Vancouver raised over $700M in life sciences VC in 2024 and is on track to exceed that in 2025. These 14 investors - from dedicated biotech funds to BC's new $150M federal fund - are actively writing checks into Vancouver biotech companies right now.
Vancouver's biotech funding splits differently than most cities. You have local funds with deep BC life sciences networks - Quark Venture, Pender Ventures, Lumira Ventures - sitting alongside national capital like BDC Capital's new $150M Life Sciences Fund launched April 2026. Then you have global funds like Amplitude Ventures and Versant Ventures that write checks into Vancouver because the science coming out of UBC, VGH, and BC Cancer is genuinely world-class.
The local funds move faster and know the ecosystem - they've seen the same PhDs come through the research hospitals and know which lab is ready to spin out before you do. The global funds bring strategic pharma relationships that can accelerate your path from IND to Phase 1. You generally need both.
Vancouver's biotech scene is anchored by AbCellera's $701M co-investment in Vancouver infrastructure announced in 2025. Zymeworks, Xenon Pharmaceuticals, and Aspect Biosystems all came out of this ecosystem. The capital follows the science, and there's a lot of it.
Before reaching out to any of these 14 investors, get your materials organized. A well-structured biotech virtual data room is the minimum expectation at any serious first meeting.
| Stage | Check size | Sector focus | Contact | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quark Venture | Series A, Series B | $5M-$30M+ | Biotech, health sciences, biopharma | quarkventure.com |
| Lumira Ventures | Series A, Series B, Growth | $5M-$52M+ | Biotech, medtech, therapeutics | lumiraventures.com |
| Amplitude Ventures | Seed, Series A, Series B | $5M-$77M+ | Precision medicine, AI drug discovery | amplitudevc.com |
| Pender Ventures | Series A, Series B | $2M-$15M | Healthtech, B2B biotech software | penderventures.com |
| BDC Capital Life Sciences | Seed, Series A | $1M-$8M | Therapeutics, medtech, gene therapy | bdc.ca |
| InBC Investment Corp. | Seed, Series A | $2M-$15M | Life sciences, deep tech, biotech | inbcinvestment.com |
| Versant Ventures | Seed, Series A, Series B | $10M-$100M+ | Therapeutics, oncology, biotech platforms | versantventures.com |
| Vancouver General Hospital Foundation | Seed, early stage | Grants and program support | Clinical research, hospital innovation | vghfoundation.ca |
| UBC Catalyst Ventures Fund | Seed | Up to $2M | UBC spinouts, life sciences, deep tech | inbcinvestment.com |
| Renewal Funds | Seed, Series A | $1M-$5M | Healthtech, sustainable consumer | renewalfunds.com |
| WUTIF Capital (VCC) | Pre-seed, Seed | Up to $500K | BC tech, biotech, healthtech | wutif.com |
| Lumira Cancer Breakthrough Fund | Seed, early stage | Program support | Oncology, cancer biotech | lumiraventures.com |
| Rhino Ventures | Series A | $2M-$10M | Enterprise health software, B2B biotech | rhinoventures.ca |
| Spring Impact Capital | Pre-seed, Seed | $250K-$400K | Healthtech, biotech tools, diagnostics | springimpactcapital.com |
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Start free 14-day trialWhat is a Vancouver biotech investor?
A Vancouver biotech investor backs founders building therapeutic products, medical devices, diagnostics, and health tech platforms. They differ from generalist VCs because they evaluate clinical data quality, platform defensibility, and regulatory pathway - not just market size.
Check sizes run from $250K pre-seed at Spring Impact Capital to $100M+ at Versant Ventures. Most first institutional biotech rounds in Vancouver land between $5M and $30M. Getting to Series A typically requires validated preclinical data, a compelling IND pathway, and a scientific advisory board with relevant domain credibility.
Vancouver's biotech investors fall into two camps. One group, like Quark Venture and Lumira, has deep Canadian pharma networks and will take bets on UBC and BC Cancer spinouts earlier than most. The other group, like Amplitude and Versant, runs a global deal flow and picks Vancouver companies when the science is truly differentiated.
Don't confuse being near a top research hospital with having investor-ready data. Read what investors look for in a data room before your first meeting. Use Ellty to share your preclinical package as a trackable link - you'll know whether a partner reviewed your efficacy data before your next call. For context on Canadian biotech funding beyond BC, see the Toronto biotech investors list.
