--- title: "Startup tech office space in Vancouver" description: "Where startup tech occupiers cluster in Vancouver, what they pay, and what the typical fit-out looks like." canonical: https://classa.info/cities/vancouver/industries/startup-tech pageType: city-industry lastUpdated: 2026-04-15T00:00:00.000Z license: "CC BY 4.0 with attribution to Class A Atlas (https://classa.info)." --- > Startup tech occupiers in Vancouver typically cluster in Yaletown, plan ~130 sqft per seat at mid fit-out ($105–155/sqft), and pay around 52 CAD/sqft ($38 USD) on Class A. ## TL;DR - Preferred submarket: Yaletown. - Typical fit-out spec: Mid ($105–155/sqft). - Plan ~130 sqft per seat for headcount sizing. - Class A rent context: 52 CAD/sqft ($38 USD). - Typical lease: 10 years with 10 months rent-free. - Talent depth in Vancouver: 84/100. # Startup tech office space in Vancouver **Startup tech occupiers in Vancouver typically cluster in Yaletown, plan ~130 sqft per seat at mid [fit-out](/topics/fit-out-capex)">fit-out ($105–155/sqft), and pay around 52 CAD/sqft ($38 USD) on [Class A](/glossary/class-a).** ## TL;DR - Preferred submarket: Yaletown. - Typical fit-out spec: Mid ($105–155/sqft). - Plan ~130 sqft per seat for headcount sizing. - Class A rent context: 52 CAD/sqft ($38 USD). - Typical lease: 10 years with 10 months rent-free. - Talent depth in Vancouver: 84/100. ## Where they cluster Startup tech occupiers in Vancouver typically anchor in Yaletown. Tech, creative agencies, advertising, design firms. ## What they pay Class A rent in Vancouver runs 52 CAD/sqft ($38 USD) on a 10-year lease with 10 months free. Prime submarkets sit at or modestly above the city index. ## Spec and fit-out Typical startup tech fit-out targets mid specification at $105–155/sqft. Functional Cat-B with branded reception and standard meeting-room mix is standard. ## Headcount sizing Plan around 130 sqft per seat blended (workstation + circulation + amenity). A 100-headcount startups office in Vancouver typically targets 13,000 sqft of leasable area. ## Talent angle Series B–D scale-ups prioritize flexibility and signature loft stock to attract engineering talent away from incumbents. Deep tech, film and visual effects, mining, and real estate services talent. Strong feed from UBC, SFU, and the BCIT system. Cost-of-living premium versus Toronto and US Pacific Northwest is a meaningful tenant consideration. ## Tax and lease context Headline corporate tax: 27%. Net leases dominate (tenant pays opex, taxes, insurance separately). 10-year terms standard. Free rent of 8-12 months and TI of C$60-$110/sqft typical on a 10-year Class A deal. ## Key facts | city | Vancouver| | industry | Startup tech| | naics | 541511, 541512, 518210| | preferredSubmarket | Yaletown| | preferredFitoutSpec | Mid| | fitoutBand | $105–155/sqft| | sqftPerSeat | 130| | classARentLocal | 52 CAD/sqft/yr| | classARentUsd | $38/sqft/yr| | vacancyPct | 11.2%| | typicalLeaseYears | 10| | typicalRentFreeMonths | 10| | talentIndex | 84| | corporateTaxPct | 27%| ## Frequently asked questions ****Where do startup tech occupiers lease office space in Vancouver?**** : Most cluster in Yaletown. Rent runs ~52 CAD/sqft ($38 USD) for trophy and prime stock. ****What fit-out spec do startup tech occupiers run in Vancouver?**** : Typically mid at $105–155/sqft. ****How much office space per seat should a startup tech occupier plan in Vancouver?**** : Plan ~130 sqft per seat blended. A 100-person team typically takes 13,000 sqft. ****What NAICS codes describe the startup tech vertical?**** : Representative NAICS 2022 codes: 541511, 541512, 518210. ****What is the talent index in Vancouver?**** : 84/100. Use the city profile for full detail. ## Related - [**Startup tech — global overview**](/industries/startup-tech) - [**Vancouver — full city profile**](/cities/vancouver) - [**Financial services in Vancouver**](/cities/vancouver/industries/financial-services) - [**Asset management in Vancouver**](/cities/vancouver/industries/asset-management) - [**Investment banking in Vancouver**](/cities/vancouver/industries/investment-banking) - [**Legal services in Vancouver**](/cities/vancouver/industries/legal-services) ## Editorial provenance Reviewed by [**Miriam Hollander**](/about/authors/miriam-hollander) — Lead market analyst. Last updated 2026-04-15. See our [methodology](/about/methodology) and [editorial standards](/about/editorial-standards). ### Primary sources for this page - [CBRE Marketview reports](https://www.cbre.com/insights) — CBRE - [JLL Office Insight](https://www.jll.com/en/trends-and-insights) — JLL - [Cushman & Wakefield Marketbeat](https://www.cushmanwakefield.com/en/insights) — Cushman & Wakefield - [Savills World Research](https://www.savills.com/research_articles/) — Savills - [Colliers Global Office Outlook](https://www.colliers.com/en/research) — Colliers [Full sources index](/about/sources) · [Submit a correction](/about/corrections) ## Related topics - [**Class A Lease Negotiation**](/topics/class-a-lease-negotiation) — How to negotiate a Class A office lease — the playbook from LOI to signed deal. - [**Hybrid Workplace Strategy**](/topics/hybrid-workplace-strategy) — How to size, structure, and lease a Class A office for a hybrid workforce. - [**ESG / LEED for Tenants**](/topics/esg-leed-tenants) — How tenants evaluate, negotiate, and report on ESG performance in a Class A office lease. - [**Cross-border Expansion**](/topics/cross-border-expansion) — How to run a coordinated Class A office search across multiple geographies. - [**Fit-out Capex**](/topics/fit-out-capex) — How to budget, sequence, and govern Class A office fit-out capex. - [**Lease vs Flex**](/topics/lease-vs-flex) — When premium flex (coworking, [managed office](/glossary/managed-office)) beats a conventional Class A lease — and vice versa. --- Citation: Source: Class A Atlas (https://classa.info/cities/vancouver/industries/startup-tech), updated 2026-04-15T00:00:00.000Z.