Two BC innovators on retaining tech talent and what’s at stake as AI raises the bar.
Canada trains some of the best AI and technical talent in the world. The key is connecting these exceptional people with companies to help them grow, compete, and succeed.
“Talent is Canada’s competitive edge, says Derek Newton, SVP of Strategic Partnerships and Business Development at Mitacs. “That’s why Mitacs is so focused on giving highly skilled innovators more reasons to stay, build, and scale here.”
A non-profit innovation organization that co-funds and connects talent, research, and industry, Mitacs has helped power that link for local tech leaders Kim Kiloh of Aspect Biosystems and David Broemeling of NanoVation Therapeutics.
Mitacs’ Katherine Janson sat down with them to talk tech talent and retention in the age of AI.
What’s the single biggest barrier preventing companies from unlocking their talent’s full potential?
Kim Kiloh: Ultimately, it’s a leadership question — do you have a clear vision, and can your team see how they contribute to it? In biotech, and at Aspect, we’re moving fast, so how the team contributes evolves over time. The people I see thrive are those who stay clear on the mission but flexible on their role. My advice: worry less about the next step on your career path, and put that energy into asking, ‘how can I contribute to what’s needed now?’ When the company succeeds, the whole team succeeds.
David Broemeling: I’m a UBC grad, and I’ve been part of two spinoff companies out of the university, so I’ve seen the talent and opportunity here firsthand. A real barrier is mentorship — transferring knowledge from experienced entrepreneurs and operators to the next wave of founders. The Bay Area has been much better at keeping its experienced innovators around to mentor young talent. For years, Vancouver saw a brain drain as people migrated south. That’s changing now, as more individuals stay, or return, invest in the local ecosystem, and help the next generation of companies grow.
What strategies can companies adopt to address talent shortages, and how do we know they’ll work?
KK: Vancouver’s tech and life sciences ecosystem is vibrant, and it’s an easy pitch. We’ve had success attracting Canadians who’ve been working abroad and are keen to return home, plus international and out-of-province hires drawn to the work and the region. We’re also committed to building the skills of our local talent through mentorship and training. It’s iterative work, and people learn fastest by doing.
DB: It’s about investing in the people we have and keeping them here — companies putting down roots in Vancouver and further developing our life science and tech ecosystem so that we get a flywheel effect: talent moves between companies, knowledge transfers, and the next generation learns and grows. We know that this is possible as we follow the example of other life sciences and tech centres in the Bay Area and Boston, where talented individuals are taking their industry experience and paying it forward.
As AI becomes embedded in everyday business, how is that changing the talent companies want, and their ability to compete for it globally?
KK: The pace of change is fast, and to really benefit from it, companies need more than hard technical skills. They need people with an experimental mindset. The talent that’s thriving are the ones who look at a problem and immediately ask, ‘how could AI help solve this?’ and then try. Not everything will work, but if you stay tenacious, the breakthroughs happen. That’s the talent that will really transform companies in this AI age.
DB: Successful AI implementation requires both an innovative mindset to explore and experiment, but also truly solid fundamentals to ensure that outputs make sense and to establish proper guardrails. The hybrid of experience and innovation is what really sets individuals apart. From my experience, co-op programs and industry-academic partnerships help bridge the gap in talent development, letting students translate what they’re learning into industry, while bringing their unique problem-solving skills.
If Canada gets the talent equation right, what does it unlock for the country?
KK: We have all the components: innovation, talent, ambition. If Canada gets this right, we stop exporting our best ideas and instead anchor global industries here. That’s what we’re doing at Aspect: building a new class of regenerative medicines that will transform how we treat disease, from right here in Canada.
DB: It’s a real opportunity, especially given the current geopolitical moment… Canada can establish itself not just as a follower, but as a leader in technology, the environment, healthcare and life sciences. By investing here, putting down roots, and retaining our talent, we can build a strong foundation and form global-leading companies that drive our economy forward and establish Canada as a pioneer in this new wave of tech.
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Why Vancouver Won’t Let Its Best Ideas Get Away was first posted on August 5, 2026 at 11:00 am.
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