Article As Featured on Washington Technology Industry Association | By Nick Ellingson
Further fueling the growth of a thriving technology ecosystem in Washington state, WTIA announced the launch of its third Canadian Startup Market Accelerator program last month. A partnership between WTIA, Global Affairs Canada, and Trade and Invest British Columbia, the Accelerator will prepare 10 business-to-business software-as-a-service (B2B SaaS) companies for expansion into the U.S. market. The eight-week, virtual Canadian Startup Market Accelerator runs through October 2021.
“Our third Canadian Startup Market Accelerator brings together some of the most promising B2B SaaS companies across several sectors including AI, energy, fintech, security, and more,” said Michael Schutzler, CEO, WTIA. “Participants in the program will receive expert mentorship and access to investor networks to help rapidly accelerate their expansion into the U.S. market. B2B SaaS companies continue to make their mark on the world stage and we are proud to partner with Global Affairs Canada and Trade and Invest British Columbia to fuel opportunities for Canadian startups.”
Canada is home to some of the fastest-growing tech talent pools in North America. Coast to coast across Canada, from major cities to small towns, we are witnessing a transition to an innovation economy driven by the current generation of exciting Canadian startups and entrepreneurs.
Participating startups include:
- Boss Insights (Toronto)
- illuxi (Montreal)
- Boosted.ai (Toronto)
- Panevo (Vancouver)
- nmodes (Toronto)
- Asset Market (Nanaimo)
- Bandit Labs (Vancouver)
- Wedge Networks (Calgary)
- Locelle Digital (North Saanich)
- Advanced Symbolics (Ottawa)
The virtual Startup Market Accelerator includes workshops on sales, fundraising, and other stage-appropriate topics, customized to the individual organizations. The program also provides mentorship and coaching designed to help with localization efforts and U.S. go-to-market strategies. Founders will receive introductions to local companies for market validation, and local community leaders and investors. All participants will also benefit from a free WTIA membership, including access to benefits like AWS Credits, Carta Cap Table Management software, HubSpot marketing automation, Brex corporate credit cards, among others.
“Canada is home to some of the fastest-growing tech talent pools in North America. Coast to coast across Canada, from major cities to small towns, we are witnessing a transition to an innovation economy driven by the current generation of exciting Canadian startups and entrepreneurs,” said Brandon Lee, Consul General of Canada in Seattle. “Washington State is one of the epicenters of software development globally, and we’re excited to partner with WTIA and Trade & Invest BC on this B2B SaaS Market Accelerator that will help equip these 10 Canadian software companies with the tools they need to fast-track their expansion in the United States and abroad.”
“Working with our partners in Washington State, we are helping to build strong connections among entrepreneurs, innovators, and investors across the border,” said Ravi Kahlon, British Columbia Minister of Jobs, Economic Recovery and Innovation. “The Startup Market Accelerator program is a great example of how we are supporting the fast-growing technology and software innovation sectors to create thousands of jobs for people throughout B.C.”
Full article originally published on WTIA