Edmonton Recognised in 2026 Global Startup Ecosystem Report by Startup Genome as a Rising North American Ecosystem with #3 Affordable Talent in North America

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. — June 17, 2026 — The 2026 Global Startup Ecosystem Report (GSER) by Startup Genome and the Global Entrepreneurship Network launched today at Vivatech Paris. Powered by the world’s most comprehensive and quality-controlled dataset on startup ecosystems, the GSER analyzes data from over 5.5 million companies across 350+ entrepreneurial innovation ecosystems. The report provides new insights and deep analysis on global startup trends, highlighting the world’s leading ecosystems. It ranks the Top 40 global ecosystems, Top 100 emerging ecosystems, and includes regional rankings, offering a detailed view of how startup ecosystems are evolving worldwide.

This year’s #GSER2026 puts a spotlight on Edmonton. Together with Edmonton Unlimited, here’s what the data shows:

• The ecosystem created $1.1 billion in Ecosystem Value in GSER 2026 July 1, 2023, to December 31, 2025, representing 77% growth compared to GSER 2021 July 1, 2018, to December 31, 2020 time period. Ecosystem Value is a measure of economic impact, calculated as the value of exits and startup valuations.
• #3 North America Ecosystem in Affordable Talent — measures the ability to hire tech talent
• Top 10 North America Ecosystem in Funding Runway — measures the amount of runway tech startups acquire, on average, from a VC round
• Top 50 North America Ecosystem in Funding Momentum — measures innovation through early-stage funding and investor’s activity
• Top 50 North America Ecosystem in Performance — measures the size and performance of an ecosystem based on the accumulated tech startup value created from exits and funding
• Top 50 North America Ecosystem in R&D Engine — measures innovation through research and patent activity

Sectors Fuelling Edmonton’s Startup Momentum: AI, Big Data & Analytics, Life Sciences, and Cleantech are key strengths of the Edmonton ecosystem, supported by Alberta’s AI Data Centre Strategy, university-led research commercialization, and a growing network of mission-driven entrepreneurs. In 2025–2026, Amii drove startup-investor engagement at Startup Week, Upper Bound 2026 convened thousands of global AI leaders in Edmonton, and Alberta’s new AI infrastructure strategy positioned the province as a North American destination for AI data centre investment.

“Entrepreneurs across sectors are transforming bold ideas into high-growth companies that create skilled jobs, attract investment, and strengthen Edmonton’s long-term competitiveness. From Artificial Intelligence and Health Innovation to Clean Technology and Advanced Manufacturing, Edmonton companies are scaling while building opportunity at home.” — Andrew Knack, Mayor, City of Edmonton

The Global Startup Ecosystem Report 2026 delivers key insights into the world’s leading innovation ecosystems, highlighting trends, capital flows, and policy approaches shaping entrepreneurial success. Building on last year’s analysis, the report expands its AI-Native factor to include emerging ecosystems, reflecting AI’s growing role in competitive advantage. Backed by over a decade of independent research and a global consortium spanning 65+ countries, it provides a data-rich view of startup activity and investment trends, equipping policymakers, ecosystem leaders, and founders with actionable strategies to drive economic growth.

“Edmonton’s is an ecosystem on the rise – one where the convergence of AI, Life Sciences, and Cleantech is creating the conditions for globally significant innovation. We congratulate Edmonton Unlimited and the entire Edmonton community on their effective work in growing their innovation engine.” — JF Gauthier, Founder & CEO of Startup Genome

View the full report here – https://startupgenome.com/gser2026

ABOUT EDMONTON UNLIMITED

Edmonton Unlimited is the City of Edmonton’s innovation agency and a central convener of the region’s innovation ecosystem. We help people step into entrepreneurship by creating welcoming spaces, sparking ideas, and supporting early-stage builders. We help founders step up by connecting them with mentors, investors, customers, and partners. We help companies step forward by providing programming, resources, and best practices that enable growth and scale. By convening leaders across industry, academia, and community, we strengthen collaboration, attract investment, and build an ecosystem that is coordinated, inclusive, and globally competitive for long-term regional economic impact.

ABOUT STARTUP GENOME

Startup Genome is the world-leading innovation ecosystem development organization, having worked with 221 clients across six continents in 71 countries to date. We work to catalyze startup success and ecosystem growth and ensure that all cities and countries capture their fair share of the new economy. Startup Genome strategy clients grew their ecosystem values 59% faster than peers (41% vs. 25%). On average, Startup Genome clients produced $1.4 billion per year more in ecosystem value from an average starting point of $9.2 billion. Our evidence-based ecosystem research, advisory, and scaleup programs are rooted in global experience with the world’s largest AI-curated startup dataset and proprietary instruments developed from over a decade of primary research.