Edmonton climbed 4 spots in StartupBlink’s global ranking of cities by startup ecosystem, placing it firmly in the top 100 at 91 out of a total of 1000 cities ranked.
StartupBlink is “the world’s most comprehensive startup ecosystem map and research center.” The company releases its Startup Ecosystem Rankings Report once per year, ranking 1,000 cities and 100 countries based on their startup ecosystem activity levels. StartupBlink’s ranking algorithm analyses data points on registered startups, coworking spaces, and accelerators on StartupBlink’s global startup ecosystem map, with supporting data from partners such as SimilarWeb and Crunchbase.
In a recent article, Crunchbase highlighted how Alberta’s 2019 growth is rolling over into new opportunities for 2020, despite what the COVID-19 pandemic has done to business ecosystems around the world.
“Several startups [in Alberta] are well-positioned to meet the current challenges head-on,” wrote Christiana Mazocco following the release of this year’s rankings. “[O]thers are recalibrating to new metrics and constraints by pivoting to different models. We can find opportunities in crisis and see encouraging support through the establishment of new government programs and the emergence of new resources from all sides of Canadian tech.”
Edmonton metro region company Showbie, an education app that aims to combine all the tools teachers need for assignments, feedback, and communication, saw exponential growth as a result of the pandemic as more students shifted from learning in the classroom to learning at home.
“Talent and innovation are key components of the Edmonton Metropolitan Region’s value proposition,” according to Malcolm Bruce, CEO of Edmonton Global. “International investors are looking to cities and regions that are attractive to young people, produce top talent from universities and colleges, are welcoming to immigrants and workers, and are on a clear path to growth. Our region doesn’t just check those boxes, these are our core strengths. I’m pleased to see us moving upwards in the rankings and expect that trend to continue thanks to our education system, our innovation ecosystem, and the increasingly sophisticated startups that are scaling up here.”
Learn more about StartupBlink’s Startup Ecosystem Rankings Report here: https://www.startupblink.com/
