As presented to Canada-Japan Futures Forum - March 18, 2016 - Fostering Entrepreneurship and Innovation Partnerships

1. Canada’s Innovation Ecosystem –
A Foundation for Future Growth
Dan Herman
Executive Director
DEEP Centre Inc.

2. The DEEP Centre: Focused on Canada’s Future
The DEEP Centre’s research informs action on
the two following axis:
1) Understanding the changing nature of
entrepreneurship and innovation-enabled
growth in the global economy
2) Assessing how governments and firms can
adapt and foster innovation, economic
growth and employment

3. Source: Global Entrepreneurship Monitor 2015
Canada: The 2nd Most Entrepreneurial Economy

4. Canada: Entrepreneurs Across Industries

5. Canada: Entrepreneurs by Choice

6. Canada’s Support System for High-Tech Entrepreneurs

7. Canada’s Support System for High-Tech Entrepreneurs

8. Canada’s Output of High-Growth Firms

9. Source: Canadian Venture Capital Association 2016

10. Source: Canadian Venture Capital Association 2016

11. Canada’s Output of High-Growth Firms
Since January 2014:
• One major technology IPO (Shopify May 2015)
• 9 companies have raised $100million or more
• 61 companies have raised a Series B/C or more
• 150 companies have raised a Series A or more
• The top 70 tech scaleups employ over 10,000

12. The Waterloo-Toronto Corridor
Waterloo-Toronto hosts 50% of
Canada’s top tech companies
(Series A funding or more)
Waterloo’s startup density second
in the world behind Silicon Valley
Toronto ranked12th in the world
for venture capital investment

13. Where Canada Lags Behind

14. • Talent across sectors and disciplines enabled by strong links with
world-class post-secondary institutions;
• Enabling infrastructure and financing environment;
• Government leadership in policy, measurement and regulation;
• Business culture that embraces risk and experimentation;
• Anchor industry firms who absorb and circulate talent, dollars and
ideas into their local ecosystems;
• Universities that remain on the cutting edge of research, teaching
and experiential learning.
Growth Ecosystems: What’s Necessary

15. For more:
Dan Herman
Executive Director, DEEP Centre
Waterloo
dherman@deepcentre.com
@danherman