2013 was a strong year for venture capital funding in Canada, as evidenced by what we feel were the four most significant rounds raised by Canadian startups this year.
1. HootSuite Raises $165 Million (Vancouver / Series B)
The biggest round raised by any Canadian tech startup in recent memory, HootSuite’s colossal Series B round put Vancouver on the map as a hub of innovation—as if it weren’t already.
2. Shopify Raises $100 Million (Ottawa / Series C)
Shopify’s chief product officer, Harley Finkelstein, told Techvibes that the nine-figure capital injection will be used to transition the company from being an e-commerce platform to being a commerce platform.
3. Beyond the Rack Raises $25 Million (Montreal / Series C)
The sixth round of financing for Montreal’s Beyond the Rack put its total venture capital raised to more than $70 million (only the last three rounds included participation from institutional investors).
4. Thalmic Labs Raises $14.5 Million (Waterloo / Series A)
Thalmic’s round marked the largest Series A round raised by any startup after going through Silicon Valley’s Y Combinator program, a proud moment for Canadian startups.
