Vancouver Island Life Sciences association (VILS) is a volunteer, nonprofit society that brings together the life-sciences community in Victoria and around the Island, and connects it with the global life science community.

Did you know there are over 50 companies and entities in the Victoria and island area working on life sciences innovations? Neither did we, until we started meeting up in late 2016, since the life science community is famously low-key and Victoria-and-Island was no exception.

Our membership and community of course includes highest-profile local life sci companies such as Eupraxia Pharmaceuticals with an over USD 400 million market cap, leading medical device CDMO Starfish Medical with global reach and tens of millions in revenue, or GuideStar Medical Devices with its unique FDA-cleared automatic safety innovation in epidural injection, but importantly includes a rich variety and growing number of life science companies, providers, and researchers at every stage of development from startup to profitable SME. See some of our community members on our community map.

Our membership is open and involves no dues (thanks to our many sponsors and supporters) ; it merely requires an interest in and enthusiasm for entrepreneurship and innovation in life sciences. Our members include biotech, diagnostics, medical devices, pharmaceutical, and software companies; local health authorities; students; secondary education institutions; local government; and more.