Startups are becoming a force in the Atlantic Canadian economy, creating about 3,000 direct jobs and increasing employment by about 40 per cent annually.

Those are the main findings of a survey of Atlantic Canadian startups — defined as locally owned companies commercializing propriety technology for the global market — conducted in January and February by Entrevestor. The results are

As part of the Entrevestor Intelligence report launched today, we were truly fortunate to work with Bonfire Communications of Saint John on this tremendous infographic.

Artist Lise Hansen was given the task of converting data on the Atlantic Canadian startup community into a striking visual display, and she  more than rose to the challenge. Her design shows the growth of the startup segment

I’d like to thank all of you who tweeted or emailed you congratulations on being recognized by Startup Canada on Wednesday. And I’d like to send out my congratulations to the other winners – just to be named with these people is great honour.

Yesterday, Startup Canada announced the regional winners of the Startup Canada Awards, and I was truly flattered to receive the nod as Media Person of the Year in the Atlantic Region. I don’t know who nominated me, but I owe thanks and a beer to whoever it is.

I have not responded to all the tweets but let me use this e-podium to say thanks to all

We’re less than a week away from the start of Innovation Week in St. John’s, and I’m really excited to be joining and participating in the events in Newfoundland and Labrador. I’m even hosting one.

StartupNL, which is organizing the city’s first innovation week, announced yesterday that I will host a seminar on Tuesday on messaging and communications for startups. I believe the ability to communicate is part of the founder’s skill set that is too often overlooked, and I hope to help people improve their messaging.

The week of events begins Monday with a fireside chat at Common Ground at

The New Brunswick Innovation Foundation issued the following press release yesterday:

 FREDERICTON, N.B.—The New Brunswick Innovation Foundation (NBIF) today announced $900,000 in funding to support 34 undergraduate and 73 graduate student research assistants at the province’s universities. The funding was awarded in partnership with the New Brunswick Department of Post-Secondary Education, Training & Labour (PETL).

Working with one of the Foundation’s funded applied researchers, each student will earn wages while they learn valuable experience in the lab.

“To build an

Halifax medical device company ABK Biomedical is raising about $1 million in equity financing to help get its product on the European market in about a year. While it’s secured about half the total from the First Angel Network, or FAN, it’s also working with the local investment group to engage with other angel networks in Canada and the U.S.

ABK is the developer of OccluRad — tiny bio-compatible glass beads used to treat uterine fibroids, or benign tumours, in a woman’s uterus. The product improves efficiency and safety when treating women for the affliction. The company hopes to have

On May 12, you can help to shape the direction of one of the most important components of the East Coast startup ecosystem – Mentorship.

That evening, at the Kingswood golf club in Fredericton, Entrevestor will host a dinner at which we will discuss ways to improve two essential ingredients in our community. New Brunswick Innovation Foundation Calvin Milbury will lead a discussion on mentorship, and East Valley Ventures Chairman Gerry Pond will take the podium for a chat about early adopters.  People from throughout the Maritimes have already signed up to come and join these discussions,

Cellufuel, the company developing a biomass facility at the site of the former Bowater Mersey paper mill, is working hard to finalize a $5 million funding round, half of which is equity investment from private sources.

The Halifax-based company hopes to have the demonstration facility in Brooklyn, near Liverpool, N.S., operating late this year of early or early in 2015. Cellufuel then hopes to move on to a larger commercial facility, possibly in Claire, N.S., near the southern tip of the province.

“We have the Canadian license (to the technology) and we’re looking at Nova Scotia first,”

You have a few days left to get your company’s contact details into the Atlantic Canada Startup Directory, and we’re looking for more submissions.

More than 100 startups have submitted their names, which is a good start. But we’re looking for more names.  This is your opportunity to have all your contact details in the hands of people you need to do business with – funders, partners, support agencies and your peers.

We’re looking for startups, but also for service providers, whether they’re government agencies or private firms whose clients include startups. If members of the startup

In 2006, Bob Pelley developed and piloted Innovacorp’s I-3 Technology Start-Up Competition, which began in Cape Breton and spread provincewide, fostering some of Nova Scotia’s most promising startups. Now, Pelley has got behind Spark Cape Breton with the aim of energizing Cape Breton’s burgeoning tech scene.

The inaugural Spark Cape Breton has just concluded, with six very early-stage tech