Calgary among the top tech ecosystems in North America

Calgary is highlighted in the 2024 Global Startup Ecosystem Report - with tech startups generating $8.1 billion in value to the Calgary economy.

The 2024 Global Startup Ecosystem Report (GSER) by Startup Genome and the Global Entrepreneurship Network launched today at London Tech Week. The GSER analyzes data from over 4.5 million companies across 300+ entrepreneurial innovation ecosystems globally. It provides compelling new insights and deep knowledge about startup trends around the world and ranks the Top 40 global ecosystems, emerging ecosystems, and an expanded regional ranking.

Platform Calgary, Calgary Innovation Coalition (CIC), and Calgary Economic Development have teamed up with Startup Genome to spotlight Calgary’s entrepreneurial ecosystem in the #GSER2024. Highlights from the report include:

• Calgary’s tech ecosystem has added $8.1 billion in value to the Calgary economy from July of 2021 to December of 2023 — a 237.5% increase compared to July of 2019 to December of 2021 when the total ecosystem value was $2.4 billion. 
• Calgary is the 4th highest ranked market in Canada and is ranked alongside internationally recognized tech hubs including Portland, Rome, Vienna and Cairo.
• Affordability and efficiency are key features of the Calgary ecosystem. Calgary ranks in the top 10 in North America for ability to hire tech talent, top 25 for the amount of runway startups acquire on average from a venture capital (VC) round, top 30 on innovation through early-stage funding and investor activity, and top 30 on the size and performance of the ecosystem. 
• Calgary has a high density of support resources, and startup activity in highlighted sectors including cleantech, fintech, and agtech.
• Key internationally recognized features of Calgary include the low cost of doing business, global talent pool, and high quality of life.

View the full report here

“Calgary has long been defined as a city of community builders who rise to tackle any challenge put in front of us. That Calgary spirit is on full display within our technology ecosystem. All of the progress made in recent years has been because of one of the most dynamic and collaborative communities on the planet. And the best is yet to come,” says Terry Rock, President & CEO of Platform Calgary.

“Not too long ago, Calgary wasn't on the map as a world-class destination for startups or a hub for innovation. But with talent and investment flowing into Calgary, we have all the right pieces in place for our innovation economy to continue its pace as one of the fastest growing tech-hubs in the world and allow us to continue competing on the global stage,” says Brad Parry, President and CEO, Calgary Economic Development, and CEO, Opportunity Calgary Investment Fund.

“Calgary gives back. As a tech leader, I feel the calling to launch initiatives that bring this community even closer together to secure our place as one of the world’s most collaborative tech markets,” says Tate Hackert, Founder & President of ZayZoon.

"With visionary leaders like Platform Calgary, Calgary Innovation Coalition, and Calgary Economic Development spearheading initiatives, Calgary's startup ecosystem continues to go up global ranks at a remarkable rate," shares JF Gauthier, Founder & CEO of Startup Genome.