Big opportunities from Canada’s top investors, operators & founders

In an era of unprecedented technological evolution, we distill the essence of critical problem statements that are shaping the future of the tech industry in Canada.

Discover opportunities

Gen A.I

The GenAI industry pioneers cutting-edge technology, reshaping automation and decision-making across various sectors.

Creator Economy

New tools that enhance content creation are bringing new opportunities for founders to tap into digital creativity.

Energy Sector

Discover new opportunities for startups in the energy industry to contribute to an eco-friendly future.

Cybersecurity

Cybersecurity is critical to protect data and infrastructure from new cyber threats, such as Dark A.I

Canada’s Next Big Thing: Solve today’s problems to build solutions for tomorrow

Each opportunity serves as a beacon for aspiring founders, guiding you towards impactful startup ideas that address real-world challenges. By delving into these insights, you are invited to uncover opportunities for innovation that align with the needs of the market and the vision of Canada's tech leaders.

21
Big opportunities
10+
Top Canadian VCs
6
Fast-growing industries

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Energy

Bernie Li

Partner, Antler

“The management of a core commodity - electricity - is at a unique point in time. On one hand, the shift towards renewable energy production affects the topology, composition and dynamics of the electricity grid.

On the other hand, electricity consumption patterns are drastically changing given the rise of AI (data center usage) and the electrification of the transport sector along with residential & commercial buildings. Umbrellaing that is a stark increase of climate variability (winter 2024 in Canada anyone?) affecting the supply, demand and distribution of electricity. Rapid changes on all three fronts will present opportunities for innovative founders to create massive businesses.”

Energy

Terry Rock

President and CEO, Platform Calgary

“Alberta stands at a pivotal juncture in the global dialogue on energy transition, with a clear acknowledgment of the need for groundbreaking and sustainable technologies to mitigate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and secure Alberta's economic future in a progressively low-emission world. This subject is central to both economic and political discussions in the region, where the energy industry has historically been the bedrock of Alberta's prosperity and is expected to remain significant. The consensus is shifting towards the belief that the path forward for this sector lies in embracing technological innovation, ranging from intensive industrial research and development to more agile, startup-driven models.

The push towards cleantech not only promises substantial societal advantages but also heralds a new era of economic rejuvenation for Calgary, amidst a time of significant change. According to the 2022 Alberta Energy Transition Study, the cleantech industry could potentially introduce 170,000 new employment opportunities and contribute an additional $61 billion to Alberta's GDP, illustrating the profound impact that innovation in clean technology could have on the province's economic landscape and its role in the global energy transition.”

Creator Economy

Vitalii Dodonov

Co-Founder and CTO, Stan

“In the rapidly growing creator economy, platforms are poised to capitalize on the surge of content creators, now estimated at around 200 million globally. The challenge, however, lies in harnessing detailed social intelligence at the point of registration to provide highly personalized experiences that enhance user retention. Current methods fall short, failing to tap into the rich, nuanced data essential for deep personalization, especially with the advent of Generative AI technologies.

The solution lies in an API-driven system that not only aggregates a creator's social data across platforms but also delves into the finer details of their online activity. This includes analyzing post frequency and dissecting content themes to offer a granular view of their creative habits and the messages they convey. By moving beyond simple niche categorization to explore the rhythm of their postings and the recurring themes and keywords within their content, platforms can gain a more dynamic and holistic understanding of each creator.

This advanced level of insight would revolutionize the way platforms tailor their experiences and services, significantly boosting creator satisfaction and success. The ideal solution would integrate this deep social intelligence effortlessly, using a single API call to unlock a detailed portrait of a creator's engagement strategies and thematic nuances, providing businesses with a deeper, more actionable understanding of the creator's brand and audience connection.”

Gen A.I

Kate Grant

Business Advisor, Fasken

“The challenge of managing an overwhelmingly busy calendar has become a common plight among professionals, particularly exacerbated by the shift to a predominantly virtual meeting environment post-pandemic. Traditional scheduling tools and plugins, despite their promise of efficiency, fall short in accommodating the dynamic and densely packed nature of modern work calendars. This issue is not isolated but shared among many colleagues, underscoring the need for a more sophisticated solution that transcends the capabilities of existing scheduling aids.

