About 500 Startups

With the creation of 500 Canada (#500CAN), startups across the country will be able to leverage the 500 Startups brand and extensive network of mentors, founders, and partners that come from over 1,800 portfolio companies around the world. 500 Startups has already made 40+ Canadian investments out of its Silicon Valley main funds including Breather, Influitive, Unbounce, CareGuide and more. 500 Canada plans to make 150+ investments into early-stage startups in the region over the next few years. 500 Canada will focus investments on capital-efficient businesses that can achieve profitability with less than $1M in total investment. The fund will be truly national in scope, with partners or associates in each major innovation centre, including Vancouver, Waterloo, Toronto, Montreal, and Fredericton.

Why Canada?

The weather is cold, but the market is hot with Canada already producing several impressive heavy-hitters like Shopify, Hootsuite, Kik, and Justin Bieber. Historically, Canada’s largest challenges have been in access to later-stage capital as well as liquidity opportunities, both of which 500 Startups will be assisting with through a global outlook from day one. The Canadian government also provides great support to the entrepreneurial community through an extensive network of grants and tax credits. Coupled with a thriving angel investor ecosystem, Canada’s national sport is rapidly becoming entrepreneurship, as early-stage ventures are scoring more often than the country’s collection of non-playoff-bound hockey teams.