Introducing the Finalists of the 2025 HardTech Pitch Competition

ventureLAB in Markham, Ontario, announces the finalists for the 2025 HardTech Pitch Competition, showcasing a diverse array of Canadian startups poised to redefine hardware and deep tech sectors. The competition features ten innovative companies that will pitch their groundbreaking technologies live before a panel of expert judges, with three finalists advancing to the HardTech Pitch Gala to contend for a total of $50,000 in cash prizes.

Finalist Highlights:

1. CredoSense: This startup has created portable, AI-driven leaf chambers aimed at providing rapid diagnostics for crop health in under a minute. By integrating data on leaf, soil, and microclimate conditions, CredoSense offers agronomists actionable insights for irrigation, nutrition, and pest management via a Hardware-as-a-Service model.

2. DIA Labs: Based in Mississauga, DIA Labs focuses on medical device R&D, particularly a microneedle device intended for continuous asthma monitoring. Their multidisciplinary team encompasses clinical trial experts, biomedical engineers, and regulatory specialists to ensure a comprehensive approach to device development.

3. Digitho: Offering high-volume semiconductor manufacturing solutions, Digitho employs direct patterning technology to produce powerful, cost-effective AI chips at scale, addressing the growing demand for advanced computing hardware.

4. Expertiqa Technologies: This medtech innovator develops assistive devices aimed at enhancing communication and independence for individuals with disabilities, thereby improving their quality of life through technological solutions.

5. Fibra Inc.: A women’s health technology firm, Fibra creates smart underwear linked to an application, offering personalized, non-invasive reproductive health insights through advanced textile-based sensors and data analytics.

6. Kiwi Charge: Specializing in robotics and AI, Kiwi Charge has developed autonomous mobile charging robots for electric vehicles (EVs) in multi-tenant buildings. Their technology aims to replace multiple traditional chargers efficiently while cutting cost and infrastructure requirements.

7. PROVA Innovations Ltd.: This clinical-stage medtech company is advancing mobility solutions through the WithinStride® smart insole platform, which facilitates real-time gait analysis and personalized retraining for individuals with mobility challenges, such as stroke or neurological conditions.

8. Reefers Technologies INC: This clean-tech startup is focused on sustainable energy solutions for the heavy-duty transportation sector, enhancing fuel efficiency without increasing vehicle weight and thus supporting both cost reduction and environmental sustainability.

9. Vrit Inc.: Based in Toronto, Vrit is pushing boundaries in personalized wound care with its handheld bioprinter, INSITE™, designed for autograft-free skin regeneration, catering to critical needs in trauma and defense medicine.

10. Wireless Park N Charges: A cleantech venture with operations in Ontario and British Columbia, Wireless PnC is developing a next-gen wireless charging system that allows EVs to charge automatically when parked over a ground-embedded pad, enhancing convenience and efficiency.

About ventureLAB

ventureLAB serves as a crucial ecosystem for hardware technology and enterprise software startups in Canada’s innovation landscape. Located in Ontario's innovation corridor, the organization supports initiatives for raising capital, talent retention, technology commercialization, and customer acquisition. To date, it has empowered thousands of companies to create over 6,800 jobs and secure more than $420 million in investments, fostering a globally competitive hardtech environment that contributes to Canada's knowledge-based economy.