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-Emily, [email protected]

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Victoria's Shift Browser has named PhyCo, a Vancouver-based marine biotechnology company, as the recipient of its second annual $25,000 USD Impact Grant. PhyCo is developing compostable, seaweed-based alternatives to the plastic mulch film used in agricultural production — a category that accounts for an estimated 70 per cent of plastic in the food system, according to the press release, but rarely surfaces in consumer conversations about plastic waste.

PhyCo was co-founded in 2022 by marine biologist Ranah Chavoshi and biotechnologist Dr. Stacey Goldberg. The company sources seaweed from small-scale farmers in Indigenous and other coastal communities across Canada. It recently completed the first phase of a production-scale pilot in Portugal, where the team improved yields and reduced production costs.

"Most people think food-related plastic starts at the grocery store, but much of it is used on farms long before food reaches the shelf," said Chavoshi. "The Shift Impact Grant will help us move that work beyond the lab and get a practical, compostable solution closer to the farmers who need it."

The Shift Impact Grant, created with support from Victoria's Redbrick, provides unrestricted funding to startups, nonprofits, and entrepreneurs in Canada and the U.S. working on environmental or social challenges. The inaugural recipient, FireSwarm Solutions, has since been selected for NATO's DIANA 2026 Challenge Programme and recognized by Foresight Canada as one of Canada's leading climate technology companies.

🔐 Trust me: Douglas Magazine featured the partnership between Victoria's Sidian Technologies and Vancouver's Caseway AI, showing how two B.C. companies are targeting the California legal market without leaving home.

💰 Money, money, money: The federal government announced $30.5 million for 24 B.C. businesses navigating trade disruptions, including $1 million for Parksville-based COTA Aviation, a majority Indigenous-owned aircraft and defence manufacturer.

🩺 The future's so bright: UVic's new biomedical engineering director John White said the field is poised for significant growth in Canada, comparing its current trajectory to where the U.S. was in 1990 before accredited programmes began rapidly expanding.

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August 22 | Cursor Codechella

​This is a one-day hackathon for 150 to 200 builders, creatives, or thinkers who want to finally ship that project they've always wanted to exist. This is not a demo day hackathon.

September 21-25 | Victoria Tech Week 2026

Unlike traditional single-venue conferences, Victoria Tech Week empowers local businesses to open their doors and welcome attendees inside, offering an authentic behind-the-scenes look at Victoria's thriving tech ecosystem. From startup workshops in James Bay to AI panels in downtown office towers and networking sessions in Saanich tech hubs, participants will experience the full breadth of Vancouver Island’s innovation landscape.

Have something or someone we should know about?

Reply or email [email protected] so we can work together to spotlight the lesser-known stories of Victoria's tech ecosystem.