DigiBC

What DigiBC does

DigiBC is a Vancouver-based, registered non-profit industry association founded in 1997 (as New Media BC, renamed in 2009) that serves as the unified voice for British Columbia's creative technology sector, representing over 250 member companies across animation, visual effects (VFX), video games, and extended reality (XR)/virtual production. The organization delivers a portfolio of programs spanning the full talent lifecycle: DigiCamps and Play to Learn for K-12/youth, micro-credential courses co-developed with five BC post-secondary institutions (Vancouver Community College, Centre for Digital Media, SFU, BCIT, Emily Carr), the Work Placement Pilot Project for post-secondary students, and the DigiConnect mentorship network. It also operates flagship events and ecosystem platforms including the Signals Creative Tech Expo (co-presented with VIFF), the Elevate growth accelerator, the Beta Lounge B2B program, and the Science World Creative Technology Gallery (1M+ visitors, CASC award winner).

The association's core technology footprint is non-product in nature — DigiBC builds no proprietary software but instead coordinates an ecosystem of partners, curriculum, events, and advocacy. Revenue is generated through three streams: recurring membership dues from six membership tiers (Video Game/IDM Studios, Animation/VFX Studios, Academic Institutions, Non-Profits, Service Providers, Individual Professionals); government grants and program funding (notably from the Province of BC Ministry of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills, Pacific Economic Development Canada, Creative BC, and the Canada Media Fund); and event sponsorships from corporate partners including Netflix, EA, Kabam, RBC/Beedie, Xsolla, A Thinking Ape, and IUGO. Its most consequential asset is its regulatory advocacy, which culminated in March 2025 when the BC government made the Interactive Digital Media Tax Credit (IDMTC) permanent and increased it from 17.5% to 25% effective September 2025.

DigiBC is governed by a Board of Directors of up to 15 industry leaders from member companies (including Microsoft, EA SPORTS, Kabam, and Disney Animation) and operates with 1-10 staff led by Executive Director Loc Dao. Its go-to-market is community-led and event-driven: it convenes stakeholders, runs talent programs, organizes trade missions (Web Summit, GDC, Gamescom, Tokyo Game Show, G-STAR), and provides advocacy, market research, and networking services rather than commercial products. The organization does not disclose pricing for membership tiers or participation costs and reports no revenue figures publicly.

Name

DigiBC

Legal name

DigiBC

Website

https://digibc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

DigiBC is a Vancouver-based non-profit industry association accelerating British Columbia's creative technology sector — covering animation, VFX, video games, and XR — by delivering talent pipeline programs, policy advocacy, and ecosystem events for 250+ member companies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Vancouver

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: DigiBC operates as a registered non-profit organization. Member companies pay dues to join and receive benefits including advocacy representation, networking opportunities, job postings, directory listings, event access, and sponsorship opportunities.
2. Government Grants and Program Funding: DigiBC receives funding support from the Province of British Columbia for programs such as the Work Placement Pilot Project (Ministry of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills) and has received multi-year investment from Netflix for education initiatives.
3. Event Sponsorships: DigiBC organizes and hosts events including Signals Creative Tech Expo, Creative Industries Week, Full Indie Meetups, and Web Summit participation, generating sponsorship revenue from corporate partners.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

DigiBC is a non-profit industry association that represents and supports British Columbia's creative technology sector spanning video games, animation, visual effects, XR, and virtual production. It delivers workforce development programs (Work Placement Pilot Project, Micro-Credentials, DigiCamps, Play to Learn), industry events (Signals Creative Tech Expo, Full Indie Meetups), an international growth accelerator (Elevate), a mentorship network (DigiConnect), and a B2B networking platform (Beta Lounge). The association runs on membership dues, government grants, and corporate sponsorships.

