Calgary is not only a place where local businesses can scale and thrive, but also one that is highly enticing for expanding global enterprise. The city's deep and growing talent pool, business-friendly environment and world-class livability are drawing companies from across the globe to set up shop at an increasing rate.
With limitless opportunities in Calgary’s ever-growing tech sector, several companies headquartered in London and other European tech hubs have looked to the Blue Sky City to launch or expand their operations to North America.
Location, talent, livability big draws for businesses coming to Calgary
One company recently attracted to downtown Calgary, with support from Calgary Economic Development (CED), is global fintech firm VeriPark, which is settling into its new space in the Telus Sky building. The London-headquartered company is a global leader in innovative solutions for the financial services industry, and has offices in tech hotspots across Europe, Africa, Asia and the Middle East.
Calgary is now home to VeriPark’s second Canadian office, the first being in Toronto. Calgary's strategic and interconnected location is helping VeriPark support its growing North American client base, according to CEO Ozkan Erener.
"Calgary’s central location provides easy access to key markets across North America. Its well-developed transportation infrastructure, including the Calgary International Airport and major highways, ensures smooth business operations and connectivity," Erener said.
Long known as Western Canada’s inland port, Calgary’s airport offers over 90 direct routes to Europe, Asia and the Americas for both passenger and cargo destinations, making it an accessible location for both companies and talent. That, coupled with the city's growing financial services sector, deep wells of talent, advantageous business environment and high quality of life, was all Erener needed to see a future for VeriPark in Calgary.
"With a robust financial services sector and a thriving ecosystem of financial institutions and innovative companies, Calgary is an attractive location for fintech operations. The city offers ample opportunities for growth and collaboration in the fintech space," Erener said.
Calgary is home to a highly educated and skilled workforce, particularly in technology, finance, and business, which set the city apart for VeriPark. The city experienced the second highest tech job growth rate in North America between 2017 and 2022 and placed 21st among the Top 50 North American tech markets, according to CBRE.
“The presence of leading universities and colleges ensures a steady pipeline of talent in relevant fields," added Erener.
VeriPark set on growing in Calgary
After connecting during a CED trade mission to London late last year — supported by the High Commission of Canada in the United Kingdom — CED played a crucial role in facilitating VeriPark’s expansion.
The team highlighted Calgary’s benefits as a regional hub and the initiatives led by community partners, post-secondary institutions and businesses to build a strong innovation ecosystem and skilled talent pool — all priorities in the economic action plan, Uplook.
"We are grateful for the support from Calgary Economic Development," Erener said. "Their assistance has been instrumental in helping us navigate the local business landscape and accelerating our entry into the Calgary market."
Now that they’ve found a home in the Blue Sky City, VeriPark is focused on growing in the local market and plans to hire 20 new employees by the end of the year. Various roles will be available including software development, business analysis, project management and customer support.
"We are focused on attracting local talent, with all roles currently advertised on LinkedIn. We will relocate some of our experienced specialists to ensure a strong blend of expertise alongside our new local hires in Calgary," Erener explained.
Calgary a top choice for tech talent and scale-ups
Tech startups and talent continue to flock to Calgary from across the globe.
VeriPark joins a booming local landscape that contains several familiar faces from its European operations. Those include recent additions to Calgary like Sidetrade, a French artificial intelligence fintech firm, and Test Driven Solutions, a software tech company based in Newcastle, U.K.
“The attraction of international companies to Calgary underscores the strength and appeal of our city’s business environment and exceptional quality of life,” said Brad Parry, President and CEO of Calgary Economic Development and CEO of Opportunity Calgary Investment Fund.
“It’s exciting to see global firms like VeriPark recognize Calgary and region as a prime location for expansion. Their choice further cements our reputation as a key hub for innovation and opportunity — both in Canada and across the world.”
Home-grown companies also make a name for themselves in Calgary with the city fostering the development of seven narwhals — companies valued over CA $1 billion — including Neo Financial, Orennia, OneVest, ZayZoon, Summit-Nanotech, Convrg Innovations (Westgen Technologies) and Eavor. This list has seen an increase from four in 2023.
Additionally, Startup Genome recently named Calgary among the world’s top 50 emerging startup ecosystems. It noted the city's tech sector contributed a stunning $8.1 billion to the local economy from July 2021 through December 2023 — a 237.5 per cent increase compared to the period between July 2019 and December 2021 when the total ecosystem value was $2.4 billion.
With strategic investments and strong local support, VeriPark is poised to capitalize on Calgary’s vibrant business environment and contribute to the city’s dynamic economic landscape — as are the many other international companies that now operate in Calgary.
"As we continue to expand our presence in North America, we are confident that our new Calgary office will play a pivotal role in driving our growth and success in the region," Erener said.
Learn more about Calgary’s growing tech sector, the city's economic action plan and explore what your life could look like in Calgary at LifeInCalgary.ca.
VeriPark CEO Ozkan Erener. Photo credit: VeriPark