There's something special going on in Vancouver's life sciences sector.
14 active Vancouver biotech investors in 2026
1. Quark Venture
Vancouver's largest dedicated biotech fund. Founded in 2015 with backing from GF Securities, Quark manages a $656M health sciences fund focused on breakthrough biotech and health science platforms. CEO Karimah Es Sabar is one of the most connected life sciences investors in Canada.
- Recent Deals: ARTMS acquisition (cyclotron-based isotope production, seed investor); active portfolio includes Sitka Pharmaceuticals, Methylation Sciences, Microbion Corporation; $656M fund in active deployment; GF Securities partnership brings Asia-Pacific pharma relationships
- LinkedIn: Quark Venture LinkedIn
- Sector Focus: Biotechnology, biopharma, health sciences platforms, diagnostics
- Stage Focus: Series A, Series B
- Location: Vancouver, BC
- Website: quarkventure.com
2. Lumira Ventures
Canada's largest dedicated life sciences VC with partners in Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, and Boston. Fund V announced its first close in April 2026 at US$200M target. Their current portfolio includes Aurinia Pharmaceuticals and Zymeworks, both Vancouver-based companies.
- Recent Deals: Lumira Ventures V first close (April 2026, US$200M target, Fonds FTQ participation); Sound Blade Medical investment (2026); Cancer Breakthrough Fund first close (May 2026, $50M target, with Terry Fox Foundation and Canadian Cancer Society); Zymeworks and Aurinia Pharmaceuticals in portfolio
- LinkedIn: Lumira Ventures LinkedIn
- Sector Focus: Biotechnology, medical devices, therapeutics, diagnostics
- Stage Focus: Series A, Series B, Growth
- Location: Vancouver, BC / Toronto / Montreal / Boston
- Website: lumiraventures.com
3. Amplitude Ventures
Full-stack biotech VC with offices in Vancouver, Montreal, and Toronto, focused on precision medicine at the intersection of biology and AI. They led a founding round for RIME Therapeutics in April 2026. Their co-investments include OrbiMed, Lumira, and BDC Capital on the same rounds.
- Recent Deals: RIME Therapeutics founding round lead (April 2026); Crossbow Therapeutics $77M Series B participation; Congruence Therapeutics $32M participation (September 2025); Reverb Therapeutics $12M seed participation (February 2025); 30 portfolio companies
- LinkedIn: Amplitude Ventures LinkedIn
- Sector Focus: Precision medicine, oncology, immunology, AI drug discovery, rare diseases
- Stage Focus: Seed, Series A, Series B
- Location: Vancouver, BC / Montreal / Toronto
- Website: amplitudevc.com
4. Pender Ventures
Vancouver's Series A specialist for healthtech and B2B biotech software. Maria Pacella leads a $150M AUM fund that has backed DrugBank, Jane Software, and Engineered Intelligence. Their most recent investment was Science&Humans, a personalized health startup that closed a $10M Series A in January 2026.
- Recent Deals: Science&Humans $10M Series A (January 2026); Engineered Intelligence Series A (April 2026); Catio $3M co-investment (March 2025); Veritree $6.5M Series A co-lead with Garage Capital (May 2025); Fund II closed at $100M+ with InBC and Alberta Enterprise as LPs
- LinkedIn: Pender Ventures LinkedIn
- Sector Focus: Healthtech, B2B biotech software, enterprise life sciences, diagnostics
- Stage Focus: Series A, Series B
- Location: Vancouver, BC
- Website: penderventures.com
5. BDC Capital - Life Sciences Venture Fund
Canada's newly-launched dedicated biotech fund. BDC launched its $150M Life Sciences Venture Fund in April 2026, focused on seed and Series A therapeutics and medical technology companies. They write $1M to $3M at seed and $5M to $8M at Series A, with plans to back 10-15 companies.
- Recent Deals: Fund launched April 9, 2026 - $150M dedicated to Canadian life sciences; seed focus on therapeutics and medical technologies including biologics, gene and cell therapies; Parimal Nathwani appointed Managing Partner; co-investors include Amplitude and OrbiMed on previous rounds
- LinkedIn: BDC Capital LinkedIn
- Sector Focus: Biotechnology, gene and cell therapy, medical devices, diagnostics, surgical robotics
- Stage Focus: Seed, Series A
- Location: Vancouver, BC (national mandate)
- Website: bdc.ca
Track every investor who views your pitch
Set up an Ellty data room before your first Vancouver biotech VC meeting. You'll know who's actually engaged before you follow up.
