At BetaKit, we try to provide as many resources as possible to aid the Canadian startup community. Resources like the Job Board and the BetaKit.Fund, for example – resources to help your company grow.
One of our most popular resources has been the our list of Canadian Accelerator Programs. But it only covers a small fraction of the institutions available to Canadian startups, and to be honest, was getting a little long in the tooth from a web design perspective.
So when Cory Rosenfield, co-founder of Qoints, reached out about a joint innitiative between him and Toronto incubator, INcubes, we became extremely excited. Using Mapme as a platform, the Canadian Startup Map is a collection of over 600 accelerators, startups, investors, and services in the Canadian startup ecosystem, providing both visual reference and important contact information into one place.
Now, with the size of Canada (and its startup ecosystem!), 600 locations isn’t all of them. DON’T WORRY. The Canadian Startup Map lets you create a Mapme account and add any companies, hubs, and institutions that might be missing, or take ownership of pre-existing locations to ensure information is up to date. Mapme’s platform allows this community map to be a community endeavor, and more features and tweaks are being added all the time.
I’d like to thank the teams at Qoints and INcubes for getting this project started (600 is a lot of map locations to add!). As the front page of the Canadian startup community, I’d also like to add how incredibly proud we are to act as the map’s host.
What are you waiting for? Go check it out!
Update: several people have reached out with questions regarding the Canadian Startup Map’s data policy. Read below for more information from Qoints’ Cory Rosenfield.
The Canadian Startup Map is a public resource for all members of our community. We believe the data collected will enable great research and insights into the health of the Canadian startup ecosystem.
We also believe in the openness and sharing of that information. Mapme, creators of the mapping software that powers the Canadian Startup map, also believes in open data and supports our mission. More information on Mapme’s terms of use can be found here.
Today, users have the ability to sort and filter all locations on the Canadian Startup Map. Public facing APIs and robust data export functionality are part of Mapme’s product roadmap and are currently in development; their primary focus right now is on improving user experience.
Any feedback the community is willing to provide for how data should be collected, organized, and shared on the Canadian Startup Map is greatly welcome, as we work to enhance the map and learn more about the state of the Canadian startup space.
