Our mission is to help startup founders secure meetings with Angel Investors in Canada.
+1,357
+125K
Investors in our network worldwide
Get funded in weeks not months
$6.5B
Raised by Startups on Angels Partners
71%
Of our clients generated at least one meeting
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Canada Startup Ecosystem
Overview
Canada's startup ecosystem is rapidly growing, with significant activity in cities like Toronto, Vancouver, and Montreal. As of 2023, Canada hosts around 10,000 startups, supported by a favorable business environment and government incentives such as the Scientific Research and Experimental Development (SR&ED) tax credit. In 2022, Canadian startups attracted approximately CAD $10 billion in venture capital funding, underscoring the country's robust entrepreneurial landscape.
Size of the Market
As of 2023, Canada's startup ecosystem comprises about 10,000 startups. The market has shown substantial growth, with venture capital investments reaching CAD $10 billion in 2022. This impressive financial influx highlights the ecosystem's capacity for expansion and innovation, attracting entrepreneurs and investors alike. The diverse range of industries represented within the Canadian startup landscape further enhances its market size and potential.
Key Strengths
Canada's startup ecosystem is characterized by several key strengths, including a high quality of life, a diverse and skilled workforce, and robust support for innovation and research. The country excels in areas such as artificial intelligence (AI), clean technology, and biotechnology. These strengths are bolstered by world-class educational institutions and a strong emphasis on R&D, positioning Canada as a competitive player in the global startup arena.
Major Hubs
Toronto, often dubbed 'Silicon Valley North,' is a major hub for tech startups, particularly in AI and fintech. Montreal boasts a vibrant AI research community, contributing significantly to advancements in machine learning and related fields. Vancouver is renowned for its expertise in software development and gaming. These cities collectively drive Canada's innovation, making substantial contributions to the country's economic growth and technological advancements.
Emerging Hubs
Beyond the major cities, emerging hubs like Ottawa, Calgary, and Waterloo are gaining traction. Ottawa is noted for its strength in telecommunications and software, Calgary for its focus on energy and cleantech, and Waterloo for its burgeoning tech scene and strong ties to academic institutions. These emerging hubs are expanding Canada's startup ecosystem, providing new opportunities and attracting a diverse talent pool.
Support Systems
Canada's startup ecosystem benefits from a robust network of accelerators, incubators, and co-working spaces. Notable initiatives like the MaRS Discovery District in Toronto and the Creative Destruction Lab in various cities provide startups with mentorship, resources, and access to capital. This supportive infrastructure is crucial for nurturing early-stage companies and fostering a collaborative entrepreneurial environment.
Challenges
Despite its strengths, the Canadian startup ecosystem faces challenges such as access to late-stage funding and a smaller market size compared to the U.S. Additionally, navigating regulatory frameworks and attracting international talent can be hurdles for startups. Addressing these challenges requires strategic investments and policy support to sustain growth and competitiveness in the global market.
Opportunities and Future Outlook
Canada's strategic location and trade agreements offer startups significant opportunities for international expansion. The emphasis on sustainability and green technology drives innovation in sectors like clean energy and environmental solutions. Continued investment in AI, biotechnology, and other emerging technologies positions Canada for sustained growth. The future outlook for Canada's startup ecosystem is promising, with strong potential to play a pivotal role in the global innovation landscape.
Resilience and Adaptability
The Canadian startup ecosystem demonstrates remarkable resilience and adaptability, essential for navigating global economic shifts and market dynamics. The country's multicultural society and diverse talent pool foster a rich environment for innovation. As Canada continues to invest in its entrepreneurial infrastructure and support systems, it is well-equipped to handle future challenges and capitalize on new opportunities, ensuring sustained growth and success.
How to connect with Angel Investors in Canada?
Top Angel Investors
Canada's startup ecosystem is supported by numerous influential angel investors who provide crucial early-stage funding and mentorship. Notable figures include Mike Volker, a prolific angel investor with investments in over 100 startups, and Dan Martell, known for his investments in tech and SaaS companies. These investors typically contribute between CAD $25,000 and CAD $500,000 per deal, offering not only capital but also strategic guidance and industry expertise, which are vital for the growth and development of nascent companies.
Leading Venture Capital Firms
Leading venture capital firms in Canada play a critical role in driving the growth of startups. Firms such as BDC Capital, Real Ventures, and Inovia Capital are at the forefront, providing substantial funding to high-growth companies. BDC Capital, for instance, has invested in over 700 companies, supporting a wide range of sectors including cleantech, healthcare, and ICT. These firms typically engage in Series A to Series C funding rounds, with investment sizes ranging from CAD $1 million to CAD $50 million, facilitating significant scaling opportunities for startups.