Start free 14-day trial6. InBC Investment Corp.
BC's $500M provincial fund has a life sciences mandate and has backed Amplitude Ventures as a fund LP. For BC-based biotech companies, InBC is one of the first calls - they've co-invested with every major life sciences fund on this list and bring BC government relationships that matter for clinical partnerships.
- Recent Deals: Amplitude Ventures Fund investment (LP); UBC Catalyst Ventures Fund co-anchor $10M (March 2026, with UBC, targeting $40M total); 38 BC companies in portfolio; $81M invested in FY 2024/25
- LinkedIn: InBC Investment Corp. LinkedIn
- Sector Focus: Life sciences, deep tech, AI, cleantech
- Stage Focus: Seed, Series A (also LP in VC funds)
- Location: Vancouver, BC
- Website: inbcinvestment.com
7. Versant Ventures
Basel and San Francisco-based global biotech fund with an active Canada strategy. They're behind Dayra Therapeutics (Toronto), which debuted with $70M+ in November 2025 including a $50M Biogen partnership. For Vancouver founders in oncology, immunology, or novel drug discovery platforms, Versant is a realistic Series A target.
- Recent Deals: Dayra Therapeutics $70M+ debut including $50M Biogen partnership (November 2025); 858 Therapeutics follow-on investment (2025); 5 investments in 2025; active Canada deal flow; builds "company in a box" through Frontier Discovery Engine
- LinkedIn: Versant Ventures LinkedIn
- Sector Focus: Therapeutics, oncology, immunology, novel drug discovery platforms
- Stage Focus: Seed, Series A, Series B
- Location: Basel / San Francisco / Boston (active Canada deal flow)
- Website: versantventures.com
8. UBC Catalyst Ventures Fund
New $40M seed fund for UBC-affiliated companies, co-anchored by InBC and UBC in March 2026. Initial focus on life sciences and deep tech spinouts. For founders licensing UBC IP or building from UBC research, this is the most direct path to first institutional capital without needing a warm intro.
- Recent Deals: Fund announced March 2026 ($10M InBC + $10M UBC + up to $20M private); initial investments prioritize life sciences and deep tech; UBC spinouts include AbCellera, Xenon Pharmaceuticals, Aspect Biosystems; targets faculty, staff, students and recent alumni
- LinkedIn: UBC Catalyst Ventures LinkedIn
- Sector Focus: UBC-affiliated biotech, life sciences, deep tech, early spin-outs
- Stage Focus: Seed
- Location: Vancouver, BC (UBC campus)
- Website: inbcinvestment.com
9. Vancouver General Hospital Foundation
Not a traditional VC - VGH Foundation made a historic $100M investment into clinical research and hospital innovation. For founders building diagnostic tools, clinical software, or medical devices with a hospital validation pathway, VGH is a potential strategic partner and early-stage backer.
- Recent Deals: Historic $100M commitment into hospital research and innovation infrastructure; clinical trial partnership network at VGH, UBC Hospital, and Children's Hospital; early-stage support for clinical validation of medical technology companies
- LinkedIn: VGH Foundation LinkedIn
- Sector Focus: Clinical diagnostics, hospital-based medical technology, surgical innovation
- Stage Focus: Early stage (strategic and clinical partnership, not traditional VC)
- Location: Vancouver, BC
- Website: vghfoundation.ca
10. WUTIF Capital (VCC)
Vancouver's angel-level biotech co-investment vehicle. WUTIF is a Venture Capital Corporation that co-invests alongside angel investors in BC tech companies, with a BC tax credit for BC investors. For founders who are pre-revenue and pre-institutional, WUTIF is a bridge to get to Series A ready.
- Recent Deals: Ongoing active deployment into BC tech startups; co-invests alongside angel syndicates and individual BC-resident investors; provides 30% BC Venture Capital Tax Credit to eligible BC investors; historically backed biotech, digital health, and life sciences companies
- LinkedIn: WUTIF Capital LinkedIn
- Sector Focus: BC-based biotech, healthtech, digital health, life sciences tools
- Stage Focus: Pre-seed, Seed
- Location: Vancouver, BC
- Website: wutif.com
11. Lumira Cancer Breakthrough Fund
Lumira's dedicated oncology vehicle, co-led with the Terry Fox Foundation and Canadian Cancer Society. First close completed May 2026, oversubscribed above the $30M original target with a $50M hard cap. This is the most direct path to funding for early-stage Vancouver oncology companies.
