Creative Destruction Lab (CDL)

Iris Dynamics Ltd. is a privately-owned Canadian technology startup based on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. The company specializes in the development of electric linear actuators featuring a magnetic force controlled feedback system, which enhances the human-machine interface across various applications. This innovative technology has been implemented in multiple sectors, including aircraft controls, flight simulation, remotely piloted vehicles, heavy equipment, submersibles, automotive systems, industrial automation, robotics, and semiconductor manufacturing. Iris Dynamics aims to improve processes that previously relied on less efficient and more costly technologies while also developing high-performance stabilization platforms for diverse client-led projects. The company actively sponsors advanced electromagnetic research at major Canadian universities and is seeking industry partners to further advance its technology.

Lucent Biosciences specializes in the development of innovative biofertilizers aimed at enhancing agricultural sustainability. The company offers a unique class of micronutrient fertilizers that promote higher crop yields and nutrient levels while being environmentally friendly. Their products are designed to improve soil health and sequester carbon, contributing to climate-positive farming practices. By utilizing sustainable bioactive crop nutrition, Lucent Biosciences enables farmers to cultivate nutrient-dense crops without polluting groundwater, thereby supporting regenerative agriculture and reducing overall costs per hectare.

VodaSafe Inc. is a Canadian company based in Kelowna that specializes in developing innovative technologies for water-based search and rescue operations. The company has created AquaEye, a handheld waterproof device that utilizes sonar and artificial intelligence to locate submerged individuals. This device not only scans bodies of water to identify human presence underwater but also records vital rescue data and connects via Bluetooth to various identified devices. VodaSafe aims to enhance lifesaving capabilities for emergency responders, lifeguards, and recreational users, thereby improving the efficiency and effectiveness of victim recovery efforts in aquatic environments.

BarrelWise Technologies specializes in developing innovative technology to enhance wine production and analysis. The company's flagship product, the FS1 System, revolutionizes routine free SO2 checks, enabling wineries to complete the process in minutes rather than days while ensuring lab-level accuracy. This system streamlines barrel management by allowing barrel topping, sampling, sulfating, and chemical analysis to occur in a single interaction, all without the need to open the barrel. By simplifying these processes, BarrelWise aids wineries in improving operational efficiencies and optimizing their production workflows. The company's solutions are utilized by wineries across British Columbia, California, and Washington.

Open Ocean Robotics is a company that specializes in collecting ocean data using solar-powered autonomous boats. Founded in 2018 and based in Victoria, British Columbia, the company operates unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) equipped with sensors, cameras, and communication devices. These boats can gather real-time information from various locations across the ocean, providing valuable insights for environmental protection and sustainability. Their data collection capabilities are instrumental in monitoring ocean traffic, detecting illegal fishing activities, studying marine mammals, and understanding the effects of climate change. By offering a safe, efficient, and cost-effective alternative to traditional crewed vessels, Open Ocean Robotics contributes to the preservation of marine ecosystems and the promotion of responsible ocean management.

Miru Smart Technologies, formerly known as Click Materials, is a Vancouver-based company specializing in advanced materials, particularly in the development of electrochromic windows for residential, commercial, and automotive applications. Founded as a university spin-off, Miru leverages over a decade of academic and industrial research to innovate traditional thin film production. This advanced fabrication process is designed to provide superior performance at lower manufacturing costs compared to existing technologies. By focusing on strategic partnerships, Miru aims to integrate its window technology into the growing trends of connected smart buildings and voice-activated smart homes, contributing to reduced greenhouse gas emissions and enhanced energy efficiency.

Beatdapp is a music technology company that specializes in streaming fraud detection and royalty tracking for artists and music labels. Founded in 2018 and headquartered in Vancouver, B.C., with additional offices in Los Angeles and Toronto, Beatdapp aims to eliminate streaming fraud and ensure fair compensation for creators. The company's software provides real-time authentication and verification of music streams, addressing discrepancies between Digital Service Providers and rights holders. This innovative approach enhances the accuracy and transparency of streaming data, thereby increasing royalty revenue for artists while reducing potential legal issues related to royalties. With a team of industry and technology veterans, Beatdapp is positioned to significantly impact the music industry, which is projected to grow substantially in the coming years.

