What Discovery Foundation does

Discovery Foundation is a registered Canadian charity (BN: 123378820RR0001) founded in 1979 by Dr. Pat McGeer and headquartered in Vancouver, BC. The organization exists to stimulate the establishment and growth of scientific and technological industries, skills, and expertise in British Columbia. Since 2010, its flagship offering, the Technology Education Program (TEP), has been the primary vehicle through which it pursues that mission, deploying $4.29M in program funding, running over 8,000 mentoring sessions and workshops, and reaching nearly 44,000 attendees across the province.

The Foundation operates as a funding intermediary rather than a direct service provider. It runs an annual competitive process that selects a curated slate of 12+ partner "Agent" organizations — including Acetech, New Ventures BC, Spring Activator, Volition, JABC, WeBC, Angel Forum, WCT-BC, SFU VentureLabs, KAST, Indigenous Tech Circle, and Synergy Foundation — to deliver subsidized programs. Programmatic offerings span K-12 youth entrepreneurship (Build a Biz Kids), Indigenous tech founders, women entrepreneurs, university scholarships, AI skills acceleration, health-sciences business development, circular-economy incubation, senior-executive leadership, and greentech research awards. The Foundation is currently refocused on the health and greentech verticals.

The Foundation is entirely funded by its parent organization, Discovery Parks, an independent and self-sustaining entity; it generates no commercial revenue and charges no fees to program participants, with donations being CRA-eligible tax deductions. It is led by CEO Dr. David G. Harper and Board Chair Kathy O'Donoghue (succeeding Tom English in October 2023), with director Jessica Verhagen (CEO of Hydra Energy) joining the same year. The Foundation has 1-10 employees and operates from a single Vancouver office.

Name

Discovery Foundation

Legal name

Discovery Foundation

Website

https://discoveryfoundation.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Discovery Foundation is a registered Canadian charity, founded in 1979 and based in Vancouver, that funds a network of 12+ partner organizations delivering technology education, mentorship, and acceleration programs to BC entrepreneurs, students, women, and Indigenous founders.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Education Foundation

NAICS

Educational Services (611), Educational Support Services (611710), Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Education Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Research & Science Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAI), STEM, Digital Literacy & Maker Education Nonprofits (BPAGADAG), Entrepreneurship Foundations & Startup Basics (EDAMAHAA), Scholarship & Fellowship Foundations and Trusts (EDADAHAC)

Keywords

• Technology education programs
• Nonprofit foundation grants
• Entrepreneurship training
• Scholarship funding
• Startup mentorship programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Vancouver

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Others, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Funding: Discovery Foundation is a registered Canadian charity (BN: 123378820RR0001) that receives all funding through the independent organization Discovery Parks. The Foundation does not generate commercial revenue but distributes funds to partner Agents to deliver technology education programs at subsidized costs.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Discovery Foundation funds and supports technology education and entrepreneurship training in British Columbia through its Technology Education Program (TEP), which subsidizes business skills development (sales, marketing, finance, operations) for technology entrepreneurs via a vetted network of partner 'Agents'. It also operates Scholarship Programs for BC technology students from underrepresented groups and Research Programs focused on greentech/cleantech and diversity gap studies. The foundation is entirely funded through its parent organization, Discovery Parks.

Product overview

Discovery Foundation operates as a technology education foundation with a single main offering, the Technology Education Program (TEP), supplemented by Scholarship Programs and Research Programs. The TEP is the core product through which the foundation funds third-party 'Agents' to deliver educational programs to technology entrepreneurs in British Columbia. These programs include mentorship, workshops, business development training, and acceleration services across 15+ named sub-programs targeting diverse audiences including youth, Indigenous entrepreneurs, women in tech, and general tech founders. The foundation acts as a funding body rather than a direct service provider, with programs spanning entrepreneurship education, leadership development, AI skills training, and investment readiness.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Technology Education Program (TEP) The primary program of Discovery Foundation, teaching technology entrepreneurs the business skills and practices essential to grow world-scale BC-based businesses — covering business development, sales, marketing, finance and operational skills — delivered by selected Agent partner organizations selected annually.
• Scholarship Programs Two scholarships for students enrolled in technology programs at recognized BC educational institutions, targeting students in their penultimate year with proceeds going toward final year tuition. Recipients must demonstrate financial need and identify as members of under-represented groups in the BC tech sector.
• Research Programs Research awards in the greentech/cleantech domain and research aimed at identifying gaps in diversity in the BC technology sector with recommendations for improvement. Includes the Ocean Plastic Innovation Award partnered with Ocean Wise and the BC Science Fair Foundation.
• Build a Biz Kids – Future Leaders Initiative Equips youth aged 9-14 from remote and rural BC communities with essential digital and entrepreneurial skills through three hands-on programs focused on e-commerce, online courses, and digital business development.
• Founder Growth Program Designed for early-stage tech CEOs transitioning ventures from approximately $250,000 to $1 million+ in ARR through 6 monthly intensive sessions covering critical growth areas, delivered in partnership with Acetech.
• Indigenous Tech Founders Program Bridges gaps in the ecosystem by empowering Indigenous entrepreneurs with culturally tailored mentorship, skills development, and industry connections through intensive cohorts and a Venture Readiness Workshop, delivered by Indigenous Tech Circle.
• Capital Connect Program Serves BC-based tech and tech-enabled companies from pre-seed to early Series A with a founder-centered approach to funding strategy development, prioritizing women entrepreneurs, delivered by Volition.

