Vancouver Incubator Althra Launches to Support Tech Founders

A new incubator is arriving in Vancouver this fall with the aim of fostering early-stage tech startups. Althra, set to launch its first cohort in September 2025, will offer support to Canadian founders focused on building their products in person.

Althra’s Vision

Sanket Mittal, founder of Althra and former analyst at Graphite Ventures, is behind this new venture. He shared his vision for the incubator. Althra seeks to assist early-stage tech founders by providing them with a workspace and mentorship.

“A key thesis for [Althra] was building in person.”

Sanket Mittal,
Althra

This incubator, which will not take equity, will provide a dedicated workspace open around the clock. The program will run from September to December 2025 and will conclude with a demo day for potential investors.

Mentorship and Community

Althra will offer mentorship from established Vancouver entrepreneurs across sectors. These include Aaron Upright of ZenHub, Matt York of Loopio, and William Johnson, now vice-president of strategy and operations at Overstory Media. These mentors are volunteering their time and expertise.

“I’m also deeply bullish on the power of early-stage ideas being built in person. There’s real magic when ambitious people share space and momentum.”

—Matt York, Loopio co-founder and CTO

In 2023, the Canadian tech sector witnessed a 12% decrease in venture capital funding compared to the previous year, highlighting the challenges faced by startups (Government of Canada, 2023).

Building a Tech Ecosystem

Adam McKilligan, regional manager at The Acquisition Group, which is donating office space, emphasized the need for hubs. He noted that Vancouver’s tech community is in need of more spaces to foster collaboration. Sean Elbe from CDL Vancouver, agreed that any new group with the intention of fostering community is beneficial.

Mittal, who noticed gaps during his time at Graphite Ventures, seeks to address the lack of early-stage generalist tech startup incubators in Vancouver. He hopes to build a community to connect with the existing, although somewhat fragmented, tech ecosystem.

With the launch of Althra, Vancouver’s tech landscape is set to welcome a new space for innovation and collaboration.