Key Takeaways:
- BDC introduces Industrial Innovation Venture Fund II (I2VF II) with a $200 million commitment.
- Fund will invest in early-stage, high-growth companies developing transformative industrial technologies.
- Expanded focus includes critical minerals alongside advanced manufacturing, ag-tech, food-tech, and extractive industries.
- Builds on Fund I, launched in 2019, which backed over 20 companies and demonstrated measurable productivity gains.
- Initiative aims to address Canada’s productivity gap in key sectors and strengthen global competitiveness.
BDC Expands Commitment to Canada’s Industrial Future
As automation and digitalization reshape global industries, BDC announced the launch of Industrial Innovation Venture Fund II (I2VF II), a $200 million fund dedicated to supporting Canadian entrepreneurs. The initiative targets companies building next-generation technologies to boost resilience and productivity in industrial sectors.
“Canada’s productivity gap is especially acute in sectors like manufacturing, mining, and agriculture,” said Geneviève Bouthillier, Executive Vice President of BDC Capital. “With Fund II, we’re doubling down our commitment to entrepreneurs building practical, scalable technologies that are highly needed across these industries. The growing demand for critical minerals makes this investment more important than ever.”
BDC’s Building on the Success of Fund I
Launched in 2019, Fund I invested in more than 20 early-stage companies and helped close a funding gap for Canadian industrial innovators. Portfolio companies demonstrated strong impacts, including:
- Acerta Analytics reported helping a manufacturing facility reduce scrap rates by double digits.
- MineSense Technologies announced an 18.1% increase in ore production at a British Columbia mine after deploying its X-ray fluorescence system.
These results highlighted the potential of industrial technologies to increase productivity, reduce waste, and strengthen competitiveness.
BDC’s Focus Areas for Fund II
I2VF II will continue to invest in advanced manufacturing, ag-tech, food-tech, and extractive industries, while expanding into critical minerals—a sector increasingly tied to Canada’s economic sovereignty.
The fund will prioritize technologies such as:
- Robotics and automation.
- Applied artificial intelligence.
- Industrial software solutions.
“Fund II will target companies that are developing transformative solutions in areas such as robotics, automation, applied AI and industrial software,” Bouthillier said. “We believe these technologies are key to helping industrial enterprises improve efficiency, reduce waste, and remain competitive in a rapidly evolving global market.”