Investment Size and Scope
The investment size and scope in Canada's startup ecosystem vary widely, catering to different stages of business growth. Early-stage investments, often provided by angel investors, range from CAD $25,000 to CAD $2 million. For growth-stage companies, venture capital firms offer larger funding rounds, typically between CAD $5 million and CAD $50 million. The scope of these investments spans various sectors, including AI, biotechnology, fintech, and cleantech, reflecting the diverse and dynamic nature of Canada's entrepreneurial landscape.
Number of Investments
Canada's venture capital and angel investment activity are robust, with a significant number of deals annually. In 2022, over 600 venture capital deals were recorded, amounting to approximately CAD $10 billion in investments. This high level of activity underscores the vibrancy of the Canadian startup ecosystem, with both angel investors and venture capital firms actively seeking out and funding promising startups across a broad spectrum of industries.
Future Outlook of the Investment Market
The future outlook for Canada's investment market is highly optimistic. With continued emphasis on innovation and technology, sectors such as AI, biotechnology, and clean technology are expected to drive substantial growth. Government support through initiatives like the SR&ED tax credit further bolsters the ecosystem. As global interest in sustainable and innovative solutions increases, Canada's startups are well-positioned to attract significant international investments, fostering an environment ripe for continued expansion and success.
Support and Mentorship
Support and mentorship are critical components of Canada's startup ecosystem. Angel investors and venture capitalists often provide more than just financial backing; they offer strategic advice, industry connections, and operational support. Programs like MaRS Discovery District in Toronto and Creative Destruction Lab across various cities enhance this support, offering structured mentorship, resources, and access to capital. This comprehensive support system helps startups navigate early challenges and scale effectively.
Government and Institutional Support
The Canadian government and various institutions play a pivotal role in nurturing the startup ecosystem. Initiatives such as the SR&ED tax credit and the Canada Small Business Financing Program provide substantial financial support and incentives. Additionally, organizations like Innovate Canada and provincial programs offer grants, loans, and advisory services. This extensive support infrastructure is vital for fostering innovation, reducing financial barriers, and promoting sustainable growth within the startup community.
Conclusion
Canada's startup ecosystem is bolstered by top angel investors, leading venture capital firms, and extensive support systems. With a diverse range of investment sizes and scopes, the market is poised for significant growth. The future outlook remains positive, driven by innovation, government support, and a collaborative environment. As Canada continues to attract global investments and foster entrepreneurial talent, it stands to become a key player in the global startup landscape, contributing to advancements across various high-growth sectors.
Case Studies: Successful Funding Rounds with Angel Investors on Angels Partners
General Partner at Spark Capital, Product Guy, Fmr Founder
Most Interested In
Primarily a consumer and marketplace investor, Nabeel seeks out entrepreneurs who develop that rare combination of design and technology to transform markets. He looks for products in which the underlying technology can be complex, but are presented as a simple, magical experience to the people who use them. This is more about characteristics of the company & founders than markets, so I spend time in everything from robotics to social media to hospitality to on demand economy.
Not Interested In
Not interested in non-product experiences, so deep enterprise software where the end consumer is not the buyer is likely not a fit.
Chris Arsenault serves as General Partner at iNovia Capital. He served as Advisor at Luge Capital. His focus areas are consumer internet, SaaS and e-commerce. Chris has been an early stage technology investor and entrepreneur for the past two decades. He was founder & CEO of SIT, which was acquired by Ubizen, and helped launch a series of tech companies; Copernic, Wanted, up2 and i5. Chris believes entrepreneurship is a "state of mind", not a title nor a profession. He is a board member of the CVCA, Reseau Capital, is Co-Chair of the CIX and is an active Charter Member of Silicon Valley based C100.
Alex Kolicich
Investing in Software (Web Marketplace Saas..) &b...
