On May 7–8, 2024, Ottawa became the heart of Canada’s startup and innovation landscape as the National Angel Capital Organization(NACO) hosted its prestigious annual summit. With over 4,000 angel investors and innovation leaders connected through the NACO network, this event marked a pivotal moment for advancing capital access, entrepreneurship, and inclusive growth across the country.
The summit featured an impressive lineup of voices shaping Canada's innovation economy, including:
Benjamin Bergen, President of the Council of Canadian Innovators, who emphasized the importance of policy and innovation alignment.
Joe Canavan, angel investor and entrepreneur, who inspired with personal stories on investment, resilience, and founder support.
Across two packed days, the summit created a space where government leaders, startup founders, fund managers, incubators, and investors could exchange ideas, build partnerships, and challenge the status quo.
Founded in 2002, NACO is Canada’s national umbrella for over100 organizations, including:
Its mission? To drive inclusive economic prosperity by connecting capital with ideas and building policies grounded in real-world entrepreneurial experience.
Through collaboration with the Government of Canada, NACO leads the way in evidence-based policy research, regional ecosystem development, and the professionalization of angel investing nationwide.
Our presence at NACO Summit 2024 reinforced our ongoing commitment to supporting immigrant entrepreneurs who bring global perspective and scalable innovation to Canada. As part of the Canadian Start-Up Visa ecosystem, INWEST Ventures plays a critical role in matching international founders with funding, mentorship, and the regulatory guidance they need to thrive.
The summit highlighted the importance of platforms like ours that help transform promising startups into thriving Canadian businesses—especially in emerging sectors like CleanTech, HealthTech, EdTech,and AgriTech.
