PITCH semi-final

Innovation Unleashed: Three Visionary Startups Secure Spots in Web Summit Vancouver 2026 Pitch Final

The Web Summit Vancouver 2026 Pitch semi-final, presented by KPMG, showcased ten innovative startups competing for three spots in the final. Co-hosts Casey Lau and Melissa Caracalla introduced the distinguished panel of judges from Microsoft, The Cofounder’s Hub, KPMG, and Vanedge Capital. Each startup delivered a concise three-minute pitch, highlighting their solutions and market potential.

Elayne Wandler, CEO of eSense Health, presented a digital platform for women’s sexual health, using CBT and mindfulness, with clinical studies showing significant improvements. Huan Ho, CEO of Swell, introduced a customer intelligence platform for B2B companies, automating growth by creating a “customer journey map” to optimize workforce efforts.

Sabrina Scott, COO of CURA, detailed an electrochemical carbon capture technology to decarbonize cement, targeting 85% emission reduction by producing low-carbon cement. A pilot is planned for Southern Alberta by 2027.

Adam Nathwani, COO of Drive Hockey Analytics, showcased smart arena technology for amateur hockey, using wearables and AI for real-time performance data. Drive has nearly $1 million in revenue from paid pilots and a $5 million ARR opportunity with Canlan Sports.

Vivian Lin, Founder of ScopeDocs.ai, presented an AI knowledge layer that automates technical documentation for engineering teams, reducing time lost to insufficient information.

A special segment featured Roya Aghighi, CEO & Co-Founder of Lite-1, the 2025 Pitch champion, who updated on Lite-1’s progress in creating sustainable colorants from microorganisms, now generating revenue.

Charlotte Wintermann, Founder and CEO of REearthable, LLC, introduced a biodegradable and compostable plastic replacement made from limestone, targeting the $1.1 billion small-format packaging waste market.

Mathew Dillon, Co-Founder of LimitlessAI, presented a self-improving conversation revenue platform for service businesses, employing AI agents for 24/7 call and chat automation. Smriti Chopra, CTO of AlterEgos Tech, introduced “Figment,” virtual pet companions in magical portraits for assisted living facilities, designed to combat loneliness.

Elnathan Tiokou, Founder & CEO of vraust.ai, presented an AI platform for real-time social engineering fraud prevention. Vraust.ai detects suspicious trigger words in communications, alerts users, and facilitates one-click reporting to authorities.

The judges commended the high caliber of presentations, highlighting DealStack AI’s value proposition, Drive Hockey Analytics, and REearthable’s impactful solutions. They noted the defensibility of physical products like CURA and REearthable, emphasizing clear pitches, strong teams, and a defined path to market and revenue.

Ultimately, the three startups selected to advance to the Pitch final were CURA, Drive Hockey Analytics, and DealStack.ai. These companies will compete for the Pitch trophy tomorrow at 12:20 p.m. on center stage, where the audience will also cast their votes as the “fifth judge.”