EDMONTON, AB, September 23, 2021 / PRNewswire / – Alberta’s tech entrepreneurs and startups will soon have access to a global accelerator that will help them grow their businesses.
Alberta Innovates chose Plug and Play Alberta as one of four proposals to receive funding under an unprecedented entrepreneurial initiative for Alberta – the Alberta Innovates Scaleup and Growth Accelerator (Scaleup GAP) program. The program aims to fill a scaling gap in the province’s innovation system by helping local technology companies grow and attract global businesses and investment to the province.
Plug and Play, headquartered in Silicon Valley, is a company of investors and technology accelerators with an international network of more than 30,000 startups and 500 companies, and hundreds of venture capitalists, universities and government agencies in several sectors. Plug and Play invests in more than 200 startups per year around the world.
Plug and Play Alberta will offer programs in Calgary and Edmonton and bring businesses from around the world to Alberta. They will deliver industry-specific, independent digital health and sustainable own resource accelerator programs across the province, from their main office in Alberta to Calgary and a satellite office at Edmonton.
In total, the four accelerators chosen, including Plug and Play, will provide services in Alberta with the support of a funding consortium led by Alberta Innovates.
Three levels of government invest as much as $ 35 million for the overall accelerator program in Alberta. This includes funding from the Alberta Ministry of Jobs, Economy and Innovation to Alberta Innovates to lead and manage the entire Accelerate and Scale up program. The government of Canada, through Prairies Economic Development Canada (PrairiesCan), has invested to increase funds available for not-for-profit business accelerators. At the municipal level, the initiative will also include Innovate Edmonton and Opportunity Calgary Investment Fund (OCIF).
Estimate:
“Plug and Play has a unique business model that will connect top startups with international companies to bring technology to market faster and is a key player in creating syndicated technology investment deals. We are pleased to have the power of its networks at the service of Albertans and our system of innovation. With funding from our government partners, the reach of the Scaling Up and Accelerating Growth program and the quality of global programming are unprecedented for Alberta and present a tremendous opportunity.
– Laura Kilcrease, CEO, Alberta innovates
“As we work to develop a diversified economy focused on innovation in Calgary and in Alberta, leading business accelerators have a critical role to play in working with existing local stakeholders to support local entrepreneurs and emerging businesses applying technology to solve global challenges. These accelerators will increase the pace of scale and success for our next generation of businesses, which will drive both economic growth and diversification. ”
– Marc Blackwell, Executive Chairman, Opportunity Calgary Investment Fund
“Attracting Plug and Play to Alberta is a game-changer for Edmonton and our province. they will connect Edmonton entrepreneurs with the support they need to evolve, grow and compete on the global stage in today’s impact economy. Locally, Edmontonians will benefit from job growth, new investment and economic diversity. “
– Catherine warren, CEO, Innovate Edmonton
“We are committed to becoming a central pillar of Alberta’s economy by establishing and building a long-term presence and an integrated, collaborative system. and grow up. “
– Said Amidi, CEO and Founder, Plug and Play
“The startup community that exists in the Alberta region is innovative and resilient, presenting many opportunities for growth. At Plug and Play, we are committed to helping the community, bringing our values and vision to create a vibrant ecosystem and unique compared to other environments around the world. “
– Michael olmstead, Revenue Director, Plug and Play
“As part of our global innovation strategy, BASF has long been a Plug and Play partner in Stuttgart, Silicon Valley, Shanghai, and in june 2020, we announced our anchor partnership and shared Canadian offices in Canada (Ontario). Today we congratulate Plug and Play on its announcement, where BASF has a significant presence and sees potential for market, partnership and innovation. We look forward to continuing our collaboration and engagement with innovators within the Plug and Play ecosystem. “
– Irene Yang, Director, Business Development and Innovation, BASF Canada
“Worley is delighted to be one of the founding partners of the Plug and Play accelerators in Calgary and Edmonton and looks forward to playing a role in commercializing promising clean technology and artificial intelligence companies in the province of Alberta. Worley is proud of the relationship he has established with Plug and Play in Silicon Valley and we are delighted to bring this partnership to Alberta in conjunction with Alberta Innovates, University of Alberta, other partner companies and stakeholders from the local technology ecosystem. On a personal level, being an Albertan and Calgarian, I am passionate about diversifying our economy and advancing the industries of the future, and look forward to working with the Accelerator Program to grow the economy of Alberta and Canada. “
– Pushkar rao, Global Manager, DX Lab and Digital Solutions, Worley
BACKGROUND / FAQ – Plug and Play Alberta:
Q: Who is eligible to participate?
A: This program is open to businesses from anywhere in Alberta, Canada and all over the world. The companies will be selected according to the criteria defined by Plug and Play.
Q: Why should we fund non-Alberta businesses?
A: One of the goals is to showcase Alberta’s capacity to the world and make Alberta a premier tech destination for entrepreneurs and investors. We want to attract international businesses to Alberta and create a global mindset in our local innovation ecosystem.
Q: Are there any fees to apply?
A: There will be no charge to register or participate.
For more information on this accelerator, contact:
Allison Romero
Marketing Director
Plug in and use
[email protected]
Or
Dwayne Brunner
Senior Manager, Strategic Media and Community Relations
Alberta innovates
587-572-4091
[email protected]
About Alberta innovates
Alberta Innovates is the largest and most from Canada first provincial research and innovation organization. For a century, we have worked closely with researchers, businesses and entrepreneurs – pioneers who built industries and strengthened communities. Today we look to the next frontier of opportunity in Alberta and around the world by promoting emerging technologies in all sectors. We are a provincial company providing seed funding, business advice, applied and technical research services, and opportunities for partnership and collaboration. Find out how Alberta is innovating.
About Innovate Edmonton
Innovate Edmonton, headquartered in Alberta’s capital, harnesses, unites and promotes local innovation as a gateway to solving the world’s most pressing problems. We harness the power of the public and private sectors, cutting-edge academic research and targeted investments to build shared prosperity and open international markets. Sustainable climate solutions to public health and digital education, Edmonton is a leading global center for inspiration, ingenuity and inclusion. Learn more about Innovate Edmonton and Start Edmonton, a division of Innovate Edmonton.
About OCIF
Opportunity Calgary Investment Fund was established as a wholly owned subsidiary of The City of Calgary in 2018 to support catalytic investments in the city to help diversify and transform the economy. The fund is administered by Calgary Economic Development and has a volunteer board of directors. For more information, visit our website.
About Plug and Play
Plug and Play is the premier platform for innovation, connecting startups, corporations, venture capitalists, universities, and government agencies. Based in Silicon Valley, we are present in more than 35 sites on five continents. We deliver corporate innovation programs and help our partner companies every step of their innovation journey, from training to execution. We also run startup acceleration programs and have built an internal VC to drive innovation across multiple industries where we have invested in hundreds of successful businesses including Dropbox, Guardant Health, Honey, Lending Club, N26, PayPal and Rappi. For more information visit https://www.plugandplaytechcenter.com/
SOURCE Plug-and-Play
Related links
http://plugandplaytechcenter.com