San Francisco Bay Are..., U.S.A. - Canada
Previous Investments
• Raydiant:
$13000000 (Later stage VC)
• Habi:
$10000000 (Early stage VC)
• Liveli:
$60000 (Convertible Debt)
• Wispr:
$10000000 (Seed Round)
• Wispr:
$4600000 (Seed Round)
• Wispr AI:
$10000000 (Seed)
• Wispr AI:
$5000000 (Seed)
• Hexagon Bio:
$77000000 (Series B)
• Hexagon Bio:
$61000000 (Series Unknown)
• Hexagon Bio:
$47000000 (Series A)
• Alloy Therapeutics:
$42000000 (Series D)
• Alloy Therapeutics:
$75000000 (Series C)
• Mayday:
$3000000 (Seed)
• Polly:
$37000000 (Series B)
• Polly:
$15000000 (Series A)
• Deliverr:
$250000000 (Series E)
• Deliverr:
$140000000 (Series D)
• Deliverr:
$35000000 (Convertible Note)
• Deliverr:
$40000000 (Series C)
• Deliverr:
$23000000 (Series B)
• Forethought:
$1000000 (Seed)
• BenRevo:
$730000 (Convertible Note)
• Hive:
$18000000 (Series A)
Alex Kolicich
San Francisco Bay Area - South San Francisco - California, U.S.A. - Canada
Alex Kolicich serves as Co-Founding Partner at 8VC. Prior to joining 8VC, He is a Board Member at Senti Bio. He was a Partner at Formation 8. He is also a Board Member and Advisor at Chatous. He serves as Advisor at Street Contxt. Previously, he served as Principal at Mithril Capital Management. Previously, Kolicich worked as an engineer and early-product advisor at Clarium, Palantir, and Google. He was an early member of the Clarium Capital quantitative engineering team and close advisor for the early Palantir team; advising on product design and contributing to the product. At Google Research, Kolicich worked on Google Street-Views before and during launch. Preceding Street-Views, also at Google, he worked on the development and launch of the Google Checkout product. He received a B.SE in Software Engineering from the University of Waterloo and a Masters in Econometrics from the University of Toronto.
Fabrice Grinda
Investing in Software (Web Marketplace Saas..) &b...
New York, U.S.A. - Global: U.S.A., Australia, Canada, Germany, U.K., Israel, France, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, Denmark, Finland, Luxembourg, Malta, Iceland
Fabrice Grinda serves as Co-Founding Partner at FJ Labs. He also serves as a Partner at True Global Ventures. He serves as Industry Advisor at DN Capital. Previously he was a Co-Chief Executive Officer of OLX, Inc. Prior to OLX, he was the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Zingy Inc. In 1998, he co-founded and was the Chief Executive Officer of Aucland. Prior to that he worked as a Business Consultant for McKinsey & Company. He is an Investor at Knock.
Zak Schwarzman
Investing in PropTech • Real Estate (& Const...
New York, U.S.A. - Canada
Previous Investments
• Latchel:
$4380000 (Early stage VC)
• Hoozip:
$250000 (Seed Round)
• WeSmartPark:
$250000 (Seed Round)
• Travtus:
$250000 (Seed Round)
• BlocPower:
$250000 (Seed Round)
• Streamline:
$250000 (Seed Round)
• OnSiteIQ:
(Seed Round)
• Jabbrrbox:
• The Lieu:
• Jones:
$4600000 (Seed Round)
• Sheltr:
$3200000 (Seed Round)
• Connect Homes:
$11000000 (Series A)
• Attentive:
$1000000 (Seed Round)
• Proper:
$3300000 (Seed Round)
• HqO:
$6600000 (Seed Round)
• Blueprint Power:
$3500000 (Series A)
• Spacious:
$9100000 (Series A)
• Flo Technologies:
$7800000 (Series A)
• HomeLight:
$40000000 (Series B)
• Backbone Labs, Inc.:
(Convertible Note)
• Obie:
(Pre Seed Round)
• Kwant.ai:
(Pre Seed Round)
• Urbint:
(Series A)
• Side:
$1300000 (Seed Round)
• Suiteness:
(Seed Round)
• Dynasty.com:
(Seed Round)
• Juno:
(Series A)
• Zeus Living:
$2600000 (Seed Round)
• Jetty:
$4000000 (Seed Round)
• Notion, a Comcast Company:
(Seed Round)
• Avail:
$750000 (Seed Round)
• Bowery:
$1600000 (Seed Round)
• Ravti:
(Seed Round)
• Enertiv:
$550000 (Angel Round)
• Radiator Labs, Inc:
$220000 (Seed Round)
• Milo:
$950000 (Seed Round)
• Tongo:
$7000000 (Seed)
• Enkasa:
$3000000 (Seed)
• Higharc:
$21000000 (Series A)
• Till:
$8000000 (Seed)
• Till:
(Seed)
• Briq:
$10000000 (Series A)
• Briq:
$3000000 (Seed)
• Briq:
$3000000 (Seed)
• Vergesense:
$9000000 (Series A)
• Avvir:
$200000 (Seed)
• PadSplit:
$3000000 (Seed)
• Workframe:
$10000000 (Series B)
• Eave:
(Series A)
• Spruce:
$2000000 (Seed)
• Ergeon:
(Funding Round)
• Bizly:
$3000000 (Seed)
Zak Schwarzman
New York, U.S.A. - Canada
Investing In
PropTech • Real Estate (& Construction) • Woman Focused
Description
All PropTech, all the time.
