Invest Ottawa

Getting Ready for Launch: International Women's Month (IWM) 2025 That's right...it's that time again and we want you! · Experience our First IWM 2025 Community Information Session hosted by the amazing Katie LeClair and I: (Youtube): https://lnkd.in/eN-DKsPP · Watch our IWM 2024 Highlights (Video): https://lnkd.in/ejDGQgyr · Subscribe for IWM Updates: https://bit.ly/3Bfkai6 · Learn More: https://lnkd.in/eNUwp4ux On March 8, 2023, the world celebrates International Women’s Day (#IWM #AccelerateAction). This March, Canada's Capital will come together with partners across the province, throughout the country and around the world to host our 7th annual IWM 2025! The countdown is on! And your Invest Ottawa team could not be more excited. All we need is you! If you were unable to attend our first IWM Community Information Session yesterday, we are delighted to share this recording with you: https://lnkd.in/eN-DKsPP We invite you to take a listen to hear about: · Our vision for IWW 2025 and how we work together all year long to drive progress as a collaborative and connected ecosystem · The goals and outcomes we have established as a community and the many ways you can contribute · How our team will equip and support you and all partners; this includes our IWM webpage being updated now, our 2025 online calendar and social media kit - all coming in January! · Initial events scheduled and under development for IWW 2025 (with many more to come!) · Our commitment to all individuals who identify as women. This includes women of colour, transgender women, and women with gender-diverse identities including non-binary and gender non-conforming women. IWM is a powerful driver for change. All are welcome. We call on all people, teams and organizations that believe in the mission we have established as a community: to inspire, equip and empower current and future women leaders from every walk of life in every professional sphere. This is why we will come together every March to host one full month of action-oriented events, campaigns and opportunities as a collaborative and inclusive community. All are welcome - you belong here with us. We want all folks from every walk of life and sector engaged and working collaboratively to expedite change. We look forward to collaborating with you on our shared goals in the days ahead! Questions? Please message me, and: · Watch for updates at: www.investottawa.ca/IWM · Learn more about Invest Ottawa's Women Founders and Owners Sub-Committee of the Board, Strategy and the steps we have taken with our community: www.investottawa.ca/women Heartfelt thanks to Audrey Willsey, our Invest Ottawa Marketing and Communications and Venture Development teams, our fellow employees, collaborators, funders, champions and allies for your dedication, hard work and impact on this goal each year. I am incredibly grateful. And I can't wait to achieve even greater impact together as a community in 2025. Thank you all.

From navigating work permits to leveraging pathways like Free Trade Agreements, Intra-Company Transfers, and Mobilité Francophone, this blog by Green and Spiegel breaks down the complexities of Canada's immigration system to help you stay compliant and competitive. Key Highlights: ✅ Explore various work permit options ✅ Gain insights into real-life case studies ✅ Learn how to fast-track the process through programs like the Global Skills Strategy Don’t let immigration challenges hold you back from hiring the best global talent. 👉 Check out the blog to learn more: https://bit.ly/49MGvmX

🎉 What better way to wrap up 2024 than celebrating with our newest Starter Company Plus graduates? Made possible by funding from the Ontario Government | Gouvernement de l’Ontario and additional support from Logan Katz LLC, Starter Company Plus prepares Ottawa-based entrepreneurs with the mentorship and training they need to take their business ideas to the next level. Last Friday, a group of Business Advisors, alumni, and this year's cohort of 29 graduates gathered for stories on challenges and triumphs, and also shared insights on everything from adopting a positive 'refuse to lose' mindset, to overcoming loneliness, bad reviews, and never-ending to-do lists. The demand for this year’s program was simply next level: with over 190 applications and a waitlist of more than 700, Ottawa’s entrepreneurial spirit is clearly stronger than ever. We can’t wait to share the inspiring stories of success and resilience as these talented entrepreneurs embark on their next chapters. 🚀 If you're still dreaming of starting, growing, or buying a non-tech business, Starter Company Plus can help make it a reality! 📩 Sign up for the waitlist to get notified when the next full cohort launches in 2025: https://bit.ly/3BzB3ar Congratulations to the 2024 cohort— here’s to your exciting journey ahead in 2025! 🥳

