Canada’s innovation economy is at an inflection point.

In this National Roundtable hosted by Claudio Rojas, CEO of the National Angel Capital Organization (NACO), leaders from across the capital pipeline examine the structural gaps limiting Canada’s early-stage growth — and what it will take to close them.

Following a nine-month consultation process with more than 250 ecosystem leaders — and in the context of the federal government’s $750 million commitment in Budget 2025 — this discussion explores the foundational role of pre-seed and seed capital in shaping later-stage outcomes.

The data shows that between 2019 and 2024, Canada’s top startup ecosystems lost $66 billion in value relative to global peers, representing 133,000 fewer high-quality jobs. A $141M gap at seed and pre-seed — and a $181M gap at Series A — confirms what this community has long understood:

Series A gaps are inherited from seed-stage deficits. Strengthen the foundation, and the benefits cascade forward.

Featuring:

• Sandi Gilbert (InterGen)

• Janet Bannister (Staircase Ventures)

• Solon Angel (Remitian)

• Rachel Zimmer (Simple Ventures)

• Émilie Boutros (TandemLaunch)

• Ian Lane (Northern Ontario Angels)

• Randall Howard (Adrenaline Fund / Archangel Network of Funds)

This conversation examines the end-to-end capital pipeline required to fuel Canada’s next wave of high-growth companies — and the leadership required to build it.

Learn more at vision.nacocanada.com.