- Recent Deals: First close announced May 2026 - oversubscribed; hard cap $50M; joint fund with Terry Fox Foundation and Canadian Cancer Society; targets early-stage Canadian cancer biotech; separate from Lumira's main Fund V
- LinkedIn: Lumira Ventures LinkedIn
- Sector Focus: Oncology, cancer diagnostics, immuno-oncology, cancer biotech platforms
- Stage Focus: Seed, Early stage
- Location: Vancouver, BC / Toronto / Montreal
- Website: lumiraventures.com
12. Rhino Ventures
Vancouver's high-conviction Series A fund. Not a dedicated biotech fund, but they've backed digital health and healthcare software companies. For Vancouver biotech companies building B2B health software, clinical workflow tools, or data platforms, Rhino is worth a conversation.
- Recent Deals: ShopVision seed (September 2025); Ontopical acquisition by SOVRA (August 2025); 27 portfolio companies with 2 IPOs and 8 acquisitions; 2 new investments in the last 12 months
- LinkedIn: Rhino Ventures LinkedIn
- Sector Focus: Enterprise health software, B2B SaaS, digital health platforms
- Stage Focus: Series A
- Location: Vancouver, BC
- Website: rhinoventures.ca
13. Spring Impact Capital
Vancouver's early-stage health and climate fund. Closed a $14M fund in October 2025 and is writing $250K to $400K checks for pre-seed and seed healthtech companies. For biotech founders too early for Lumira or Amplitude, Spring is one of the few Vancouver funds that moves at this stage.
- Recent Deals: BioAlert Solutions seed; RetinaLogik seed; $2M+ deployed to 8 startups; plans to back up to 25 startups from fund; team named 2026 Clean50 and Clean16 honourees
- LinkedIn: Spring Impact Capital LinkedIn
- Sector Focus: Pre-commercial healthtech, diagnostics, environmental health monitoring
- Stage Focus: Pre-seed, Seed
- Location: Vancouver, BC
- Website: springimpactcapital.com
14. Export Development Canada (EDC)
Underused by biotech founders, but EDC writes equity checks alongside debt for Canadian companies with export potential. For Vancouver biotech companies with a clear US or EU market entry plan, EDC is a realistic co-investor at Series A and above - especially alongside Lumira or Amplitude as a lead.
- Recent Deals: Active co-investment across Canadian life sciences with export potential; continuous deployment alongside institutional VC leads; equity and debt instruments available; national mandate with focus on global commercialization of Canadian IP
- LinkedIn: Export Development Canada LinkedIn
- Sector Focus: Export-ready biotech, medical devices, health sciences platforms
- Stage Focus: Series A, Series B (equity plus debt instruments)
- Location: Ottawa, ON (active Vancouver deal flow)
- Website: edc.ca
How to get a warm intro to biotech VCs in Vancouver
Cold email rarely works in Vancouver biotech. The conversion rate is under 3% with most funds. The fastest path to Quark Venture or Lumira is through a UBC or BC Cancer researcher they've already backed.
The best structured intro paths are Life Sciences BC events, the annual Invest in BC presented by Lumira Ventures, and BIO Canada. Life Sciences BC runs networking events specifically designed to connect founders with fund managers. Past Lumira portfolio founders are usually willing to intro you if your science is solid.
Don't waste a warm intro with a half-prepared deck. Before any intro lands, upload your preclinical package to Ellty and share a trackable link. You'll know which investors engage with your data room before you decide whether to follow up. Read common fundraising data room mistakes to avoid the ones that kill early biotech raises.
What biotech investors expect at pre-clinical vs Series A
Pre-clinical expectations at Vancouver biotech funds are lower than you might think - but they're specific. Quark and Amplitude both want a validated target, credible mechanism of action, and at least one in vivo proof-of-concept study with clean data. You don't need Phase 1 data. You need enough to argue your compound can work.
Series A expectations have gotten harder. BDC's new life sciences fund says they expect companies at Series A to have "validated preclinical data" and a clear IND pathway. Lumira wants to see a scientific advisory board with two or three KOLs who have actually reviewed your data - not just names on a website.
