A Canadian accelerator with global reach

With the launch of its newest locations just days away, CanadExport takes an in‑depth look this month at one of the signature business development programs of the Canadian Trade Commissioner Service (TCS): the Canadian Technology Accelerator (CTA).

From its start as a single accelerator in San Francisco, the CTA has grown over the past decade into a network that stretches around the globe. CTAs are offered in 12 important tech hubs in:

• North America (Boston, Mexico, New York City, San Francisco and Silicon Valley/Palo Alto);
• Europe (Berlin/Munich and, beginning March 1, 2022, the United Kingdom); and
• Asia (Hong Kong, Taipei, Tokyo, Singapore and, beginning March 1, 2022, India).

Each individual CTA program is tailored to the realities of its local market and focuses on a specific subject area. Those themes can range from agricultural tech to smart cities, and everything in between. But generally speaking, they fall under three main sectors of activity: cleantech; digital industries and information and communications technologies; and life sciences and digital health.

For companies that are chosen to take part in a CTA, the benefits are substantial. In this month’s feature article, you will learn about the history of the CTA, how participants apply and are selected, what companies get out of it, whether a CTA is right for your business, and which one is the best fit.

We also introduce you to a group of CTA graduates who have found international success as a result of their participation in the program: Ottawa software company Cliniconex; Vancouver‑based health tech firm Bio Conscious; Montreal’s medical technology company Emovi; and Edmonton’s RUNWITHIT Synthetics, which specializes in synthetic intelligence.

Elsewhere in the magazine, you’ll find the second installment of our Spotlight from the Field series, in which we profile the Mexican market, highlight the CTA program there and showcase the work of Canada’s team of Trade Commissioners in Mexico City.

Are you a Canadian tech company with global ambitions, or simply interested in learning more about this unique program from the TCS? Keep reading to find out how the CTA can help businesses like yours scale up and expand into global markets. And sign up for the CTA newsletter for regular updates on CTA programs and to be notified when applications open.