Calgary has long been recognized as a major player in the energy industry but in recent years, the city’s technology and innovation sector has been gaining significant attention.
“We have a highly skilled workforce in Calgary with a lot of experience in industry sectors that are ripe for disruption by technology, including agrifood, energy and real estate,” says lawyer Kristal Allen, partner at Dentons specializing in helping innovation-focused companies scale.
“In turn, we are witnessing numerous entrepreneurs creating value in these industries with novel innovations.”
Dentons — a global law firm with local expertise — is often serving as a guide for emerging or early-stage companies, helping them secure investment and collaboration that could potentially propel their companies to become Calgary’s next big success story.
By providing comprehensive legal advice, Dentons’ Venture Technology and Emerging Growth Companies group offers many of these growing firms help in securing financing and navigating the complexities of expansion.
“We operate in a very polycentric way,” says Jack Schroder, also a partner at Dentons in Calgary, specializing in financing and mergers and acquisitions.
“Our team has an excellent sense of the local market, in addition to being able to tap into the breadth and expertise of our global network of lawyers across more than 80 countries.”
Part of Dentons’ success lies with listening to clients, understanding their challenges and delivering highly tailored, pragmatic advice.
“Clients are looking to allocate resources efficiently, so we work with each founder to prioritize strategic planning from the outset,” Schroder adds. “It’s really tough to unscramble an egg, hence our commitment to helping clients lay the foundation for success from the outset.”
Dentons also differentiates itself through its extensive connections with venture capital funds, enabling new companies to access vital financing, says Danielle Dudelzak, a corporate/commercial associate also based in Calgary. Dentons provides access to seasoned experts who have experienced startup and scale-up challenges firsthand, including entrepreneur-in-residence Chris Buckman, who recently joined the firm.
“His experience can really help these techpreneurs establish necessary connections to grow,” she adds.
For early-stage businesses and entrepreneurs, Dentons created a free online resource called the Venture Hub.
“It’s a library of resources — including videos and self-serve legal templates — that serves as a foundation for founders, ensuring they have the necessary tools as they embark on their journey,” Dudelzak says.
Altogether, what Dentons offers is insight, guidance, flexibility and an unwavering dedication to the success of entrepreneurs, Schroder says.
“At the end of the day, our goal is to nurture Calgary’s innovation ecosystem.”
This story was created by Content Works, Postmedia’s commercial content division, on behalf of Calgary Economic Development.