The 2025 Start Alberta Tech Awards
The 8th annual Start Alberta Tech Awards took place on November 13, 2025, at the Betty Andrews Recital Hall in Edmonton. The annual Awards recognize individuals and organizations for their contributions to Alberta’s innovation ecosystem and those significantly impacting the province’s tech sector.
The 2025 Start Alberta Tech Award Winners:
- A100 One to Watch: Artificial Agency
- Ecosystem Supporter of the Year: Tech Thursday
- Deal of the Year: Ontopical
- Anchor of the Year: Blackline Safety
- Woman in Tech: Lourdes Juan of Knead Tech
- Most Promising Founder: Brian Tanner & Alex Kearney, Artificial Agency
- Scaleup of the Year: Orennia
- VCAA Rod Charko Service Award: James Keirstead
- Investor of the Year: UCeed
- Leader of the Year: Jillian McLaren of Community Safety and Wellness Accelerator
2025 Tech Awards categories:
Nominations and applications are closed.
Deal of the Year
Sponsored by AEC, the Deal of the Year is awarded to the tech company that has raised the largest amount of capital in its most recent fundraising round and/or has had the most significant acquisition or exit.
Criteria:
- The company is founded and headquartered in Alberta
- Tech-driven core business (product, service, solution, or platform)
- A publicly reported and verifiable capital raise or transaction that occurred between October 1, 2024 and September 30, 2025
- Significant impact on the Alberta ecosystem
Most Promising Founder
Sponsored by Platform Calgary, the Most Promising Founder is awarded to a dynamic early-stage founder recognized for their coachability, community involvement and ability to launch a technology-focused company in Alberta.
Criteria:
- A founder or co-founder currently based in Alberta.
- Has launched a technology-driven startup or scaleup in the province between September 30, 2021 and September 30, 2024, with clear signs of momentum in growth, revenue, funding, partnerships, or market traction.
- Demonstrates a strong commitment to Alberta’s tech and innovation community by giving back through mentorship, collaborating with peers, showing up at key events, or actively contributing to ecosystem-building efforts.
VCAA Rod Charko Service Award
Awarded to an individual who has gone above and beyond for the technology ecosystem in Alberta.
Criteria:
- Demonstrates a deep, sustained commitment to fostering entrepreneurial growth and long-term success in Alberta.
- Has made a meaningful, measurable impact on the province’s tech and innovation ecosystem through their actions, leadership, or support.
- A consistent and trusted champion of Alberta’s tech community; someone who shows up year after year, uplifts others, and helps move the entire ecosystem forward.
Anchor of the Year
Sponsored by ProFound Talent, the Anchor of the Year award honours a flagship company that supports the foundation upon which others build in Alberta: creating jobs, attracting capital, nurturing talent, and demonstrating what’s possible when vision meets execution.
Criteria:
- Founded and headquartered in Alberta
- Tech-driven core business (product, service, solution, or platform)
- $50M+ in annual revenue
- 200+ employees
- 5+ years in operation
- Demonstrates consistent year-over-year growth and market leadership
- Recognized for fostering talent development and innovation within Alberta
- Actively contributes to the broader ecosystem through mentorship, partnerships, or community-building
A100 One to Watch
The A100 One to Watch recognizes one of Alberta’s early-stage companies that will be the “most likely to succeed”, as nominated by the tech community and chosen by A100 Charter Members.
Criteria:
- A technology-focused startup or scaleup founded and headquartered in Alberta, in market and showing promising traction or potential to scale.
- Launched between September 30, 2022 and September 30, 2025
Ecosystem Supporter of the Year
Sponsored by Edmonton Unlimited, the Ecosystem Supporter of the Year is awarded to an individual, organization, institution, or initiative that contributes in a meaningful, scalable, and inclusive way to the vibrancy and sustainability of Alberta’s tech ecosystem.
Criteria:
- Plays a visible and consistent role in supporting startups, scaleups, or emerging founders across Alberta through mentorship, programming, investment, infrastructure, or advocacy.
- Demonstrates a track record of collaboration with other ecosystem builders, founders, or community groups to advance Alberta’s innovation economy.
- Has made efforts to increase equity, diversity, and inclusion in Alberta’s innovation ecosystem.
Investor of the Year
Sponsored by AEC, the Investor of the Year is awarded to an individual (Angel) or investment firm (VC or family office) for exceptional investment acumen and community leadership.
Criteria:
- Demonstrated exceptional investment acumen over the past year by making smart, strategic, and high-impact investments (quality over quantity) in Alberta-based tech startups or scaleups—whether through early-stage bets, follow-on rounds, or exits that signal market confidence.
- Exemplifies a high standard for ethical and inclusive conduct and collaborative engagement in Alberta’s innovation economy.
- Actively contributes to raising the profile of Alberta as a destination for world-class innovation and investment, helping to attract outside capital, talent, and attention to the province’s growing tech sector.
- Plays a visible and respected role within the investment and entrepreneurial communities by offering mentorship, guidance, and support to founders.
Woman in Tech
The Woman in Tech is awarded to a founder recognized for her entrepreneurial success in launching a technology-focused company in Alberta. This individual has also demonstrated a passion for supporting gender equity and promoting women’s advancement, making a lasting impact on Alberta’s technology ecosystem.
Criteria:
- Leadership role in an Alberta-based startup or scaleup (founder, co-founder or C-level executive) for more than 12 months
- Year over year revenue growth
- Passion to support and promote the advancement of women in tech in Alberta
- Identifies as a woman in the Alberta technology and innovation space
Scaleup of the Year
Sponsored by Osler, the Scaleup of the Year award recognizes a scaling Alberta-based company making a positive impact through growth, mentorship, and inclusive practices.
Criteria:
- Considerable growth in both revenue and employee count
- Giving back to the tech community as mentors and/or advisors
- Executing on inclusion and diversity in Alberta’s tech ecosystem
- Must be an innovative tech or tech-enabled company founded and headquartered in Alberta
- Must have been in operation for more than 3 years
Leader of the Year
Awarded to an executive-level individual who has played a pivotal role in driving their organization’s growth, innovation, and long-term success. They are not only instrumental to their own organization but also serve as a role model and catalyst within Alberta’s tech and innovation ecosystem.
Criteria:
- A founder, executive, or senior leader based in Alberta who has demonstrated exceptional leadership within a tech or innovation-driven organization.
- Has navigated an organization through a critical period of growth, transformation, or resilience, achieving significant milestones such as revenue growth, expansion, innovation, or operational excellence.
- Plays an active role in elevating Alberta’s tech ecosystem by advocating for innovation, fostering inclusive workplace cultures, supporting the next generation of talent, or collaborating across sectors.
- Widely recognized by peers and industry stakeholders as a leader who not only delivers results but uplifts others and contributes meaningfully to the province’s economic and entrepreneurial future.
