Celebrating the impact of eight years of partnership with Coast Capital
Since 2016, the Coast Capital Innovation Centre at UVic has supported more than 1,600 students and 300 ventures, contributing to the local economy, region, and even our planet.
The Coast Capital Innovation Centre (CCIC) is at the fulcrum of Coast Capital’s long-standing partnership with the ·¬ÇÑÉçÇø. Through their generous investment to UVic’s on-campus venture incubator, Coast Capital has enabled promising entrepreneurs to access expert mentorship, resources and business connections.
Coast Capital’s investment is also making a difference when it comes to equity and inclusion. The centre cultivates a diverse group of entrepreneurs, with a goal to ensure more than 50 per cent of women and 35 per cent from BIPOC communities participate in start-up programming.
Supporting young entrepreneurs is a remarkable way to foster innovation and drive positive change in our communities, and the impact of Coast Capital’s support extends beyond the individual entrepreneur. Since 2016, CCIC has supported a multitude of sectors, ranging from oceans and artificial intelligence to energy, water, infrastructure and biotechnology. With supports such as seed money, business plan competitions and co-op work terms, students have successfully transformed their ideas into viable ventures. Out of the many success stories, some are highlighted below.
Past participants
Gaze Del Castillo – ScoutBees
When Gaze Del Castillo arrived in Canada, she was unfamiliar with the dynamics of the start-up scene in Victoria. It wasn’t long before she discovered the Coast Capital Innovation Centre and found the support she needed to build her venture.
Gaze created an online service that helps international students to secure rental properties while overseas. The concept for ScoutBees came from her own personal struggles finding housing. Gaze realized that many other international students shared the same experience. Her innovative solution—which enables students to view and assess housing options—spares many students from the stresses and setbacks of finding a place to live. ScoutBees allows them to focus on their studies and experience in Canada.
The most rewarding aspect of the Innovation Centre was the transformation of my pain point during the foundation of ScoutBees. It's truly been an incredible journey being able to launch a business while navigating challenges as an international student!
Juan Orrego – Cuboh
Juan was 17 when he moved to BC from Colombia to pursue business studies at UVic. Within a few short years, he launched Cuboh Software as an analytics software company for restaurants. The following year, he joined the Innovation Centre and, under its guidance, decided to change the direction of his venture.
Cuboh now enables restaurants to manage online ordering platforms (e.g., DoorDash, SkipTheDishes, etc.) by combining them into one system. With the software, restaurants don’t need to run multiple point-of-sale systems.
Juan’s innovation has caught the attention of industry leaders. In 2019, he was named in BC Business Magazine’s 30 Under 30 list. In this same year, he graduated from Y Combinator, a prestigious program in Silicon Valley. Last year, Juan landed on Forbes Magazine’s 2023 distinguished 30 Under 30 list.
The Coast Capital Innovation Centre has given me, by far, the greatest amount of help of any organization while I was building my venture Cuboh. I attribute my venture’s success to the centre and the people running it. I don’t think I’ll ever have enough ways to thank them for their contribution.
Katie Gamble – Nature Bee Wraps
Katie started operating Nature Bee Wraps in 2018 out of her parents’ basement, but it now has a manufacturing facility with close to a dozen employees. Nature Bee’s reusable wraps are an alternative to plastic wrap and known to keep food fresher for longer. The wraps can be found in about 350 stores in North American (and one in Switzerland), including Whole Foods.
In 2023, Katie landed on BC Business Magazine’s 30 Under 30, her second BC Business accolade in a row, after taking home a Women of the Year award in the Rising Star category in the previous year.
The Innovation Center is beyond just a resource. It’s a community of like-minded individuals who work towards pursuing their passions and uplifting each other. The knowledge and connections the centre provides are invaluable. I am grateful for the support I have received.
Victor Nikolov - ANVY Technologies
As an engineering student, Victor found himself tinkering, tweaking and developing an alternative solution for garbage disposal in his dad’s home-based workshop. When he mentioned his idea to a peer, he learned about the Coast Capital Innovation Centre. This was the connection that paved the way for his company ANVY Technologies.
Victor’s invention, Sepura, is an eco-friendly garbage disposal system that takes organic waste down the sink, separates compostables and stores them in a ready-to-compost bin. The rest of the waste carries on down the drain.
The disposal system has not only been named a Time Magazine top 100 invention but also recently closed meaningful investment rounds. ANVY Technologies is currently entering a major growth phase in partnership with a world-renowned kitchen company.
Without the Coast Capital Innovation Center, my company ANVY Technologies would not have been able to undergo the significant research and development required to create a brand new proprietary device. Through the centre, I filed my first patent and found great advisors who are still with me today.