The list is out. The Top 10 Startups for Calgary Innovation Week 2025 have been selected, and Digital Journal got a first look at the companies that will be on showcase at the Platform Innovation Centre on Nov. 3.
This year’s cohort shows the range of challenges being tackled through innovation.
Health care and accessibility stand out, with tools to support cardiovascular decisions, brain-computer interfaces that enable communication without movement, and wheelchair seating systems that cut delivery times from months to a single session.
Artificial intelligence is another common thread. It’s being applied to speed up construction bids, monitor industrial emissions without costly hardware, and reduce the hours tutors spend on lesson planning and grading.
Other startups address infrastructure and everyday experience: advanced light sources for defence and medical systems, real-time sensors to prevent oilfield pump failures, recyclable carbon fibre in manufacturing, curated tasting routes for restaurants, and virtual reality field trips for schools.
The Top 10 are being showcased as part of Calgary Innovation Week, running Nov. 3-6. At the centre of the week is Launch Party, now in its 15th year, which will take over the Platform Innovation Centre for a full-building event featuring the selected startups.
Digital Journal is returning as the official media partner this year, and a story of growth continues in the city.
Calgary’s tech workforce has grown by 61% since 2021 to reach 64,600 jobs, now representing 7.9% of the local economy. CBRE ranks the city 17th in North America’s 2025 Scoring Tech Talent report, while Startup Genome includes Calgary among the top 50 emerging ecosystems worldwide.
Here’s a look at the startups:
1) DAYY Photonics – Advanced light sources for critical industries
DAYY Photonics develops powerful light-based devices used in defence, semiconductor, and medical markets. The company designs and manufactures light sources that are built for reliability and high performance, supporting applications in laser systems, optical sensing, and advanced imaging.
Why it matters now: From national security to chip manufacturing to medical imaging, many industries depend on precise and durable light technologies. Defence systems need optics that can withstand extreme conditions. Semiconductor production requires light sources to keep pushing smaller and faster chips. Hospitals rely on clear, stable imaging to improve care.
2) HazTrack – Real-time monitoring for industrial operations
HazTrack develops sensors that track tanks and pumps in real time. Its system, HazTracker, is aimed at oilfield chemical companies that currently rely on manual checks to monitor equipment and inventory. By automating the process, the platform provides data that can help operators respond to problems sooner and avoid interruptions.
Why it matters now: Manual monitoring can be slow and costly, and equipment failures often lead to wasted product or lost sales. Real-time tracking gives companies a clearer view of operations and a chance to deal with issues before they escalate.
3) PataBid – Smarter bidding for construction projects
PataBid has developed software that uses artificial intelligence to help contractors prepare bids for electrical and mechanical work. Its platform, Quantify, automates tasks such as takeoffs, integrates live material pricing, and produces cost estimates aimed at reducing errors and saving time.
Why it matters now: Estimating in construction is often labour-intensive and prone to mistakes, which can affect both budgets and timelines. Automating parts of the process gives contractors a clearer picture of costs and allows them to move more quickly on bids.
4) Possibility Neurotechnologies – Turning brain signals into everyday control
Possibility Neurotechnologies is developing technology that allows people with physical disabilities to operate devices using only their thoughts. Its app, Think2Switch, works with a headband called an EEG headset that reads brain signals and converts them into simple commands. The system was co-designed with users and is intended for everyday use without requiring movement, speech, or technical training.
Why it matters now: Brain-computer interfaces have traditionally been expensive and confined to research settings. Making them more affordable and practical gives people with limited mobility another way to communicate and control their environment. This type of technology also points to broader changes in accessibility, where tools once seen as experimental are becoming part of daily life.
5) Symbiotic AI – Using artificial intelligence to improve heart health
Symbiotic AI develops digital tools that give physicians and patients clearer insights into cardiovascular care. Its software combines medical research with artificial intelligence to support clinical decision-making, focusing on heart health where accurate, timely choices can save lives. By analyzing patient data and surfacing evidence-based recommendations, the platform helps clinicians intervene earlier and gives patients more confidence in their treatment plans.
Why it matters now: Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of hospitalization and death, placing constant pressure on healthcare systems. Physicians have to process growing amounts of patient information, often under tight timelines. Tools that can organize data and point to relevant evidence give doctors another layer of support, particularly in complex cases. Symbiotic AI reflects a broader shift toward using technology to handle information-heavy parts of medicine.
6) Tarkka Manufacturing Solutions – Faster, safer seating for wheelchair users
Tarkka Manufacturing Solutions has developed a wheelchair seating system that shortens delivery times from months to a single bedside session. The system is designed for full-time wheelchair users with complex needs, allowing clinicians to adjust seating on the spot to improve posture and prevent injuries. It uses recyclable carbon fibre and a custom shaping process called Sit to Fit to create individualized seating more quickly and with less waste.
Why it matters now: Wheelchair users often face long waits for custom seating, which can lead to discomfort, health risks, and added costs. A faster process gives patients safer seating without delays and helps clinicians respond more efficiently. Innovations like Tarkka’s show how manufacturing changes can address both medical needs and system-level pressures in healthcare.
7) Taste the City – Guided tasting routes for local food discovery
Taste the City makes it easy to explore restaurants through digitally guided tasting routes. The platform removes common hassles like reservations, splitting bills, or figuring out what to order. Instead, users follow curated routes that let them sample dishes at multiple spots in one outing. It’s designed to make food exploration fun, efficient, and stress-free.
Why it matters now: People are looking for new ways to experience local culture, and restaurants are looking for more ways to connect with customers. Taste the City encourages walkability, supports local businesses, and helps both residents and visitors discover neighbourhoods through food. By combining convenience with community engagement, the platform turns dining into an accessible and sustainable urban experience.
8) Tutred – AI-powered tutoring for faster, personalized learning
Tutred is building an education platform that matches students with tutors and automates much of the preparation work. Its software uses artificial intelligence to handle tasks such as lesson planning, homework and quiz creation, grading, and student profiling. The company has also introduced an AI Co-Tutor that runs in the background during lessons, generating examples and diagrams tutors can use in real time.
Why it matters now: Tutors often spend significant time on preparation rather than teaching, and students can wait days or weeks to be matched with help. Automating routine work and offering instant tutor connections shortens that process. For families, it means quicker access to support. For tutors, it creates more time to focus on the lesson itself.
9) VRCORE Education – Virtual reality field trips for classrooms
VRCORE Education has created a system that lets entire classes take field trips through virtual reality. Up to 40 students can explore environments such as the International Space Station, atoms and molecules, or different career settings, all from a school gym. The company has worked with partners including NASA, the International Space Station National Lab, Lethbridge Polytechnic, and local police services to develop its content.
Why it matters now: Field trips are often limited by cost and logistics, but they remain an important part of learning. Virtual reality gives students a way to experience places and concepts that are normally out of reach, from outer space to scientific models. For schools, it offers a practical way to expand hands-on learning without leaving the building.
10) VL Energy – Digital monitoring for cleaner industrial operations
VL Energy has developed software that monitors industrial emissions using real-time data and machine learning. Its system, called ES-PEMS, is designed as an alternative to traditional hardware-based monitoring, which is often costly and difficult to maintain. The company focuses on sectors such as oil and gas, power generation, and heavy manufacturing.
Why it matters now: Heavy industry faces increasing requirements to track and reduce emissions, and regulators need accurate data to enforce standards. Replacing hardware with software can lower costs and make monitoring easier to scale. VL Energy’s approach reflects how digital tools are being applied to long-standing environmental and regulatory challenges.
