Platform Calgary Year In Review 2023

Calgary’s Home for Innovators… wouldn’t that be amazing? For years, this was the vision: a place purpose-built for the brave people starting businesses that both use and advance the frontiers of tech and innovation. A place where the foundations of our future economic growth and prosperity are built. A community of people and partners that surrounds these innovators with support, guidance and resources to go further faster. A place that drives faster connections between talent, ideas and capital.

2023 was the first full year of the Platform Innovation Centre in action and it is clear that our vision is becoming reality. Over 44,000 people visited last year. Over 700 founders participated directly in our programs, tapping into the wisdom of our network of coaches, mentors, and advisors. The Platform team met and consulted with another 330 people needing help navigating the resources available to them. Within our direct network, 34 startups attracted more than $40M in investments and grants to support the growth of their businesses.

The impact of the Calgary startup and innovation ecosystem (one of Canada’s most collaborative communities!) is clear. Early returns on 2023 venture capital numbers indicate that Alberta has set an investment record for the fifth consecutive year. This growth is happening at a time when investment numbers are down throughout most of the world. In July, CBRE published their Scoring Tech Talent 2023 report, showing what we all feel: Calgary has exploded onto the scene as the second fastest-growing tech talent market in all of North America. Our momentum is real and being recognized on the international scene.

And this is only the beginning. Moving into 2024 we have plans to take Calgary’s tech ecosystem to the next level. In the fall of 2023 we launched the National Bank Investor Hub. This year, we will launch new programming that will create more linkages between early-stage founders and investors. We will also continue to build relationships with industry leaders across a variety of sectors to ensure that local innovators can build a customer base and solve some of Calgary’s most complex and pressing challenges.

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 we have made in recent years has been because of this community. Together, 2023 was our best year ever, and 2024 will be even better.