The fastest way to kill a Series A in Vancouver biotech is a messy data package. Investors have seen too many founders who organized their preclinical evidence for convenience rather than for diligence. Use Ellty to organize your efficacy studies, toxicology data, and patent filings in a Series B-ready data room. Share a unique trackable link with each investor so you see exactly who reviews which experiment. For comparison with how other sectors handle this, see our guide on how investors run due diligence.
How to prepare for biotech due diligence in Vancouver
Biotech due diligence in Vancouver typically runs 8-16 weeks, longer than software. The first thing every fund asks for is your IP landscape - who holds the patents, what's your freedom to operate, and what's the licensing status of any UBC or hospital-based IP.
The second request is your scientific advisory board's actual involvement. Investors call your SAB members directly. If your lead KOL says they've only seen one slide deck, you've lost the deal. Make sure your advisors have reviewed your actual preclinical data and can speak to specific experiments.
The third issue that kills Vancouver biotech deals is regulatory gaps. If you haven't had a pre-IND meeting with Health Canada or the FDA, every investor on this list will ask when you plan to. Not having that conversation scheduled adds 6-12 months to their mental timeline for your risk. Set up your data room in Ellty before diligence starts - use a trackable link with email gate so you know which partners actually reviewed your regulatory strategy documents. Read what investors look for in a data room to make sure nothing's missing.
How to pitch a Vancouver biotech investor
Five steps for founders raising from biotech investors in Vancouver in 2026.
- 1.Lead with validated target and mechanism of actionOpen every pitch with your target, mechanism, and in vivo proof-of-concept data. Vancouver biotech investors filter on scientific credibility before any financial projections.
- 2.Build a SAB that's actually read your dataName-dropping KOLs who haven't reviewed your experiments won't survive a fund reference check. Your SAB needs to be able to discuss specific assay results on a call.
- 3.Know your IP landscape before any VC meetingUnderstand your freedom to operate and patent status cold. Investors in Vancouver biotech will ask about UBC licensing terms, and vague answers kill deals fast.
- 4.Build your data room before Life Sciences BC eventsUpload your preclinical package, patent filings, and regulatory plan to Ellty. Biotech investors request materials immediately after any strong first conversation.
- 5.Send each investor a unique trackable linkUse Ellty's per-investor links to see who reviews your efficacy data. If a Lumira partner reads your in vivo results twice, follow up specifically on that data the same day.
How Ellty helps you land a Vancouver biotech investor
You've found the right 14 investors. Now get your materials in front of them before the conversation goes cold. Upload your biotech pitch documents to Ellty and send a unique trackable link to each investor you contact.
- 1.Build your biotech data room with all key filesCreate an Ellty data room and upload your preclinical package, patent filings, and financial model. Vancouver biotech investors request documentation within hours of any promising first call.
- 2.Set permissions and protect your IP before sharingRequire email verification before any investor accesses your preclinical data or cap table. Use screenshot protection for unpublished study results and proprietary assay protocols.
- 3.Get real-time alerts when investors open your materialsKnow which investors open your data room and which sections they spend time on. If a Quark partner reads your efficacy slides twice, follow up on that specific data the same day.
Common questions about Vancouver biotech investors
- InBC, UBC Catalyst Fund, and WUTIF require BC presence. Lumira, Amplitude, Quark, and Versant fund Canadian companies regardless of location. Having a Vancouver office helps with InBC and grants.
- Usually 12-20 weeks from first meeting to wire. Set up an Ellty data room before your first intro so IP and preclinical diligence doesn't add months to your close timeline.
- Validated in vivo proof-of-concept, a clear IND pathway, and a scientific advisory board that has actually reviewed your data. Clean data packages from strong models close faster than large ones.
- Yes, but IP domicile matters. If your IP was developed at a foreign institution, expect questions about licensing and freedom to operate. InBC and UBC Catalyst require BC connection or IP ownership.
- Before your first investor conversation. Upload your preclinical package to Ellty and send trackable links - you'll know which investors are genuinely engaged before spending time on follow-up calls.
- Fund V is Lumira's main multi-stage healthcare fund at US$200M target. The Cancer Breakthrough Fund is a separate $50M oncology-focused vehicle run jointly with the Terry Fox Foundation.