Thank you Invest Ottawa! I am so grateful to have been apart of the 2024 Starter Company Plus program. It is incredible to see what you can achieve when you have the support and guidance you need to succeed! Also, thank you for connecting me with a group of likeminded individuals who I now have forever connections with, this group of cohorts was just incredible and I truly loved our time together. A special mention to Sara-Ann Perron, Paula Hopkins & Sabrina Colucci You are all so wonderful, it has been inspiring to see how you help other entrepreneurs and their businesses grow and thrive! Cheers to the end of the program and the beginning of a new chapter. 🎉

We Want You! Calling All Current and Aspiring Women Leaders, Champions, Allies, Partners and Community Members! Join Us for our First Virtual Int'l Women's Week (IWM) 2025 Community Info Session hosted by Invest Ottawa: · Mon. Dec. 16, 2024 @11 AM-12 Noon EST · Register for This Free Online Webinar-Style Event: https://shorturl.at/GeC0I · All are welcome - we are better together! Experience the inspiration, actionable insight and power of IWM · Watch our IWW 2024 Highlights (Video): https://lnkd.in/ejDGQgyr · Subscribe for IWM Updates: https://bit.ly/3Bfkai6 · Learn More: https://lnkd.in/eNUwp4ux On March 8, the world celebrates International Women's Day (#IWD). Throughout the entire month of March, our community will come together with partners across our great city, throughout Ontario, across Canada, and around the world to host the 7th Annual International Women’s Month (IWM) 2025 in Canada's Capital. Join your Invest Ottawa team and many incredible collaborators on Monday, December 16th at 11:00 AM (EST) for our first IWM Community Info Session! · This webinar-style event will take place virtually via livestream on Youtube! · A chat will be available, where you may ask questions in real time · We also welcome your questions in advance via email to [email protected] · We will publish a recording on the Invest Ottawa Youtube channel for those who can't attend. We look forward to welcoming you, all partners and stakeholders as we: · Discuss our collaborative vision for IWW 2025 · Provide an overview of the goals and target outcomes we have established as a community and the many ways you can contribute · Explore how our team will support you and our community and help you achieve your desired impact · Address any questions you may have We couldn't be more excited as we prepare for launch. Now, all we need is you! Everyone is welcome to join us. We call on all people, teams, and organizations that believe in the mission we have established as a community: to inspire, equip and empower women leaders for growth and success in every professional sphere. This is why we come together every March in Canada's Capital to host inspirational events, campaigns, and initiatives that drive collective action and impact as a collaborative and inclusive community. It builds on the work we undertake every day as an ecosystem. We want all folks from every walk of life, organization, and sector engaged and working collaboratively to help expedite change. Looking for a little inspiration as we ramp up? Hear from our 2024 IWM featured leaders in the Power of Why Productions podcast with the one and only Naomi Haile, M.S. · Angela Ashawasegai, Jennifer Look-Hong, Keira Torkko, Mary Yazdani, Mona Minhas, and Susan Odle: https://lnkd.in/e6ziZpXC · We can't wait to collaborate with Naomi again this year! So get ready! Register now! We look forward to welcoming you, and collaborating with you in the days ahead!