Product overview

DigiBC is the Creative Technology Association of British Columbia, operating as a non-profit industry association rather than a traditional product company. The organization offers a portfolio of programs and services focused on workforce development, industry growth, and community building for BC's creative technology sector. The core offerings include the Work Placement Pilot Project connecting students with creative tech employers, Micro-Credential Programs developed with five post-secondary institutions, DigiCamps coding workshops for youth, Play to Learn STEAM career exploration for middle schoolers, the Science World Creative Technology Gallery, Signals Creative Tech Expo and XR Lab, the Elevate growth accelerator for international market access, DigiConnect mentorship network, and membership services providing advocacy and networking benefits. These programs collectively support talent development, industry visibility, and business growth across animation, VFX, video games, and XR subsectors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Signals: Interactive and immersive creative tech expo showcasing bold and innovative storytelling in video games, XR, virtual production, and AI, with a focus on world-class Canadian and Indigenous works.
• DigiCamps
• DigiConnect
• Elevate
• Beta Lounge

Products and services

• DigiBC Membership Annual membership program offering BC creative technology companies and individuals benefits including industry advocacy representation, trade mission access, networking opportunities, job board postings, member directory inclusion, event discounts, sponsorship opportunities, and access to market research and reports.
• Work Placement Pilot Project Pilot initiative creating paid work placement opportunities for BC post-secondary students in the creative technology sector across animation, visual effects, video games, and extended reality. Includes orientation workshops, e-learning resources, mentoring support, and networking opportunities. Delivered over 170 student placements in 2025.
• Micro-Credential Programs Stackable micro-credential courses co-developed with five BC post-secondary institutions (Vancouver Community College, Centre for Digital Media, Simon Fraser University, BCIT, Emily Carr University) addressing talent shortages in animation, VFX, video games, and digital media. Programs include Project Management for Video Games, Production for Animation & VFX, Human-Centred AI and Creative Technology, Building Blocks of Digital Media, and Creative Technology Fundamentals.
• DigiCamps Hands-on coding workshops for youth (primarily girls aged 8-13) teaching video game development skills delivered in-person and virtually. Led by UTG Academy instructors with industry guest speakers sharing game development career experiences.
• Play to Learn Interactive STE
• Signals Creative Tech Expo Interactive and immersive creative tech expo co-presented with VIFF, showcasing bold and innovative storytelling in video games, XR, virtual production, and AI with a focus on world-class Canadian and Indigenous works. Includes the Signals XR Lab supporting mid-career and early-career XR producers.
• Elevate Growth Accelerator Growth accelerator program showcasing BC's creative technology sector (video games, animation, VFX, XR) on the global stage. Connects BC studios with international opportunities for scaling, market expansion, and partnerships through events like Web Summit Vancouver, GDC, Gamescom, and Tokyo Game Show.
• DigiConnect Mentorship Network Mentorship network bringing BC's creative tech community together, pairing experienced professionals with emerging talent through structured four-month programs supported by workshops on mentorship skills and cross-cultural communication.
• Beta Lounge B2B networking platform bringing together video game industry professionals for strategic meetings, partnership building, and collaborative opportunities. Expanded in 2025 to become a bi-annual program, supported by sponsors including Kabam and Xsolla.
• Creative Technology Gateway Scholarships Scholarship program providing fully funded training opportunities for aspiring animators and VFX artists in BC, including three full tuition scholarships at Vancouver Film School and six funded seats at Vancouver Community College's Production for Animation & VFX micro-credential course. Supported by Netflix through a multi-year partnership.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 170 student placements delivered through Work Placement Program in 2025
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Vancouver Community College (VCC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDigiBC partners with Vancouver Community College on micro-credential programs including Production for Animation and VFX and Project Management for Video Games. The partnership also supports the Work Placement Program and the VCC Award of Achievement programs.
• Simon Fraser University (SFU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDigiBC partners with SFU's School of Interactive Arts and Technology (SIAT) on micro-credential programs in Human-Centred AI and Creative Technology, developed in collaboration with DigiBC and offered as flexible, stackable courses.
• Centre for Digital Media (CDM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDigiBC partners with the Centre for Digital Media on micro-credential programs including Building Blocks of Digital Media, Minding the Gaps: Communicating Across Differences, and Leadership and Agile Production Management. CDM also co-developed workshop content for DigiConnect mentorship program.
• Emily Carr University of Art and DesigncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDigiBC partners with Emily Carr University on Creative Technology Fundamentals micro-credential programs designed to build skills for jobs in animation, visual effects, and video games.
• British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDigiBC partners with BCIT on Communication for Team-Based Collaboration micro-credential courses designed for students to develop collaborative skills for creative tech workplaces.
• Science WorldcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDigiBC partnered with Science World to develop the Creative Technology Gallery, a 3,000-square-foot immersive exhibit showcasing BC's creative tech innovations across animation, VFX, video games, and XR. The exhibit has welcomed over a million visitors since 2023 and earned a national CASC Award. The partnership also supports Dream Builder featuring Phoenix Labs' Dauntless and Animation Adventure with Molly of Denali featuring Atomic Cartoons.
• Vancouver International Film Festival (VIFF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDigiBC co-presents Signals Creative Tech Expo alongside VIFF, an interactive and immersive expo showcasing storytelling in video games, XR, virtual production, and AI with a focus on world-class Canadian and Indigenous works. The Signals expo takes place annually in Vancouver.
• Web SummitmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerDigiBC participates in Web Summit Vancouver, showcasing BC's creative technology sector through the BC Pavilion, Startup Island featuring BC video game studios, and curated B2B meetings at the Beta Lounge. DigiBC hosted the first-ever creative technology Centre Stage panel at Web Summit Vancouver.
• Invest VancouvermajorGTM or Marketing PartnerInvest Vancouver collaborated with DigiBC on Investor Tours at Web Summit Vancouver, connecting BC's creative tech studios with international investors.
• Under the GUI (UTG) AcademymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUTG Academy is DigiBC's delivery partner for DigiCamps, teaching girls aged 11-13 how to build video games from the ground up using Python and PixelPAD. The partnership has expanded for 2025 with a new delivery partner also being welcomed.
• GBH Kids and Atomic CartoonsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGBH Kids and Vancouver's Atomic Cartoons partnered on the Animation Adventure with Molly of Denali exhibit at Science World's Creative Technology Gallery, bringing the acclaimed animated series to life through themed Dream, Build, and Play rooms.
• Government of Canada (50-30 Challenge)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDigiBC is a signatory to the Government of Canada's 50-30 Challenge, committing to increased representation and inclusion of diverse groups within its workplace and board of directors.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Interactive Ontario: Ontario's trade association for the interactive digital media industry (games, VR/AR, digital content). Closest analog to DigiBC by mandate, structure, and program mix, serving a different provincial jurisdiction.
• Entertainment Software Association of Canada (ESAC): National trade association representing the video game industry in Canada. Overlaps with DigiBC's video games and interactive digital media mandate at the federal advocacy level.
• Canadian Media Producers Association (CMPA): National association representing Canadian independent producers in film, TV, and digital media. Comparable industry-association structure with policy advocacy, events, and member services.