Principal @gotham-ventures
Previously @canaan-partners @aol-ventures @learn-capital
@kauffman-fellows-program @insite Fellow
@columbia-business-school MBA
Andrew Parker
Investing in Software (Web Marketplace Saas..) &b...
Boston , San Francisc..., U.S.A. - Canada
Previous Investments
• Confirm:
$6000000 (Series A)
• Guide:
$8000000 (Seed)
• AllHere Education:
$8000000 (Series A)
• Carta:
$30000000 (Series D)
• Carta:
$42000000 (Series C)
• Carta:
$17000000 (Series B)
• Nylas:
$16000000 (Series B)
• Panorama Education:
$16000000 (Series B)
• Panorama Education:
$12000000 (Series A)
• Particle:
$20000000 (Series B)
• Panjo:
$5000000 (Series A)
• Panjo:
$2000000 (Seed)
• Socratic:
$6000000 (Series A)
• Socratic:
$2000000 (Seed)
• Kik:
$38000000 (Series C)
• Kik:
$20000000 (Series B)
• Kik:
$8000000 (Series A)
• Quantopian:
$15000000 (Series B)
• Quantopian:
$7000000 (Series A)
• Quantopian:
$2000000 (Seed)
• BloomNation:
$6000000 (Series A)
• BloomNation:
$2000000 (Seed)
• Timehop:
$10000000 (Series B)
• Timehop:
$3000000 (Series A)
• Timehop:
$1000000 (Seed)
• Cover:
$6000000 (Series A)
• Upworthy:
$8000000 (Series A)
Andrew Parker
Boston - San Francisco Bay Area - California, U.S.A. - Canada
Investing In
Software (Web Marketplace Saas..) • CleanTech
Description
Andrew Parker serves as General Partner at Spero Ventures. He joined the investment team in June 2010. He is an Angel Investor. He was a member of the investment team at Union Square Ventures for four years, first as an Analyst and later as an Associate. During that tenure, he supported the partners as they developed their portfolio from seven to thirty names, and sourced the investment opportunities in Heyzap and Foursquare. Prior to Union Square Ventures, Parker was a Producer at Homestead Technologies where he designed web interfaces, managed the realization of the designs through the dev-cycle, and conducted user experience testing. Prior to Homestead, he worked for Groupspace.org as a Developer on a web service for asynchronous online deliberation, built on the LAMP stack. A graduate from Stanford in 2005, Parker received his B.S. in Symbolic Systems, which is a hybrid of Computer Science and Cognitive Psychology.
David Mort
Investing in FinTech (& Financials services) &bul...
Applications that leverage conversational interfaces and messaging platforms to facilitate more targeted, topical and frequent customer-company engagements.
Not Interested In
Anything competing against a strong open-source alternative.
Most Interested In
New computing technologies (ML/AI, decentralization, sensor fusion, ...) applied to "traditional" industries, computational bio, decentralized services and governance.
Not Interested In
Consumer, gaming, startups not in the US and Canada.
Michael Ma
Investing in Software (Web Marketplace Saas..) &b...
San Francisco Bay Are..., U.S.A. - Canada
Previous Investments
• Resident Boost:
$1500000 (Seed Round)
• Copilot:
$10000000 (Series A)
• Aviator:
(Seed)
• AO Labs:
$5000000 (Seed)
• Palette:
$6000000 (Seed)
• ContaLink:
$2000000 (Seed)
• Neo.Tax:
$10000000 (Series A)
• Neo.Tax:
$3000000 (Seed)
• Utoppia:
$5000000 (Seed)
• Ancana:
$3000000 (Seed)
• Lendflow:
$3000000 (Seed)
• Walnut:
$3000000 (Seed)
• Artifact:
$2000000 (Pre Seed)
• Rogue Games:
$2000000 (Seed)
• Aesthetic:
$3000000 (Seed)
• Pipe:
$6000000 (Seed Round)
• Pipe:
$6000000 (Seed)
• Naborly:
$8000000 (Seed)
• Flatfile:
$2000000 (Pre Seed)
• Pair Team:
$3000000 (Seed)
• Simetrik:
$2000000 (Pre Seed)
• Mighty Buildings:
$26000000 (Series A)
• Pronto:
$2000000 (Seed)
• Mutiny:
$3000000 (Seed)
• Root AI:
$2000000 (Seed)
• Reali:
$1000000 (Seed)
Michael Ma
San Francisco Bay Area - LatAm (Latin ), U.S.A. - Canada
Investing in FinTech (& Financials services) &bul...
