I’ve been talking to people throughout the startup community about our survey, and the overwhelming message I’m hearing is that the data provided by the survey will definitely help the ecosystem.

In case you missed it, Entrevestor will soon send a two-page survey to every startup we know of in Atlantic Canada – that’s about 300 companies. We will keep all the information on individual companies completely confidential. Yet, by aggregating the information, we will be able to present a more concrete picture of why the startup community is important to the region’s economic future.

This is important because there are discussions across the region about reviewing and hopefully enhancing programs that help to develop startups. To make a stronger case, the startup community needs accurate metrics on its economic and social impact.

"As a company, you want your customers to fill out surveys so that you can improve,” said Sally Ng, Executive Director of Planet Hatch/Accelr8 in Fredericton. “Well, we want to improve the resources we provide to you as well. Take 10 minutes and fill it out."

A further benefit of the survey is that Atlantic Canada will have more information when explaining the strength of the startup segment to key players outside the region. Everyone benefits when venture capitalists visit the region. By demonstrating what is going on here, we can pique their interest.

Stephen Duff, the CEO of Innovacorp in Nova Scotia, added that the survey will help to establish a baseline of key metrics. The startup community will then go on and show how out collective efforts are developing this industry.

“People are evidence-driven organisms,” said Duff. “We have be able to demonstrate a compelling value proposition in order to attract talent and capital from outside the region. Value propositions are only real when they are evidence-based.”

In a couple of weeks, we will send out the surveys. If you’re a founder, please take the time to fill out the survey. It will only be a few pages and should be completed in about five minutes.