NACO hopes to attract investors from across Canada to invest in high-potential startups nationwide
A new hub to match angel investors from across Canada with high-potential entrepreneurs is launching in Calgary.
The pan-regional digital hub will be the first Canada Zone established by the National Angel Capital Organization (NACO) and will be based in a custom-built space within Calgary’s Platform Innovation Centre, due to open this fall.
In partnership with Platform Calgary, NACO wants to open up new capital pathways for entrepreneurs in investment-constrained regions and industries.
NACO’s research shows an uneven spread of angel investment nationwide with 13% of all activity in Western Canada. Inter-provincial investments account for 30% of all investment and there is potential for further growth to aid Canada’s economic recovery.
“NACO is thrilled to launch its first Canada Zone in partnership with Platform Calgary to attract new pools of capital into the region,” says Claudio Rojas, CEO of NACO. “This will ensure that high potential entrepreneurs in Calgary have instant access to a national network of investors.”
Digital network
The aim is for a network of Canada Zones to be digitally connected across Canada.
“The digital infrastructure NACO has created over these past 12 months will amplify national deal syndication,” said Sandi Gilbert, Past Chair at NACO based in Alberta. “This will support both entrepreneurs and local investors, which is key to leveraging NACO’s national reach to ramp up investment within Alberta and across Western Canada.”
NACO was established in 1998 and its membership of 4,200 investors have invested more than $1 billion in 1,500 companies.