Salt Lake City , New ..., Canada - U.S.A.
Previous Investments
• Kira Talent:
$3200000
• Goose (Insurance Brokers):
$2250000
• Finaeo Inc.:
• PerfectlySoft Inc.:
(early stage)
• Sensibill Inc.:
(early stage)
• Impression Ventures:
(early stage)
• The Next 36:
(early stage)
• Virtual Greats:
• Millions of Us:
• Orbital Fire:
• 401GO:
$2000000 (Seed)
• Finaeo:
$4000000 (Seed)
• Finaeo:
$2000000 (Pre Seed)
• Sensibill:
$17000000 (Series A)
• Sensibill:
$2000000 (Seed)
• Wealthsimple:
$2000000 (Seed)
• Wealthsimple:
(Seed)
Christian Lassonde
Salt Lake City - New York - Toronto (Ontario) - Toronto (), Canada - U.S.A.
Investing In
FinTech (& Financials services) • Payments
Description
Fintech VC - that’s it. Super boring.
Fintech VC- that’s it. Super boring.
Most Interested In
Companies disrupting all aspects of financial services with technology (fintech)
Not Interested In
Anything that is not fintech
Christian Lassonde is the Founder and serves as Managing Partner at Impression Ventures. He serves as a Board member of Finaeo. Lassonde is a tech founder and CEO, having built and sold Virtual Greats, a luxury online IP rights broker, and Millions of Us, a digital agency. He has also taught high-growth technology entrepreneurship at The Next 36 to over 30 companies. Those companies have gone on to build successful products and raise millions of dollars in follow-on financing. Christian spent a decade in San Francisco selling and building software for Second Life, LucasArts and Electronic Arts to customers Sony, Nike, Warner Brothers, General Motors, Coke, Intel and many more Fortune 500 companies. He holds an MBA from the USF, a BESc in computer engineering and a BSc in computer science from Western. Christian is currently Vice-Chair of SickKids Foundation, Chair of the TFS Foundation, serves on the Fintech Advisory Council for the Ontario Securities Commission, and a former Governor of the Board of Western University.
Jonathan Medved
Investing in Businesses Solutions • HealthTe...
San Francisco Bay Area, Israel - Global: U.S.A., Australia, Canada, Germany, U.K., Israel, France, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, Denmark, Finland, Luxembourg, Malta, Iceland
Previous Investments
• TetaVi:
$20000000 (Series A)
• SaNOtize:
$24000000 (Series B)
• Sotero:
$8000000 (Seed)
• MAOLAC:
$3000000 (Seed)
• BioLumic:
$14000000 (Series B)
• Mermade Seafoods:
$3000000 (Seed)
• Oriient:
$11000000 (Series A)
• Sequentify:
$7000000 (Seed)
• Rewire:
$25000000 (Series Unknown)
• Rewire:
$20000000 (Series B)
• JumpCloud:
$66000000 (Series F)
• Zippin:
$30000000 (Series B)
• Yoom:
$20000000 (Series A)
• MaterialsZone:
$6000000 (Series A)
• Edgybees:
$10000000 (Series A)
• OncoHost:
$8000000 (Series B)
• Superpedestrian:
$60000000 (Series Unknown)
• MigVax:
$12000000 (Series Unknown)
• MedAware:
$8000000 (Series A)
• MedAware:
$1000000 (Convertible Note)
• MedAware:
$1000000 (Series Unknown)
• Wave:
$10000000 (Series C)
• Peer39:
$500000 (Seed)
• Answers Corporation:
$1000000 (Series B)
Jonathan Medved
San Francisco Bay Area, Israel - Global: U.S.A., Australia, Canada, Germany, U.K., Israel, France, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, Denmark, Finland, Luxembourg, Malta, Iceland
+1,357
