NACO Launches Roundtable to Tackle Canada’s Early-Stage Funding Gaps
Event summary
- NACO’s national roundtable on February 19, 2026, will address early-stage capital gaps in Canada’s innovation economy.
- The event follows a nine-month consultation with over 250 senior leaders and the federal government’s $750 million commitment in Budget 2025.
- Only 32% of Canadian-founded startups are now being started from Canada, highlighting funding infrastructure challenges.
- NACO aims to mobilize private capital at scale to strengthen domestic capital formation and retain high-growth firms.
The big picture
Canada’s innovation economy faces critical early-stage funding gaps, with only a fraction of high-potential startups being founded domestically. NACO’s roundtable aims to address these challenges by leveraging private investment and policy support to strengthen the country’s startup ecosystem. The event comes as the federal government prepares to announce details on its early growth-stage capital strategy in 2026, highlighting the strategic importance of closing funding gaps for long-term economic resilience.
What we're watching
- Policy Impact
- How the federal government’s $750 million commitment will shape early-stage funding strategies in Canada.
- Capital Mobilization
- Whether NACO can effectively mobilize private capital at scale across national ecosystems.
- Founder Retention
- The pace at which Canada can reverse the trend of founders leaving for jurisdictions with more vibrant risk capital.
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