Others

• Creative BC: BC's provincial crown corporation supporting creative industries. A direct program partner of DigiBC (joint Video Games programs, Elevate collaboration), but operates as a government agency rather than member-based association.
• Vancouver International Film Festival (VIFF): Co-presents DigiBC's Signals Creative Tech Expo. Comparable as a BC-based creative industry organization running flagship events, though focused on film rather than games/VFX/XR.
• Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television: National organization supporting Canadian screen-based industries through awards (Canadian Screen Awards) and professional development. Adjacent mandate around Canadian creative industries recognition and advocacy.
• Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF): Major Canadian film festival with industry programming, talent development, and market connections. Comparable as a flagship industry event organizer with public-facing creative industry impact, though not a member-based association.

Regional players

• Ontario Creates: Ontario's provincial agency funding creative industries including interactive digital media. Parallel to Creative BC at the provincial level in a different jurisdiction, indirectly competing for the same studios.
• SODEC (Société de développement des entreprises culturelles): Quebec's cultural industry development agency offering tax credits and funding for screen-based, digital, and interactive media. Major competing jurisdiction for BC's creative tech studios.

Emerging players

• Canadian Film Centre (CFC): National training and development hub for Canadian creative talent across film, TV, and digital media. Comparable as a talent-pipeline builder with industry partnerships, though operating as a training institution rather than industry association.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/DigiBC
• Facebookfacebook.com/232065804017
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/digibc
• Instagraminstagram.com/follow_digibc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about DigiBC