QReserve is a company that specializes in helping organizations manage and optimize the use of their resources, expertise, and facilities. Through its web platform, professional cataloguing services, and analytics tools, QReserve provides detailed data on utilization rates, revenues, capacity, and performance. The company's software solutions include room and desk scheduling, laboratory management, equipment libraries, property management, workplace sharing networks, and custom workflows. Notable clients such as SickKids, UBC Okanagan, and McMaster University utilize QReserve to facilitate the discovery, access, and purchase of resources for thousands of users daily.

Miru Smart Technologies, formerly known as Click Materials, is a Vancouver-based company specializing in advanced materials, particularly in the development of electrochromic windows for residential, commercial, and automotive applications. Founded as a university spin-off, Miru leverages over a decade of academic and industrial research to innovate traditional thin film production. This advanced fabrication process is designed to provide superior performance at lower manufacturing costs compared to existing technologies. By focusing on strategic partnerships, Miru aims to integrate its window technology into the growing trends of connected smart buildings and voice-activated smart homes, contributing to reduced greenhouse gas emissions and enhanced energy efficiency.

Dooly Research Ltd. is a Vancouver-based company that specializes in developing artificial intelligence-driven software designed to enhance the efficiency of sales teams. Founded in 2015, Dooly's platform automates the customer relationship management process by monitoring and sharing digital notes, fields, and tasks from meetings and customer interactions. This software facilitates the seamless transfer of information between team members and systems, thereby addressing the challenges of note-taking and information sharing. By organizing workflow systems in real-time, Dooly's platform enables businesses to minimize administrative tasks, allowing sales teams to concentrate on core activities essential for closing deals.

Routific, Inc. is a Vancouver-based company that specializes in route optimization solutions for delivery businesses. Its platform automates and enhances vehicle routing and scheduling operations, serving small and medium-sized enterprises both in Canada and internationally. Inspired by the foraging behaviors of honey bees, Routific's technology helps local delivery businesses efficiently plan routes, resulting in significant reductions in time and fuel consumption, as well as lowering carbon emissions by 20-40%. The software includes features such as intelligent route optimization, dispatch and live tracking, and delivery notifications, enabling companies to reduce delivery costs, improve driver efficiency, and enhance customer satisfaction.

Elevated Signals Inc., established in 2016 and headquartered in Vancouver, Canada, specializes in a digital cultivation management platform. This platform employs wireless IoT sensors and data science to optimize controlled environment crop production. It offers seed-to-harvest Health Canada GPP/GMP compliance record keeping, cultivar-specific workflow management, high-resolution environmental monitoring tied to plant IDs, along with reporting and analytics features. The company's cloud-based solution automates manual tasks, tracks real-time inventory data centrally, facilitates end-to-end batch production tracking, and enables instant one-click compliance reporting, thereby enhancing operational efficiency and decision-making capabilities for its clients in emerging sectors.

Industrial Plankton Inc. is a Canadian company established in 2010 and based in Victoria, British Columbia, specializing in the manufacturing of algal bioreactors for algae culture. The company prioritizes quality by producing all equipment in-house. Its flagship product, a 1000L algae bioreactor, was launched in 2012, followed by a 100L research reactor in 2014 and a full LED 1250L reactor in 2016. The company's bioreactors are fully automated, self-sterilizing, and self-cleaning, integrated with an application that streamlines the algae production process, reducing the time and skill needed by users. Additionally, an automated rotifer reactor is scheduled for launch, further expanding its product line.

Mesentech Inc. is a regenerative medicine company based in Vancouver, Canada, focused on developing innovative therapies for bone-related diseases. Established in 2013, the company specializes in a prodrug platform that delivers therapeutics selectively to bone, addressing challenges associated with conventional drug delivery methods. Mesentech's lead product, MES1007, is a bone-targeted prodrug of a prostaglandin mimetic that aims to reverse bone loss associated with conditions such as osteoporosis and Duchenne muscular dystrophy. The company's proprietary technology enhances the delivery of small-molecule and biological drugs to the bone's surface and interior, allowing for more effective treatment while minimizing side effects. This approach is particularly significant given the inherent difficulty in accessing bone tissue due to its hard surface and low porosity. Mesentech's focus on selective drug delivery not only aims to improve treatment efficacy but also hopes to accelerate bone healing and address complications associated with low bone density disorders.

