Calgary is increasingly recognized as a global hub for cleantech innovation and a leader in the net-zero energy transition. Startup Genome’s 2021 Global Startup Ecosystem Report (GSER): Cleantech Edition calls Calgary an “Ecosystem to Watch” in North America and one of the top 30 of 280 cities worldwide.
“Proud, but not surprised; Calgary's top 30 ranking is an astounding feat,” said Mayor Jyoti Gondek. “Our city will continue to shape the world's direction and in the coming years, Calgary will be synonymous for being the centre of excellence for energy transition.”
Released at Cleantech Forum San Francisco, the GSER report names Calgary as “Canada’s capital of energy and entrepreneurship” and a premier North American green energy hub – one of the emerging cleantech markets globally.
Calgary was in a group of five cities ranked together just outside the Top 25 with Frankfurt, Madrid, Shenzhen and Singapore.
In December, Calgary Economic Development and Edmonton Global released the Alberta Energy Transition Study that determined the pursuit of net-zero could create 170,000 jobs in the cleantech sector in Alberta and contribute $61 billion to GDP by 2050.
“Our city has been a leading innovator in the energy sector for decades,” said Terry Rock, President and CEO of Platform Calgary. “We are one of the most highly educated cities in the world, with a high concentration of investable capital because of this sector. We are also highly entrepreneurial. This same workforce and smart capital is going to drive our energy sector along the path to net zero.”
The GSER report defines Calgary as a business-friendly city that welcomes the world. It said the city’s innovation ecosystem is strengthened by ongoing support and collaboration between government, industry and non-profits.
“Entrepreneurial innovation is essential to winning the fight against climate change,” said JF Gauthier, Founder & CEO of Startup Genome. “It will lead the way to net-zero only if we work together to eliminate the cleantech scaleup gap, so startups succeed in scaling globally at a much higher rate than now.”
Cleantech ecosystems globally are ranked in the GSER based on factors including ecosystem performance, sub-sector strengths, success factor gaps, ecosystem lifecycle, and peer benchmarking.
Alberta Energy Transition Fact Sheet
Calgary: Canada's Cleantech Innovation Hub Factsheet
For more information on Calgary’s energy and environment industry, visit our sector profile. Sign up for the next New Economy LIVE: Calgary – A net-zero leader Feb. 10 to explore what it will take for the city to meet the opportunity in the energy transition.