for innovation.

Our region fosters a mindset of exploration, resilience, and bold thinking: qualities that drive tech leaders.

Here, our talent isn’t just highly educated and international: our innovators are inspired to push boundaries, solve complex challenges, and create meaningful impact.

Exploration, resilience, and bold thinking

Create meaningful impact

They’re looking for a place that fuels their passion for adventure

Whether scaling a mountain or scaling a startup, those drawn to the Metro Vancouver region aren’t just looking for a place to work—they’re looking for a place that fuels their passion for adventure.


Talent from all over the world wants to be in the Microsoft Vancouver office.

David Seymour, Vice President and General Manager, Microsoft Vancouver

In the spotlight: applied AI

AI isn’t just a buzzword here—it’s about solving problems and driving industries forward.

From life sciences to clean tech, Metro Vancouver companies are using AI to develop life-saving drugs, safeguard businesses from cyber threats, and even make mining greener. Real impact, real results.

With over 140 applied AI firms, the Metro Vancouver region is a powerhouse of innovation. Whether it’s agritech (Almanac, Terramera), robotics (A&K Robotics, Sanctuary AI), or life sciences (Variational AI, AbCellera), the region is turning AI potential into business success.

  • Case study

    Healthcare delivery
  • Case study

    Mining efficiency
  • Case study

    Construction

    • Challenge: Hospitals are under increasing pressure from long wait times, limited staff and resources, and the growing need for personalized medicine.

    Example of a Local Solution: Fraser Health is advancing healthcare in BC by integrating applied AI across their services. Their Digital Patient and Provider Experience team uses predictive analytics and digital tools to enhance healthcare delivery. Key projects include a collaboration with Deloitte Canada to develop an AI-driven physician scheduling tool. They’re also reducing clinical administrative workloads using generative AI from Google Cloud’s Vertex AI and a Virtual AI Assistant in partnership with Amazon Web Services. Notably, the “GI Genius” system is improving colonoscopy accuracy through AI-assisted polyp detection, leading to improved patient outcomes.

    Benefits: Reduced wait times, more accurate diagnoses, and better overall patient outcomes, allowing health authorities to provide high-quality care more efficiently.

    Challenge: Conventional mining methods can be time-consuming, resource-heavy, and carry significant environmental impacts. More critical minerals are also needed to support the global energy transition.

    Example of a Local Solution: Ideon Technologies applies cosmic-ray muon tomography and AI for subsurface imaging, detecting minerals and metals beneath the Earth, offering a sustainable and efficient exploration method. MineSense utilizes AI to differentiate ore from waste, combining hardware and software for real-time data analysis and improved mining decision-making. Hyperspectral Intelligence offers imaging technology for precise rock analysis in the mining and energy sectors, with cloud-based data processing for real-time insights.

    Benefits: Reduced environmental footprint, lowered operational costs, and improved access to resources.

    Challenge: Many regions, particularly the Metro Vancouver area, urgently need more housing to improve affordability. This situation has been exacerbated by population growth and a shortage of skilled construction workers.

    Example of a Local Solution: UBC researchers have already designed AI-controlled drones for inspection work and real-time onsite mapping. The drones can provide real time input to create a digital twin of the construction site. Using the digital twin, a separate AI system can safely control equipment, such as a crane, to autonomously unload and place large cement blocks. The same lab is working on autonomously controlled excavators and envisages moving on to equipment used throughout the building process.

    Benefits: Increase housing supply and improve affordability through expedited construction time, lowered construction costs, and reduced labor requirements. These improvements can help fulfill both local and global housing demands.

    Invest Vancouver provides free, concierge services to make it easy for businesses to expand and find success in the Metro Vancouver region.

    Expanding your business into a new market is a big decision — we’re here to guide you every step of the way. Through our complimentary services, our team will help make your expansion into the Metro Vancouver region seamless.

    We provide tailored services to set your organization up for success in the region. We will be your trusted advisor, your strategic partner, and provide business intelligence to answer your specific requests.

    • check icon Trusted advisor: We provide advice to help you leverage government programs and incentives, connect you with our network of key i​nstitutional and private sector partners, and serve as a designated referral partner for federal immigration programs.

    • check icon Strategic partner: We facilitate introductions, meetings, ecosystem tours, and assist with site selection to streamline your investment processes and decision ​making. We offer a direct link to local government and industry leaders across the region’s 23 member jurisdictions.

    • check icon Business intelligence: We deliver customized industry-specific insights, commercial and industrial real estate information, and economic and labour market data.​


    Our investment team

    For industry-specific support, get in touch with our team!

    Take the next step​

    Curious about making the Metro Vancouver region the new home of your business? Let’s explore how our region can be the perfect fit for your needs. Simply fill out the form linked below and our team will contact you directly.


    Connect with our team​

    Let’s stay ​in touch​

    We hope you enjoy your time in our region at Web Summit Vancouver. Sign up for our newsletter to stay connected from anywhere in the world.​​



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    Footnotes

    1 Scoring Tech Talent 2024

    2 Scoring Tech Talent 2024

    3 CBRE Scoring Tech Talent 2023

    4 Vancouver International Airport 2025

    4 Economist Intelligence Unit, November 2024 (via Global Affairs Canada)

    Invest Vancouver acknowledges that the region’s residents live, work, and learn on the shared territories of many Indigenous Peoples, including 10 local First Nations: q̓ic̓əy̓(Katzie), q̓ʷɑ:n̓ƛ̓ən̓ (Kwantlen), kʷikʷəƛ̓əm (Kwikwetlem), máthxwi (Matsqui), xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), qiqéyt (Qayqayt), Semiahmoo, Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish), scəw̓aθən məsteyəxʷ (Tsawwassen) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh).

    Invest Vancouver respects the diverse and distinct histories, languages, and cultures of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit, which collectively enrich our lives and the region.

    View Metro Vancouver's translated territorial acknowledgment

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