Quantifiable outcome

• Since 2010, Discovery Foundation has delivered $4.29 million in Technology Education Program funding
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

27 partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Kootenay Association for Science and Technology (KAST)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Largest tech-focused economic development association in Kootenay region. Delivers Acceleration Initiative for Kootenay Venture Network (KVN) - connecting startups with accredited investors through structured training and mentorship.
• Indigenous Tech CirclecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Indigenous-led tech community enhancing the ecosystem and celebrating Indigenous identity. Delivers Indigenous Tech Founders Program with culturally tailored mentorship, skills development, and industry connections through two intensive cohorts.
• SkypilotssupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Holistic leadership development transforming clients through self-mastery, communication skills, and systems thinking. Delivers High-Performance Leadership Program for senior executives in tech-enabled companies.
• Synergy FoundationsupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025BC non-profit catalyzing regenerative economy through circular economy practices. Delivers Project Zero Incubator supporting BC startups in circular economy with mentorship, technical training, and networking.
• Build a Biz KidssupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Registered Canadian charity developing progressive educational programming for children 7-14. Delivers Future Leaders Initiative equipping youth from remote/rural communities with digital and entrepreneurial skills.
• Central Interior Business Accelerator Society (CIBA)supportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Dedicated to empowering organizations in Central Interior BC. Delivers AI Skills Accelerator providing AI tool education for students, educators, businesses, and industry in Kamloops region.
• AcetechcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 February 2023BC's only not-for-profit organization formed by CEOs for CEOs of technology companies. Delivers the Discovery Foundation Growth Essentials Program and Leadership programs. Programs include workshops on sales culture, AI & data engineering, HR for scale-ups, and CEO leadership development.
• New Ventures BCcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 February 2023Non-profit recognizing and developing entrepreneurship in BC's start-up tech sector. Runs the largest/ longest-running BC tech competition. Delivers Sales Acceleration Program, Indigenous Tech Founders Program, and Mosaic Accelerator.
• Spring Activator Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 February 2023Social enterprise using business as a force for good. Delivers RISE Resilience: Health Innovation Investment Readiness Program and the Essentials in Startup Investment Program for founders in ecosystems with limited VC pathways.
• VolitioncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 February 2023Startup ecosystem bridge connecting founders, funders, and support organizations. Delivers Rise & Thrive Program with Founder Cafes and Capital Connect Program supporting women entrepreneurs with funding strategy development.
• Junior Achievement BC (JABC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 February 2023Delivers hands-on entrepreneurship education to BC youth. Runs Discover Your Pitch Program - a capstone experience teaching elevator pitches and investor pitching to student companies.
• WeBC (Women's Enterprise Centre)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 February 2023Non-profit helping BC women start, lead and grow businesses. Delivers Strategic Mindset Program (peer mentorship) and Digital Strategic Leadership Program for women with tech-focused or tech-enabled businesses.
• Angel ForumcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 February 2023Delivers Financing the Venture Program - helping startups and new ventures find capital through 6 online modules covering financing, capital needs, investor engagement, term sheets, valuation, and investor relations.
• Women in Communications & Technology, BC Chapter (WCT-BC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 February 2023National association advancing women in TMT industries. Delivers Speed Mentoring Program - series of speed-mentoring sessions for women in communications and technology with long-term mentor/mentee relationship building.
• SFU VentureLabscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 February 2023SFU's accelerator program for science and tech companies. Delivers Digital Marketing Boost Program (3-month online cohort) and Health Sciences Business Development Boot Camp.
• BC Technology Association (bc tech)supportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Published the Discovery Foundation's Representation & Experiences of the LGBTQ2+ Community in the B.C. Tech Sector Report (2021).
• Ocean WisesupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Ocean conservation organization partnering on Discovery Foundation Ocean Plastic Innovation Award for projects reducing ocean plastic pollution in areas including green design, waste management, clean up, or policy.
• BC Science Fair FoundationsupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Partners with Ocean Wise on the Discovery Foundation Ocean Plastic Innovation Award for outstanding science fair projects addressing ocean plastic pollution.
