Building on the success of a three-year pilot, through Budget 2025, B.C. is investing $30 million over three years in the Integrated Marketplace program to help more technology companies scale up and bring more good-paying jobs to people in British Columbia.

“B.C. is home to a vibrant, accelerating technology sector, and Web Summit Vancouver is the perfect place to demonstrate what we have to offer investors, companies and talent looking for new opportunities,” said Diana Gibson, Minister of Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation. “We want the world to know B.C. is open for business. The Integrated Marketplace program has shown great results and potential for much more. By working with our partners across levels of government, industry and academia, we are continuing to strengthen and diversify our economy, and creating valuable career opportunities for people in B.C.”

Created to help local companies grow and showcase their technology in the province, the Integrated Marketplace program supports the adoption of B.C. solutions by companies located at strategic partner testbed locations, such as the Vancouver International Airport (YVR) or the Prince Rupert Port Authority.

“British Columbia’s tech sector drives innovation and job creation across the province and across Canada,” said Gregor Robertson, federal Minister of Housing and Infrastructure and Minister responsible for Pacific Economic Development Canada. “PacifiCan is a proud founding partner of Integrated Marketplace, which serves as a powerful launchpad for local companies, accelerating their growth and expanding their reach, helping to build one strong Canadian economy.”

Testbeds can be physical or conceptual locations where the Integrated Marketplace runs projects that use commercially ready products in real-world settings to confirm benefits and efficacy.

“The Integrated Marketplace program helped accelerate our path to commercialization and global markets,” said Jessica Yip, COO and co-founder, A&K Robotics. “We are being approached by some of the world’s largest airport operators who want to implement our AI-enabled solution across their sites in Europe and Asia. I cannot wait to show the world the great innovations coming out of Vancouver.”

To date, four testbeds have been announced: YVR, the Prince Rupert Port Authority, the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority and the provincial health testbed hosted by Provincial Laboratory Medicine Services.

“The Integrated Marketplace has been a catalyst for MarineLabs’ growth, proving what’s possible when you invest in homegrown innovation to improve marine safety and climate resilience in B.C. and beyond”, said Scott Beatty, CEO, MarineLabs. “With Innovate BC’s support, we’ve accelerated product development, grown our team and expanded into new markets. It’s a model that’s helping B.C. tech lead on a world stage.”

Delivered by B.C.’s Crown agency, Innovate BC, the Integrated Marketplace allows B.C. companies to receive assistance and reduce the risks in adopting new technologies, boosting their productivity and competitiveness. At the same time, participating companies establish valuable Canadian references who support the companies’ ability to expand their business and grow into new markets.

“This additional $30-million investment from the Province is a strong vote of confidence in B.C.’s innovation ecosystem and the real-world impact of the Integrated Marketplace,” said Peter Cowan, president and CEO, Innovate BC. “It confirms what we’ve seen first-hand, that when we give local companies a platform to prove their solutions, we not only create home-grown success stories, we drive job creation, export B.C.-made solutions and help industries become more competitive, sustainable and resilient. This funding will allow us to continue expanding that impact across the province, addressing pressing challenges in productivity, emissions reduction and health and safety, while fuelling long-term economic prosperity.”

This announcement builds on the Government of B.C.’s initial investment of $11.5 million, and the Government of Canada’s investment, through PacifiCan, of $9.9 million in the Integrated Marketplace.

Quick Facts:

• In May 2025, PacifiCan announced an additional $1.8 million investment in the Integrated Marketplace through its Regional Artificial Intelligence Initiative.
• To date, 17 solution providers have participated in the Integrated Marketplace program.

Learn More:

To learn more about the Integrated Marketplace, visit: https://www.innovatebc.ca/programs/integrated-marketplace

For more about Innovate BC, visit: https://www.innovatebc.ca/

To learn more about A&K Robotics, visit: https://www.aandkrobotics.com/

To learn more about MarineLabs Data Systems, visit: https://marinelabs.io/

To learn more about PacifiCan, visit: https://www.canada.ca/en/pacific-economic-development.html

To learn more about Web Summit Vancouver, visit: https://vancouver.websummit.com/