Ottawa's US$100M ARR Tech Titans: Building, Scaling, and Thriving in Canada’s Capital, A Global Tech Hub · Be inspired by Sean Silcoff's latest tech feature for The Globe and Mail: https://shorturl.at/zN67b Huge congratulations to the Ottawa anchor tech companies featured in "Welcome to the US$100-Million Club" · Alludo (formerly Corel) · Assent · Fullscript · March Networks · Mitel · Ross Video · Solace · Solink  · Versaterm These companies embody Ottawa’s relentless ambition to innovate, scale, and lead on the global stage. They are: · Building world-class category-leading products and solutions that dominate global markets · Inspiring and supporting fellow founders, including the next generation of tech entrepreneurs growing anchor companies here · Creating thousands of jobs, attracting hundreds of millions in investment and fueling our economy As Dani Lipkin, MD at TMX Group, aptly notes in this article: “People aren’t necessarily aware of all those names in our backyard.” Truth. Ottawa and Canada can be very proud. And there is so much more to come. These anchor tech companies reinforce that Canada’s Capital is a global tech hubs where companies scale, thrive, and create lasting impact. Our team at Invest Ottawa is excited by the entrepreneurial momentum across our city, and the opportunity to support more homegrown companies that create deep roots and scale here. These firms achieve multi-generational impact. They employ teams that grow our talent pool, support our main street businesses, and contribute to our tax base, helping to fund all the services we need and want in our city. Although Canada's overall startup rates have declined from 3 per 1,000 Canadians in 2000 to just 1.3 per 1,000 in 2022, we are inspired by the growth of our dynamic startup ecosystem. This trend was underscored by the Co-Founder Speed Dating Event hosted by our Venture Development team this month. · As shared by Nick Quain, our VP of Venture Development, "Our stretch goal was to get 50+ people, including a balance between a founders pursuing their own startup, and talented individuals interested in joining a founder with a compelling idea. In the end, we had had to cut off registration at 300 people." Learn more and watch for your next opportunity to join us: https://shorturl.at/azhou On behalf of our entire Invest Ottawa team, I want to extend deep thanks to every current and future founder, business owner, and company that is building here, fueling our economy and strengthening our community. We are very grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with you in many different ways, and celebrate your continued growth and success. Are you ready to pursue your entrepreneurial dream? We are here to help! Message me or explore our offerings for: · Tech Founders, Startups & Scaleups: https://shorturl.at/p3NJw · Non-Tech Entrepreneurs & Small Businesses: https://shorturl.at/nKt8z Take on the world here in Canada's Startup Capital and Bootstrap City!

Mathieu Grondin is here for a good time and (hopefully) a long time. 🤞 This the latest and final episode of Invested in Our New Reality: Season 14. Host Sam Laprade, CFRE welcomes Ottawa’s first-ever Nightlife Commissioner to discuss his role and vision and his wish list for a revitalized downtown. 🌆 It’s an interesting episode and a glimpse of what is yet to come for this great city. Listen now as they discuss what it means to be entertained for the new generation of young people, the value of arts and culture in a thriving city, and why Ottawa is the city where fun is happily found and definitely not forgotten. “Sometimes nightlife is taken for granted and seen as a nuisance. People tend to focus a lot on the negative externalities of nightlife. It's not what I've felt here,” he explains, adding, “I think what I've felt here is a thorough thirst for more arts, more culture, more nightlife, and that makes me super optimistic for the future.” Listen now! 🎧 Season 14, Episode 8 of Invested in Our New Reality is available on all platforms and at https://bit.ly/49zHMh8

We’re thrilled to congratulate the Invest Ottawa clients and associates recognized for their outstanding achievements at the 2024 Best Ottawa Business Awards: 🏆 Bloks 🏆 enurgen 🏆 Tease Tea 🏆 Sparrow Bio 🏆 Giatec Scientific Inc. 🏆 Pluvo by Rain Technologies Inc. These organizations are leading the way in innovation, sustainability, and entrepreneurship, and we couldn’t be prouder of their accomplishments! 🔗 Missed it? Check out the full list of winners: https://bit.ly/3Zdhqht

