Government of Canada investing to help businesses streamline, scale up, reach new markets

”Atlantic Canada’s startups and tech companies are making waves at home and around the world. Working together with the federal government, these local business successes are bringing great new jobs to our region and are showing the huge potential for growth in our economy.”
- The Honourable Gudie Hutchings, Minister of Rural Economic Development and Minister responsible for ACOA

“Since the beginning of Milk Moovement in 2018, ACOA has been an incredible supporter and partner to the company. As a company, one of our proudest accomplishments is increasing our amount of milk managed in the US and growing our market share from 0%-20% over the last three years. This is clear proof that Milk Moovement is leading innovation in the dairy industry and we’re incredibly grateful for ACOA’s support on this journey.“
- Robert Forsythe, Co-Founder and CEO, Milk Moovement Inc.

"MIMOSA has grown, enabling us to rapidly expand manufacturing and deliver our product to the US market. Our clinicians are making a tangible difference in the lives of their patients, and we are proud to be contributing to a higher standard of care. This success has been made possible thanks to the support of ACOA."
-  Dr. Karen Cross, CEO and Co-Founder, MIMOSA Diagnostics

"Through ACOA's support, we have been able to accelerate the development of our social features, which has been critical to our growth. UpBeing's prosocial wellbeing tracker is now released publicly and helps individuals across Canada engage with and support each other's wellbeing, every day in a digital format."
- Samuel Daviau, CEO and Co-Founder, UpBeing

“Peer Ledger, a female-founded Digital Product Passport company, is in awe of ACOA’s overall efficacy and impact. Our Halifax-headquartered deep tech company has benefitted significantly from ACOA’s steadfast partnership, 2018 administration of the Women Entrepreneurship Strategy fund, and grant and loan programs throughout the past 7 years. Five US and Canadian patents later, we are proud to be serving Canada and industry, with cutting-edge technologies as we support our clients to make the lives of Canadians, global citizens, and the environment healthier and safer through supply chain traceability and product transparency here and abroad. This most recent funding from ACOA helps amplify our business development efforts and market reach.”
- Dawn N. Jutla, PhD, CEO and Founder, Peer Ledger Inc.

“The financial support from ACOA has been instrumental in supporting our limited market release of the SwishKit in the United States. This funding has provided the financial means to collaborate with clinical champions, who are passionate about oral care due to its association with pneumonia reduction and improved patient outcomes.”
- Deanne McCarthy, CEO, Swiftsure Innovations

“Easy Platter is pioneering the future of eating healthy at home. With support from ACOA, we are advancing personalized nutrition and aligning lifestyle and health goals with daily meals prepared home.”
- Mandhir Singh, CEO, Easy Platter

"Rafflebox has been able to continue to grow at an accelerated pace because of significant investments like this. We're working hard to build great products, serve our charity clients and create meaningful jobs. Receiving the ACOA funding announced today has been a big part of our success."
- Simon Cusack, President, Rafflebox Technologies Inc.

“SUMS Capital will benefit our ecosystem by galvanizing the growing number of independent, early-stage investors. Our platform is an evolution of the investments our network has made in the region’s most innovative companies. ACOA’s support will greatly assist in that continued effort.”
- Peter Hickey, Cofounder, SUMS Capital

"Working with ACOA has allowed us to shift into the generative AI field to radically transform how veterinarians complete their medical records."
- Shawn Wilkie, CEO, Talkatoo Inc.

"With the support of investments from ACOA, Shoelace has been able to attract top EdTEch talent to build out leadership team, a critical step in our leveling up as a leader in the EdTEch sector."
- Julia Rivard Dexter, Co-Founder and CEO, Shoelace Learning

• Halifax is home to more than 300 innovation-driven companies (Source: Entrevestor’s Atlantic Canada Startup Data Report). 

• One third of all startups in Halifax are led by immigrants, and 74 startups, or almost a quarter, are led by women (Source: Entrevestor’s Atlantic Canada Startup Data Report). 

• 70 new Information Technology companies launched in Nova Scotia in 2023 alone, a peak year for the number of new companies joining the ecosystem (Source: Entrevestor’s Atlantic Canada Startup Data Report). 

• The startup ecosystem in Halifax is supported by strong innovation hubs such as Volta, COVE, the Emera ideaHub, as well as post-secondary institutions providing research expertise, R&D and a strong talent pipeline.

• The repayable funding announced today is provided through ACOA’s Regional Economic Growth through Innovation (REGI) program, which works to create the right conditions to start and grow businesses in Atlantic Canada. 

Related products

• Backgrounder

Associated links

• Regional Economic Growth through Innovation
• Milk Moovement Inc.
• MIMOSA Diagnostics Inc.
• UpBeing Inc.
• Peer Ledger Inc.
• Swiftsure Innovations Inc.
• Easy Platter
• Rafflebox Technologies Inc.
• SUMS Capital
• Talkatoo
• Shoelace Learning

Connor Burton
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Rural Economic Development and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
Connor.Burton@acoa-apeca.gc.ca

Lori Selig
Communications Manager
Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
lori.selig@acoa-apeca.gc.ca
902-266-7477

Robert Forsythe
Co-Founder and CEO
Milk Moovement
robert@milkmoovement.com
(709) 697-9928

Dr. Karen Cross
CEO and Co-Founder
MIMOSA Diagnostics
Drkaren@mimosadiagnostics.com

Samuel Daviau
CEO and Co-Founder
UpBeing
sam@upbeing.ai

Dawn Jutla
President and CEO
Peer Ledger Inc.
dawn@peerledger.com

Deanne McCarthy
CEO
Swiftsure Innovations Inc.
dmccarthy@swiftsureinnovations.com
709-640-0784

Mandhir Singh
CEO
Easy Platter
mandhir@easyplatter.com

Amber Froese
VP, Marketing & Communications
Rafflebox Technologies
Amber.Froese@rafflebox.org

Media & Investor Relations
SUMS Capital
info@sumscapital.com

Shawn Wilkie
CEO 
Talkatoo
shawn@talkatoo.com
204-218-5351  

Julia Rivard Dexter
Co-Founder and CEO
Shoelace Learning
julia@join.shoelacelearning.com
902-222-5838

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