The Atlantic Provinces Economic Council has highlighted a recent development  that is adding to economic growth in Atlantic Canada – the growth of tech startups.

APEC this week released its economic forecast for the region for 2014, which foresees tepid GDP growth overall next year and a notable improvement in Nova Scotia to 2 percent. One of the bright spots in the detailed look at the region’s economy is the tech sector, which is benefiting from a rising tech economy in the U.S.

President and Chief Executive Officer Elizabeth Beale noted the recent successes in the segment, such as Salesforce’s purchases of Radian6 and GoInstant and investment in Introhive. She also cited the success companies like Oris4 and Unique Solutions are having in the U.S.

“This is an enormous opportunity for the region overall,” said Beale at the presentation in Halifax Monday.

During the half-day seminar, speakers said Atlantic Canada must do more to develop an entrepreneurial spirit. Stephen Lund, the CEO of the Bermuda Business Development Corporation and former CEO of Nova Scotia Business Inc., said Atlantic Canadians must be more accepting of people who take risks and fail. He held up Israel as a country the region should emulate in its attitude to entrepreneurship.

“Israel has a culture of people trying, and if you fail you try again,” said Lund. “We don’t have that here yet.”

Peter Nicholson , the retired president of the Council of Canadian Academies, called on more Atlantic Canadians to make the sacrifices needed to become entrepreneurs tapping global markets. Citing a friend who spends most of his time in Asia selling composites, he said: “There’s nothing that prevents that kind of success except an unwillingness to get on a plane and go around the world.”

The APEC GDP growth forecasts for the Atlantic Canada are: