Startup Canada

✨ Happy Holidays from Startup Canada ✨ As the year wraps up, we’re sending warm wishes to all the amazing entrepreneurs, partners, and support organizations in our community. May this season bring you joy, rest, and inspiration for the year ahead. 🚪 We’ll be closed from December 23 to January 5, and returning to the office on January 6. We look forward to reconnecting in 2025 with even more programs and resources to help you succeed!

Looking for the perfect gift for the entrepreneur in your life? 🎁 Early bird tickets for the 2025 Startup Canada Tour are live! From now until March 31, 2025, enjoy a special discount on all ticket types for our Calgary and Mississauga stops: 📍Calgary | April 29, 2025 | https://lnkd.in/gRirzwda 📍Mississauga | October 21, 2025 | https://lnkd.in/gRGZFMW2 Our 2025 Tour is set to be our biggest and most impactful yet. Don’t miss your opportunity to expand your network, learn from industry leaders, and apply valuable insights to your early-stage business! #StartupCanadaTour

This year the Startup Canada team was given the opportunity to select their holiday gift from a small business. With the team being from all across Canada, we were able to support businesses from Nova Scotia to Winnipeg. Here are some gifts the team received: 🛍️ Joline Lavoie got a gift card from a local coffee shop named Smoke Bluff Coffee House. 🧶 In Myriam Wedge's past time, she enjoys knitting, and got a gift card to a local yarn shop named Fia Fia. 💇♀️ Jenn Lusby got a gift card from her local salon, Verde Salon. ☕️ Maddie Stiles got some tea from Habit. 🐱 Isabel Nolan donated the money that would’ve been used for a gift to a charity named My Grandfather’s Cat! Don’t forget to show your support to local businesses this holiday season! Happy Holidays! ❤️

How does TechPlace empower entrepreneurs to succeed? Claire Green from Burlington Economic Development shares the inside scoop on resources that make a difference. Through our partnership with TechPlace, we’re amplifying the voices of Canadian entrepreneurs and showcasing the impactful work being done to support their growth. Learn more about how TechPlace is supporting Canadian entrepreneurs: https://www.techplace.ca/

On December 16, our Managing Director, Jenn Juby, attended the Immigrant Women Entrepreneurs Holiday Marketplace in Ottawa, hosted by Immigrant Entrepreneur Canada (IEC)! Startup Canada was thrilled to help support this event through our #StartupWomen Empowerment Fund. It was an inspiring evening and incredible to see how many immigrant women entrepreneurs have grown their businesses through the support of IEC 💜 Here’s to empowering more women entrepreneurs in 2025! UPS Scotiabank

The DST Burden: Another tax on SMEs is a bad idea for Innovation in Canada We recently hosted a closed-door roundtable to better understand the impact of the digital services tax (DST) on founders and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) . While there has been a significant focus on companies with large revenues having to pay the price, Startup Canada, the IAB Canada, and the Canadian Chamber of Commerce joined forces to better understand the indirect impact this tax will have on SMEs and founders in Canada, and the findings were startling. The DST, otherwise coined by some as the “silent tax,” has an indirect negative trickle-down impact on SMEs, stifling their ability to grow, scale and innovate in this country.  The Canadian entrepreneurship ecosystem and economic growth at large have already been impacted. Startup Canada supports founders in their ask to the federal government to abolish this tax. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gU7sYQ5y #StartupGov

“I felt frustrated in my other work, I was met with red tape. I realized as a business owner, I could make more of an impact on my community.” On this week's #StartupPodcast, Shelley Montreuil tells the story of trippl inc., and how trip planning with it is so much better. This week’s #StartupPodcast Listen now at https://lnkd.in/esprPCpS In partnership with Mastercard and BDC

✨💚 A Very Merry Pitchmas 💚✨ Join us for the third and final week of celebrating our 2024 Startup Global Pitch Competition Finalists! This week, join us in celebrating - Thierry Lindor of Happly.Ai - Jenna Goodhand of Cafézia Coffee We’re also spotlighting our presenting #StartupGlobal Pitch Competition partners, UPS and Export Development Canada | Exportation et développement Canada. - With the UPS® Small Business Program - entrepreneurs in Startup Canada’s network can take advantage of exclusive discounts on UPS Small Package shipments, Brokerage services, and more at https://lnkd.in/gMeNwJYi - Ready to take your business to the next level? EDC has put together a guide for entrepreneurs on how to build an export plan: https://lnkd.in/gYJsVTDp Thank you for following along over these past 12 days as we celebrated these exceptional Canadian entrepreneurs!

“We don’t have unlimited resources; I think all startups can relate to that.” - Chelsea Mackinnon, Manager of Operations at Neuro Spinal Innovation Inc., shares her entrepreneurial journey in this tiny mic interview during our final #StartupCanadaTour stop in Kitchener-Waterloo. In partnership with TechPlace, we’re spotlighting Canadian entrepreneurs' voices to celebrate their hard work and dedication. Learn more about how TechPlace is supporting Canadian entrepreneurs: https://www.techplace.ca/

Looking Back, Moving Forward: A Letter from Our CEO As 2024 draws to a close, Startup Canada CEO Kayla Isabelle reflects on a year filled with determination, innovation, and milestones for Canadian entrepreneurs. From the Startup Canada Tour connecting over 2,000 entrepreneurs to empowering nearly 5,000 women-identifying founders through Startup Women, our programs have made a national impact. This year also deepened our commitment to tackling barriers, championing equity, and driving innovation in the entrepreneurial ecosystem. Together, we’re making Canada the best place to start and grow a business. 👉 Read Kayla’s year-end letter to explore the highlights and discover what’s ahead for 2025: https://lnkd.in/gFrYbUrg Let’s keep building together. #StartupCanada #CanadianEntrepreneurship #YearInReview