The Sobey School of Business at St. Mary’s University wants to measure and assess all the components of the Atlantic Canadian startup ecosystem, and is looking for a range of people to help out.

Professor Ellen Farrell, well known for her work in entrepreneurship, is conducting a survey of the members of the startup community and is asking that a range of people involved with startups take 15 to 25 minutes to fill out the team’s survey .

Yes, her team at Halifax-based St. Mary’s is hoping that founders of startups and young high-growth companies will fill out the survey, but she is also looking for other people associated with the community, such as lawyers, professors, accountants, angels, and other support people.

Working with a team at SMU, she plans to tabulate the results and produce a report by late October or early November that will quantify the facets of the ecosystem in the region.

Farrell said Atlantic Canada is now attracting attention because it has had so many tremendous exits, such as Radian6, Q1 Labs, GoInstant and Ocean Nutrition Canada. The study should help to pinpoint what has come together to produce such success.

“It’s first and foremost for us to learn from,” said Farrell in an interview. “But as it works its way around the world, other people will see that something is going on here in Atlantic Canada.”

Farrell also oversees the Informal Venture Capital Measurement Project, which measures business angel activity across Canada.

Anyone interested in filling out the form should contact Farrell at ellen.farrell@smu.ca, and she will send you a copy of the survey when it is ready, likely in late August.