A100 Aims to Increase Engagement with Startup Community in Alberta

The A100 held their annual general meeting last week in Edmonton and released their annual report.

Launched in 2010, the A100 is a non-profit peer community of entrepreneurs in Alberta. The group welcomed 10 new members in 2013, bringing their total membership count to 68.

According to the report, A100 members on average offer four to eight hours of mentorship to startups each month. 58% of A100 members are currently working as entrepreneurs. And, with members ranking “giving back through mentorship” and “networking with other members” as the top reasons for being involved in the organization, it’s no surprise that 100% of A100 members would like to be more engaged with the A100 in 2014.

“As a non-profit, member-driven organization, the overall desire of our members to increase their engagement in the community is extremely encouraging,” says Carolynn Winterhalt, executive director of the A100. “We are looking forward to this upcoming year, as the A100 continues to celebrate technology entrepreneurship in Alberta and works collectively to ensure that the next generation of startups thrive on a global scale.”

The A100 also manages the industry committee of the Accelerate Fund, a $10 million early-stage, angel co-investment fund available to Alberta technology startups and their investors. According to the annual report, the fund has identified almost 300 Alberta-based technology companies and members of the A100 have assisted with over 115 of them. The Accelerate Fund is currently invested in Advanced Flow Technology; Login Radius; and Zephyr Sleep Technology, among others.

The A100, which hosts several events throughout the year in Calgary and Edmonton to reach out to the startup community, is currently gearing up for AccelerateAB, which will be held on April 30 and May 1. AccelerateAB is an annual two-day celebration focused on entrepreneurship and tech startups in Alberta.