The opportunity here lies in creating an intelligent, adaptive scheduling system that not only finds optimal meeting times but also incorporates strategic breaks and considers the varying priorities and urgencies of different appointments. Such a system should be designed to integrate seamlessly with existing digital calendars and communication platforms, offering a streamlined, intuitive interface that minimizes the need for manual intervention and the potential backlog associated with traditional assistant-based scheduling.”

Tech Industries

Meghann Coleman

Director, MindFrame Connect

“The Canadian entrepreneurship ecosystem exhibits a notable gap in the facilitation of high-quality mentorship connections, as well as in the provision for mentors to evaluate and enhance their mentoring capabilities. This challenge is pervasive across all industries but is particularly pronounced for women and BIPOC entrepreneurs, who face additional barriers in accessing impactful mentorship.

This situation presents a dual opportunity: firstly, to develop platforms or programs that efficiently match entrepreneurs with seasoned mentors tailored to their specific needs and industry challenges; and secondly, to offer resources and training for mentors to refine their skills, ensuring they can provide the most effective guidance. Addressing these needs will not only elevate the quality of mentorship but also ensure a more inclusive and supportive entrepreneurial environment in Canada.”

Tech Industries

Eva Lau

Founder and Partner, TwoSmallFish Ventures

“The allure of international markets often tempts Canadian founders to relocate, particularly within the tech industry where early-stage ventures seek robust support and investment.

A notable instance in 2023 involved the founders of a Toronto-based AI startup, who, while in the process of capital raising, received a compelling proposition from a major US VC to move their operations stateside. This scenario underscores a recurring challenge: the potential brain drain and loss of innovative ventures that could flourish within Canada's unique ecosystem. Therein lies an opportunity to enhance the support structure for Canadian entrepreneurs.”

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About Antler

in canada

Based out of Toronto and led by Naman Budhdeo and Bernie Li, the Antler in Canada team has a wealth of experience and an impressive track record building from zero to one. Antler is committed to providing founders with highly customized assistance at each stage of their entrepreneurial journey. This means providing access to capital, personalized coaching, and global community among other founders, investors and advisors.

Since 2022, we have invested into 25+ most resilient and determined founders in Canada who are building the technologies for the future. Our portfolio companies span across various industries including climate tech, proptech, data & analytics, deep tech or edtech and solving problems directly for consumers as well as for big enterprises and medium and small businesses.

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Interested in solving today's challenges with solutions of tomorrow? Click below to apply to Antler’s residency in Toronto.

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Featured startups from Antler Canada

Take a look at some of the startups Antler Canada has supported.

EzeeAssist

EzeeAssist is addressing the challenge of knowledge dissemination within the franchise industry. By offering a platform service, they empower franchisee owners with accessible tools to streamline operations and effectively train staff, enhancing overall business efficiency.

Netnow

Netnow is tackling the complexity of B2B transactions by embedding seamless payment and financing solutions, such as Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL), directly into business workflows, simplifying financial processes for companies and their partners is tackling the complexity of B2B transactions by embedding seamless payment and financing solutions, such as Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL), directly into business workflows, simplifying financial processes for companies and their partnersowners with accessible tools to streamline operations and effectively train staff, enhancing overall business efficiency.

Genuine Taste

Genuine Taste is solving the issue of lackluster taste, aroma, and texture in alternative meat products through innovative cell agriculture techniques focused on fat production, elevating the sensory experience of plant-based foods.

ConnectX

ConnectX is addressing the inefficiencies in household power consumption and grid stability for utilities. Their development of a hardware HEMS/DERMS/VPP-enabled IoT device for home energy management optimizes power usage and minimizes risks within the electrical grid.

Enerza

Enerza is revolutionizing the way utilities inspect assets and manage vegetation with their cutting-edge autonomous on-wire robots. These robots provide real-time, efficient data collection while traversing distribution lines, enhancing safety, optimizing asset performance, and ensuring reliable utility service.

Chexy

Chexy is the first tenant-facing payments platform that allows renters to earn rewards & build credit on rent. Chexy is breaking the archaic nature of rent payments through introducing a much-needed modernization, allowing tenants to pay online and easily split with roommates.

Numr

Numr decodes customer emotions with AI offering intelligent focused strategies to enhance sales and reduce customer loss.