We Want You! Calling All Current and Aspiring Women Leaders, Champions, Allies, Partners, and Community Members! Join Us for our First Virtual International Women's Week (IWM) 2025 Community Information Session hosted by Invest Ottawa just for you: · Monday, December 16, 2024 from 11 AM-12 Noon EST · Register for This Free Online Webinar-Style Event on Youtube: https://shorturl.at/GeC0I · All are welcome - we are better together! Experience the inspiration, actionable insight and power of IWM · Watch our IWW 2024 Highlights (Video): https://lnkd.in/ejDGQgyr · Engage and Stay Connected! · Subscribe for IWM Updates: https://bit.ly/3Bfkai6 · Join our IWM Community of Collaborators on Slack · Learn More: https://lnkd.in/eNUwp4ux On March 8, the world celebrates International Women's Day (hashtag #IWD). Throughout the entire month of March, our community comes together with partners across our great city, throughout Ontario, across Canada, and around the world to host the Seventh Annual International Women’s Month (IWM) 2025 in Canada's Capital. Join your Invest Ottawa team and many incredible collaborators on Monday, December 16th at 11:00 AM (EST) for our first IWM Community Information Session! · This webinar-style event will take place virtually via livestream on Youtube! · A chat will be available, where you may ask questions in real time throughout the live stream. · You may also send your questions in advance to [email protected]. · We will publish a recording of the info session on the Invest Ottawa Youtube channel for those who can't attend. We look forward to welcoming you, all partners and stakeholders as we: · Discuss our collaborative vision for IWW 2025; · Provide an overview of the goals and target outcomes we have established as a community and the many ways you can contribute; · Explore how our team will help to equip and support you and our community to have an impact; · Address any questions you may have. We couldn't be more excited as we prepare for launch. Now, all we need is you! Everyone is welcome to join us. We call on all people, teams, and organizations that believe in the mission we have established as a community: to inspire, equip and empower women leaders for growth and success in every professional sphere. This is why we come together every March in Canada's Capital to host inspirational events, campaigns, and initiatives that drive collective action and impact as a collaborative and inclusive community. It builds on the work we undertake every day as an ecosystem. We want all folks from every walk of life, organization, and sector engaged and working collaboratively to help expedite change. · Acquire the inside edge on our planning and explore how you can help make this our most impactful IWM yet! · Register now and join us Monday, Dec. 16 We look forward to welcoming you, and collaborating with you on our shared goals in the days ahead!

Ottawa is a Global Smart Mobility Hub This week, it was an honour to celebrate an important Transport Canada - Transports Canada announcement delivered by Ministers Anita Anand and Jenna Sudds in Ottawa's Kanata North Tech Park, the largest of its kind in Canada, The Government of Canada is investing $14.6M in road safety for Canadians through the Enhanced Road Safety Transfer Payment Program: https://lnkd.in/ePJK2xSM The projects focus on impaired driving, distracted and aggressive driving, excessive speed, innovative design, testing, integration of CAVs, and the education, training and enhancement of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) We are thrilled that 4 of the 35 funded projects (totaling almost $4.2M) are driven here in Canada’s Capital: · Kanata North Business Association: Testing and Deployment of a Medium-Speed, Zero-Emission Autonomous Shuttle in Canada’s Largest Tech Park  · Carleton University: Connecting Drivers with ADAS to Optimize Safety in Level 3 AVs · Area X.O, the R&D complex for next-gen smart mobility operated by Invest Ottawa, SMEs, the City of Ottawa, NRC and other partners: Enhancing Road Safety Using ADAS, In-Cabin Sensing Tech, and Vehicle-to-Vehicle Communications to Deliver Real-Time Action Safety Messages · SMATS Traffic Solutions Inc.: Guidance for Posted Speed Limit Reductions in Support of Vision Zero These projects, and many others led by all Ottawa post-secondary institutions, startups, scaleups, SMEs, multinationals and their collaborators reinforce Ottawa's leadership, capabilities, and impact in smart mobility. Together, we are fueling solutions that drive our economy, productivity and impact. Anchored by global leaders like BlackBerry QNX (with systems in 255M+ vehicles worldwide), our thriving smart mobility cluster is comprised of 100+ companies, organizations, and institutions that contribute tech and intelligence to vehicles and smart mobility innovations of the future · More broadly, Ottawa has the highest tech talent concentration in North America (12.6%), and 94,000 tech workers · 4 post-secondary institutions with 128,000 students, 65 gov't labs, 130 embassies and Area X.O On behalf of our entire team: · Heartfelt congratulations to all selected companies and partners · Deep thanks to Transport Canada, Ministers Sudds and Anand and all companies building here Why is this so important? These startups, scaleups and their collaborators will: · Test, validate, refine and commercialize life-saving tech · Collaborate with regulators, industry leaders and researchers on R&D that lead to export-ready solutions · Enable our community to experience tech in action and provide critical feedback · Help shape road and community safety, smart mobility policy, and bring transformative innovations to market safely Together as a collaborative community, we will continue to drive smart mobility innovation, safety, and global impact here in Canada's Capital and across the country.