Grow your business with expert advice from National Bank

National Bank has been in the Calgary market for eight years and one thing that’s undeniable—Calgary is an amazing place to do business. According to Calgary Economic Development, last year Calgary businesses attracted $647 million in new venture capital. Not only that, requests for piloting new tech grew by 200% and nearly three-quarters of business leaders see Calgary as a new hub for tech and innovation.

Small businesses are driving our economy forward and in honour of Small Business Week, we’re highlighting a few ways National Bank is helping them thrive.

A full-service bank for the entrepreneur

Founded on a desire to support local business owners, our entrepreneurial spirit is still firmly rooted in our way of doing things. We take a client-centric approach to help businesses connect with partners who understand their reality and will support their growth.

We treat our business clients more like partners. We’re there for the day-to-day and offer creative and unique solutions to help their development along the way—whether they’re just starting out, looking to evolve, or ready to transition.

We’re also well-suited to support Calgary’s growing tech ecosystem. With more than 25 years of experience in tech and innovation, our service offerings include early-stage financing, growing new ventures, M&A transactions and more.

Expert tips and tricks for SMEs

Have questions about the current financial situation and how that impacts your business? Check out some of our latest advice about current market trends, including:

• How to recruit during a labour shortage
• How to win over private investors and get them on board
• Economic updates with chief economist Stéfane Marion

Best of all, these resources are free and available to anyone, right here.

Calgary Chamber members team up to elevate support for entrepreneurs

Last month, National Bank of Canada announced a new strategic partnership with fellow Calgary Chamber of Commerce member Platform Calgary that will focus on improving the connections between investors and Calgary technology startups. National Bank is committing $380,000 over four years to establish the “National Bank Investor Hub” at the Platform Innovation Centre and will become a core partner of the Platform Pillar Team.

The Hub will add a key asset to continue growing the local technology sector, driving faster connections between investors, founders, ideas and capital. It will bring many benefits to the local innovation economy, including:

• A centralized access point for international, national and local investors, funds, venture capital groups, angel investors, banks, family offices and private equity groups looking to expand their investment portfolios and tie into local tech and startup activity.
• A source of credible training and professional development for investors interested in technology as an asset class.
• A physical hub for startups to connect with investors at an earlier stage, decreasing the time required for the startup to build interpersonal connections with investors before the need for capital is urgent.

Michael Denham, Executive Vice-President, Commercial and Private Banking at National Bank, made the announcement in Calgary last month at the Platform Innovation Centre, adding that “Calgary has been solidifying its position as a crucial tech hub in Canada and we are excited to be part of its dynamic ecosystem of ever-growing opportunities.”