Calgary startup sector surges into global rankings with $7 billion in economic value

CALGARY — Calgary’s technology sector has climbed rapidly up the global startup rankings, generating $7 billion in economic value over the past two and a half years and earning recognition as one of North America’s fastest-growing innovation hubs.According to the 2026 Global Startup Ecosystem Report (GSER), released Tuesday by Startup Genome and the Global Entrepreneurship Network at Vivatech Paris, Calgary now ranks between 41st and 50th among the world’s emerging startup ecosystems — a jump of 52 places since 2020.The report found Calgary’s startup ecosystem generated $7 billion in economic value between July 2023 and December 2025, placing it alongside international technology centres such as Porto, Portugal, Brisbane, Australia, and Detroit..Calgary also ranked among the top 10 startup ecosystems in North America for affordable talent, reinforcing the city’s growing reputation as a destination for entrepreneurs and technology companies seeking skilled workers at competitive costs.Perhaps most notably, Startup Genome found Calgary’s startup ecosystem has expanded at a rate four times faster than other Canadian markets since 2021. The report cited annual growth of 40% in Calgary compared to a national average of 9.6%.Headversity CEO Kelly Schmitt said Calgary’s collaborative business culture has helped distinguish the city from larger technology centres.“Calgary isn’t trying to be the next Silicon Valley,” Schmitt said.“We are building something unique: a deeply collaborative ecosystem where talent, capital, and hard-earned lessons are shared to solve real-world problems. That combination of humility, grit, and ‘we’re in this together’ ambition is why I chose to join Headversity and scale another company here.”.The report identified cleantech, fintech and agtech as major drivers behind Calgary’s growth, supported by the city’s established energy sector, expanding innovation infrastructure and growing talent pipeline.Organizations such as Platform Calgary, Calgary Economic Development and the Calgary Innovation Coalition were credited with helping build a network that supports entrepreneurs and high-growth companies.Startup Genome founder and CEO JF Gauthier said Calgary has become a leading example of how mid-sized cities can successfully develop technology sectors.“Calgary has been growing four times the other Canadian startup ecosystems, gaining 52 ranks globally since 2020, and one we constantly quote among our best-practice policy case studies,” Gauthier said..Calgary among North America’s fastest-growing tech talent markets.“Organizations like Platform Calgary, Calgary Innovation Coalition, and Calgary Economic Development can be proud of their leading role in building Calgary as a model of how mid-sized cities can execute a winning playbook.”The GSER is one of the world's largest startup ecosystem studies, drawing on data from more than 5.5 million companies across over 350 innovation ecosystems worldwide.The annual report examines startup activity, capital flows, policy approaches and economic performance, ranking the world’s top startup centres and highlighting emerging markets showing strong growth potential.The latest findings suggest Calgary’s efforts to diversify its economy beyond traditional energy industries are continuing to gain momentum, with technology startups increasingly becoming a significant contributor to the city’s economic growth.

Calgary startup sector surges into global rankings with $7 billion in economic value

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