16 Sep 2026 2026 Technology Impact Awards – Meet the Startups Heading to the TIAs Gala
VANCOUVER, B.C. September 16, 2026 – Following a live Dragons Den Pitch Night, BC Tech has revealed the startups selected to pitch at the 2026 TIAs Gala for the Company of the Year – Startup Award.
Lite-1 is redefining colour for global manufacturing by replacing toxic, petrochemical dyes with sustainable, bio-based pigments grown from microorganisms. Positioned at the heart of a $90B+ industry long dominated by legacy chemistry, Lite-1 has created the world’s first 100% sustainable, high-performance colour platform—with black, a $25B segment and the most complex, polluting pigment, as its strategic entry wedge. Built on a single engineered strain and unified production process, Lite-1 delivers drop-in colours that work across textiles, coatings, plastics, cosmetics, and food, enabling circular, climate-positive colour production that protects waterways, ecosystems, and human health while matching industrial performance.
Tersa is a cleantech startup transforming contaminated mine water and tailings from liabilities into valuable resources. Its core solution, TersaClean, combines selective metal recovery with advanced water remediation in a single, modular, nature-based system. Using Microbial Fuel Cells to recover high-purity metals like copper and Microbially Induced Carbonate Precipitation to neutralize acidic water and immobilize contaminants, Tersa helps mines meet discharge standards while unlocking trillions in lost mineral value. Validated on real industrial wastewaters with leading partners, Tersa offers a clearer path to compliance, lower long-term treatment costs, and new revenue from resource recovery.
Viridis is a Vancouver-based cleantech startup transforming how textile mills treat and reuse water. In an industry that consumes 4% of global freshwater and generates 20% of industrial water pollution, Viridis replaces chemical-heavy, sludge-producing systems with proprietary electrochemical oxidation (EOx) technology that destroys persistent dyes and surfactants at the source. Its reactors deliver nearly 100% water recovery, eliminate treatment chemicals and sludge, and run with lower energy and minimal maintenance, enabling true water circularity without added complexity. Through brand-led partnerships with global apparel leaders, Viridis is scaling across supplier networks to meet rising demand for sustainable textile wastewater treatment.
Seven lucky startups pitched to a panel of industry experts at BC Tech’s annual Dragons Den, hosted at Global Relay’s Gastown office. At the conclusion of the event, Lite-1 Bio, Tersa Critical Minerals & Viridis were announced as the startups who will pitch live at the TIAs Gala next month.
“BC has no shortage of good ideas. What’s harder to find is the support that helps a company stick around long enough to scale here, and that’s the piece EA Ventures wants to help with. We grew up in this province, so we’ve seen firsthand what it takes. Congrats to this year’s finalists, and I’ll see everyone at the Gala,” said Dan Box, GM/VP of EA Ventures.
“This year’s startup finalists are a testament to the amazing tech sector we have here in BC,” said Jill Tipping, CEO of BC Tech, “By providing recognition and support early, we can help more companies scaleup here in BC. That is how we build a thriving ecosystem and an economy for the future!”
The winner of the Company of the Year – Startup Award will be announced live at the TIAs Gala on October 29, 2026 at Parq Vancouver. Tickets are sold out. To join the waitlist, email hello@wearebctech.com.
About the BC Tech Association
BC Tech is the largest member-led technology non-profit in British Columbia, and we’re dedicated to turning startups and scaleups into the anchor companies of tomorrow. Our work supports members to grow and diversify their talent pool, acquire new customers, access capital and accelerate their scaleup journey. Technology is a key industry for BC’s future and builds resiliency in every industry. Today, every company is a tech company.
To learn more visit wearebctech.com.