Mangrove Water Technologies Ltd. is a Vancouver-based company established in 2017, specializing in wastewater desalination systems. The company has developed a modular and mobile technology that effectively treats and purifies contaminated well water, converting saline wastewater and waste gases into desalinated water and value-added chemicals for on-site use. This innovative technology has progressed from a laboratory concept to a commercial-scale demonstration over four years, reflecting significant advancements in its capabilities. The technology originated from research conducted at the University of British Columbia's Chemical Engineering Department, with support from various funding sources aimed at reducing emissions and promoting economic development.

Damon Motors Inc. is a technology company focused on transforming urban mobility through innovative motorcycle design and safety features. Founded in 2017 and headquartered in Vancouver, Canada, with additional offices in San Rafael, California, Damon develops advanced systems aimed at enhancing rider safety and situational awareness. Its flagship product, the 360º Advanced Warning System, incorporates cutting-edge sensor fusion, robotics, and artificial intelligence to provide comprehensive environmental awareness for motorcyclists. The company’s proprietary electric powertrain, HyperDrive, powers motorcycles that boast impressive speed, distinctive design, and new features such as CoPilot and Shift. Damon Motors is committed to establishing a new benchmark for motorcycle safety and sustainability, successfully appealing to a new generation of riders in the United States and internationally.

Ecoation Innovation Solutions specializes in providing greenhouse growers with advanced tools for the early detection of pests, diseases, and nutrient deficiencies that can impact crop value. By harnessing proprietary artificial intelligence and plant signal data, Ecoation's system delivers daily updates on crop health directly to growers through desktop and smartphone applications. This technology empowers growers to take prompt actions that enhance crop value, lower operating costs, and minimize pesticide usage. Based in Canada, Ecoation's innovative platform integrates elements of biology, automation, sensing, and robotics, aiming to transform agricultural practices and improve overall crop productivity. The company is currently conducting paid field trials in British Columbia greenhouses to demonstrate the effectiveness of its solutions.

Plantiga Technologies Inc. is a Vancouver-based company that specializes in biometric sensing technology for footwear. Founded in 2006, it focuses on human movement intelligence, offering deep insights into health through the analysis of movement patterns. The company's platform aims to optimize health, prevent injuries, and monitor recovery by detecting changes in functional movement that are often imperceptible to the naked eye. Plantiga's innovative foot-strike analytics technology combines the rigor of human performance analysis with the immediacy of wearable devices, allowing users to evaluate athletic performance, health, and productivity effectively.

FTSY, based in Vancouver, Canada, is an innovative footwear matching platform that simplifies the shoe shopping experience for customers. By utilizing proprietary AI technology, FTSY provides accurate size and style recommendations akin to those of an experienced salesperson, enhancing customer satisfaction and loyalty. The platform facilitates seamless integration with major point-of-sale, e-commerce, and customer relationship management systems, allowing footwear brands to quickly implement its services. FTSY's unique approach eliminates the need for traditional sizing methods, enabling users to match their feet to shoes effortlessly by simply taking a photo. Founded in 2015, the company leverages a skilled team with expertise in retail, e-commerce, computer vision, AI, and CRM to drive sales, reduce returns, and create memorable shopping experiences.

Starling Minds Inc. is a Vancouver-based company that specializes in digital mental health therapy, focusing on the treatment of stress, burnout, anxiety, and depression. Founded in 2013, it offers an artificial intelligence-powered platform that delivers online Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to enhance workplace productivity and mental health. The company provides solutions tailored for businesses, disability management, healthcare, education, insurance providers, and workers' compensation sectors. By utilizing a B2B model, Starling Minds licenses its software-as-a-service technology to employers and healthcare providers, addressing the growing demand for accessible mental health support. Their services aim to guide employees in returning to work successfully and to proactively assist those at risk of mental health challenges, helping to improve overall workplace well-being.