• Vancouver Economic CommissionsupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Works to strengthen Vancouver's economic future. Provided Green Building Market Forecast research on Metro Vancouver's $3.3 billion green building materials market opportunity.
• Women in Tech WorldsupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Presented B.C. Gender Equity Roadmap - A Study of Women in Tech, developed from 9 weeks of travel and 10 months analyzing conversations with 1,600+ women and men in 30+ Canadian tech communities.
• SFU Charles Chang Institute for EntrepreneurshipcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Interdisciplinary hub for high-impact entrepreneurship at SFU. Delivers Tech 4 Impact & Inclusion Program with tech challenges, speaker series, mentorship, and expansion of Embedded Mentors Program.
• Emily Carr University Living LabssupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Supports creative projects and entrepreneurship driven by art and design. Delivers Mentorship Program engaging experts in business, tech, interaction design, industrial design, and materials-based research for connected devices entrepreneurs.
• Kids Code JeunessesupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018National charity providing digital skills education with focus on girls. Delivers Code Create Educate Program - professional development workshops for BC elementary teachers to introduce coding.
• RADIUS (SFU)supportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018SFU's social innovation hub. Collaborated with First Nations Technology Council to hire recent graduates from FNTC tech programs for social enterprise projects. Delivers Making Shift Happen social innovation workshops.
• IndigenextsupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Indigenous business accelerator connecting growth vision with opportunities. Delivered Before Vancouver Program training indigenous students to create VR experiences of traditional villages in conjunction with Native Education College.
• PurposeFivesupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Social enterprise helping purpose-driven organizations scale and accelerate online revenue growth. Delivered Women Leaders in Tech BLAST (Business Leadership and Strategic Technology) Program.
• Women Tech FounderssupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Delivered Women Tech Founders Leadership Series - full-day educational seminars targeting specific obstacles women tech founders experience.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• TiE (The Indus Entrepreneurs): Global not-for-profit fostering entrepreneurship through mentorship, education, and networking. Comparable mission of educating entrepreneurs, with similar charter-based volunteer/mentor model — TiE operates at significantly larger global scale.
• Creative Destruction Lab (CDL): Non-profit startup acceleration program for massively scalable, science-based companies. Comparable objective-seeding science and tech founders, though CDL operates an equity-aligned model versus Discovery Foundation's pure grantmaking model.
• Mitacs: Canadian not-for-profit organization that funds research and innovation internships/ fellowships between academia and industry. Comparable grantmaking model for STEM/research talent development, with national scope versus Discovery Foundation's BC focus.
• Spring Activator: Canadian social enterprise accelerator supporting impact-driven founders. Comparable to Discovery Foundation's Agent-delivered programs (e.g., RISE Resilience, Essentials in Startup Investment), with overlapping focus on health innovation and underrepresented founders.
• Futurpreneur Canada: A Canadian charity that provides financing, mentorship, and resources to young entrepreneurs. Highly comparable to Discovery Foundation's mission of supporting tech entrepreneurs through funding and capacity-building, with similar not-for-profit delivery model.
• Junior Achievement of British Columbia (JA BC): BC chapter of a global non-profit delivering entrepreneurship and financial literacy education to K-12 students. Directly comparable as both a peer organization and an Agent partner (Discover Your Pitch Program), with overlapping youth entrepreneurship mandate.
• New Ventures BC: BC-based non-profit running the longest-running BC tech startup competition and acceleration programs. Directly comparable as both a peer organization and an Agent partner; operates entrepreneur education and acceleration in the same BC market.

Broad incumbents

• Vancouver Foundation: Canada's largest community foundation, granting across hundreds of causes including education and inclusion. Comparable as a BC-anchored grantmaking charity, but much larger in scale and broadly diversified across all causes.

Emerging players

• Engineers Without Borders Canada: Canadian non-profit working at the intersection of technology, talent development, and social impact in emerging economies. Comparable as a Canadian charity using education/program delivery to drive systemic change, though with an international development focus.

Regional players

• Genome British Columbia: BC-based not-for-profit funding genomics and life sciences research. Comparable as a regional science/tech grantmaking charity with similar BC-only footprint, but focused on life sciences R&D rather than entrepreneurship education.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-discovery-foundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Discovery Foundation