[Editor's note: Blair Ryan, CEO of The Rounds of Halifax, contacted Entrevestor to respond to our article on Iain Klugman’s contention – printed previously on the Progress website -- that a startup community can’t span four provinces.We're publishing his remarks in full.]

I must say, I disagree with Iain Klugman (and with full respect; his achievements are undeniable). I lean and rely on the startup community in Atlantic Canada as much as anyone, I'm sure. I looked back quickly at the last seven people I went to for help or advice:

OneLobby CEO Jordan Smith (Fredericton via Halifax)

NBIF CFO Nicole LeBlanc (Fredericton and Halifax)

26Ones CEO Tim Burke (Halifax)

Investor Gerry Pond (Saint John)

Espresso Capital Partner Ben Forcier (Halifax)

Serial Entrepreneur Daniel Burka (San Francisco via PEI)

Equals6 CEO Andy Osburn (Halifax)

As a community builder myself, I see the logic Klugman uses. In fact, I loved the quote, “small enough that you can get your arms around.” I argue, however, that we are a unique case in Atlantic Canada. Not only do I (and many others, I can comfortably say) consider myself an Atlantic Canadian, I do so with great pride.

Being an introvert and 'empathy guy', I am very keenly aware of the atmosphere of a room – the general 'feel' of a room. I've now been to startup events in Fredericton, Saint John, Moncton, and Halifax... and what I can say is that no matter the venue, the 'feeling' is the same. It's acceptance, it's comfort, it's respect, and it's interest. Maybe it's just our nature on the East Coast to be so inclusive, but I simply do not accept that what we feel (and celebrate all the time; Peter called it our ‘central orthodoxy’) at those events is anything but community.

Klugman graduated from Dalhousie, granted. At the time, GoInstant Co-Founder Gavin Uhma was five years old, Gerry Pond was the CEO of NBTel, and Google was still six years from creation. Things are different here. Too many people put too much time into ensuring that we do have a community (who cares about borders!?) to simply accept that we're not a community (even when it comes from someone with the credentials Klugman has).

I lived five years in Waterloo. I shook Jim Balsillie's hand. I don't see what all the fuss is about with Waterloo though. That doesn't suggest that the fuss is undeserved; it points, instead, to the fact that I was chasing girls and playing football while I was there. I didn't notice the community because I wasn't a part of it (read: ‘you kinda gotta be a part of it to understand’).

Those immersed in the Atlantic Canadian startup community know it well. We're so nice over here that I may not get a huge following as I stand up for it, but I see it too clearly to let it go. At DemoCamp last week, I arrived early. Half the bar was reserved, and there were five people sitting at table – OneLobby CFO Brian Dunphy (Fredericton), TitanFile Founder Milan Vrekic (Halifax), GoInstant Jevon MacDonald (Halifax via PEI), Tech evangelist David Crow (London, Ont.), and UNB Professor Alex Wilson (Fredericton). This is commonplace at these events.

Launch36 is another example. Atlantic Innovation Week. Atlantic Venture Forum. You know the rest.

We are special in Atlantic Canada… different, even.

Blair Ryan is the CEO of both the Empathy Factory and The Rounds.