Arden Tse

Gen X

“We’re seeing more Alberta tech success stories and growth - startup growth is strong in Calgary and Edmonton is really picking up. It’s dangerous though to think the maturing of the sector is only a function of time - like wine or cheese. We still need to push hard for next growth milestones, work together as YYC and YEG. For example, there’s great research strength in Edmonton - how do we commercialize it?

Melania Antoszko

Gen Z

“The Alberta tech sector is definitely growing and evolving. We’re seeing more very early seed stage or pre-seed stage companies scale. Our tech community is very collaborative. From venture partners, accelerators, community partners and mentors, we’re all working together to give advice and support startup leaders but there’s more work to be done to connect Edmonton and Calgary, and not work in silos.”

Brad Johns

Boomer

“Growing and maturing the Alberta tech sector has taken time. The first Accelerate Fund was established almost a decade ago. Alberta now has some anchor tenants - that’s key. We need bigger tech businesses as employers to train core players that can one day spin off other companies. The sector is getting bigger, getting more sustainable and gaining momentum. Government is more engaged too, seeing tech as key to Alberta’s economic future.”

Yasmine Al-Hussein

Millennial

“A lot of tech innovation is Alberta-made and we have great talent here. How do we help make sure we continue to grow and motivate top tech businesses to stay here? Alberta is unique with its entrepreneurial spirit. That drew my parents here, and keeps me here. We need to draw on that, effectively consult with key stakeholders on real needs for growth and keep moving forward.”

David Edmonds

Boomer

“Alberta’s tech sector is still at the nascent stage of growth, in my opinion. I believe we have at least another 5 to 10 years of very hard work to do. We will never be like Vancouver, Montreal or Toronto; we are a different breed here in Alberta. But we are punching above our weight - look at the number of $1B exits here compared to our small population size. Measured that way you can see Alberta’s might.”

Arden Tse

Gen X

“Deeper tech and diversity are key. We have examples of deep tech in Alberta like G2V, True Angle, but we also have a lot of connector technology like connecting data, using AI to make an industry more efficient. Both are great but we need diversification. We need to draw on the depth of scientific innovation at U of A - spin out companies and get it commercialized. And beyond diversity in technology type, we need diversity in founders, in teams, in ways we look at important problems.”

Melania Antoszko

Gen Z

“Finding and attracting the right talent. Many of the tech companies we talk to including our portfolio companies struggle to hire key strategic positions to support the company’s growth and help them scale. We also need to better promote the tech sector as a career path for new graduates. Like Yasmine, I fell into VC and tech accidentally and didn’t learn about it in school. But it’s a great place to build your career as a young professional - without having to move to Toronto or Vancouver.“

Brad Johns

Boomer

“Record VC investment into Alberta in the last few years means we’re growing companies. The real driver of maturing the sector will be large investments. We need those to continue and to see more strong technology businesses here progress through the growth lifecycle. It’s great to see the mature tech companies becoming unicorns like Solium (founded 2001, now called Shareworks), and Benevity (founded 2008). Keep that going.”

Yasmine Al-Hussein

Millennial

“A key driver of achieving sector growth will be making sure diverse founders have a seat at the table. Unconscious biases still exist - we need to watch for them, challenge them, grow. I take my responsibility seriously to interact with entrepreneurs and investors, bring people to the table, and showcase what’s possible for anyone. Founders; you don’t need one specific skill, or type of knowledge; you don’t need to be a certain gender, age, or type of domain expert and it doesn’t matter where you're from.”

David Edmonds

Boomer

“One of the top priorities is to overcome our inability to tell our own stories inside and outside of the province. We have to become more visible. Let the facts shine through: the number of AB startups, the financings, the strength and success of our entrepreneurs. The reward will be more people believing in their opportunity here, more talent and capital attracted here, more jobs and growth here.

Arden Tse

Gen X

“Across Alberta, I want us to be talking about how we’re in the scale up phase, with more large mature technology companies. And I would love to see successful tech entrepreneurs coming back here and stepping into mentorship. I’d also like to be talking about how Edmonton’s grassroots startup community and ecosystem have grown and have the equivalent of Platform Calgary in Edmonton and the Bell Innovation Centre. ”

Melania Antoszko

Gen Z

“We need to ensure Alberta’s successes become widely known to the rest of Canada and the world - demonstrated by more exits, larger tech companies, even unicorns. Where Alberta is a world-class tech destination and tech talent choose to come here. On the responsible investing side, we need startups to build their companies with ESG impacts and net zero goals in mind, and as part of their general KPIs."

Brad Johns

Boomer

“I’d like to see a resilient, strong tech ecosystem that has the pull to attract talent here. It would be good to also see the beginnings of islands of tech expertise starting to form - core centres of tech specialty that Alberta leads in. That can happen organically, it will just take time.”

Yasmine Al-Hussein

Millennial

“I didn’t know the tech sector in Alberta existed even as an undergrad with two parents that were engineers. This is an industry of incredible possibility and we need to get it on the radar. I’d like to see every Alberta university grad knowing about the sector and feeling they have a seat at the table. We need to overcome any biases in the industry and make it inclusive. We need to see more families talking about Alberta startups at the dinner table.”

David Edmonds

Boomer

“We need 10 tech companies in Alberta with 200-300 employees. What a platform for growth that would give us. It’s time for leaders born in the 70s and 80s to take up the challenge to curate and nurture the sector. Share your knowledge and offer mentorship.”

Arden Tse

Gen X

Founders, think big. Grow from here but don’t be afraid to seek capital and partnerships from outside if that’s where your technology is best understood and valued. Your job is to be successful. We’ll have your back.

Melania Antoszko

Gen Z

Think big, think global. Alberta is still a great place for HQ your company. There’s lots of room to grow here and make an impact.

Brad Johns

Boomer

Startup teams: keep building companies. We’ll be here to support you.

Yasmine Al-Hussein

Millennial

Realize there’s no one way to get into technology - you can be a scientist, a product engineer, a business leader, a sales pro, a marketer … we need you all. Join a startup. You can learn so much, so fast.

David Edmonds

Boomer

Experienced startup leaders - please give some precious time back to the community.