Futurpreneur Canada names Vancouver as 2014’s Most Entrepreneurial City

Vancouver, British Columbia – November 24, 2014 Futurpreneur Canada (formerly the Canadian Youth Business Foundation) announced today that Vancouver is Canada’s most entrepreneurial Canadian city for 2014, based on the number events held there during Global Entrepreneurship Week.

Global Entrepreneurship Week took place from November 17-23, across the globe, with Futurpreneur Canada as the Canadian host for the sixth consecutive year. For the past two years, Ottawa has hosted more events than any other city in Canada, this year Ottawa took on challengers to earn the Most Entrepreneurial Canadian City title.

“Global Entrepreneurship Week is an important occasion to celebrate the ingenuity, creativity, and economic contributions of Vancouver’s world-class entrepreneurs,” said Mayor Gregor Robertson. “Vancouver’s recognition as the Most Entrepreneurial City in Canada is exciting validation of our dynamic and innovation-driven economy, and all of the leaders and small businesses who are powering its growth with new job creation and investment.”

Each year, Global Entrepreneurship Week connects more than 7.5 million people in 150 countries with potential collaborators, mentors and investors through local, national and global activities, introducing them to new possibilities and exciting opportunities to start their own businesses. With over 500 events hosted this year in communities all across Canada, the number of young people looking to discover entrepreneurial opportunities is on the rise.

“We are thrilled that Vancouver has been named the Most Entrepreneurial City in Canada! Vancouver is thriving with start-up energy and we feel incredibly honoured to be supporting entrepreneurs throughout this city and the province,” says Jill Earthy, Regional Director for Futurpreneur Canada in BC. “None of this would be possible without the collaborative nature of the many support organizations that come together to create a strong entrepreneurial ecosystem in BC.”

This year, Futurpreneur Canada saw more than 500 events registered in celebration of Global Entrepreneurship Week. Vancouver set an impressive record by hosting 85 of these events during the week and an additional 29 in the surrounding weeks. We hope to see this number grow in the coming years as Global Entrepreneurship Week continues to ignite a national discussion about how entrepreneurs, governments, businesses and academic institutions can work together to make business ownership a more attractive career option for young people.

“We were delighted to hear of Vancouver’s designation as Canada’s Most Entrepreneurial City. This announcement marks the end of the extraordinarily successful Global Entrepreneurship Week in Canada and Start Up Week in Vancouver,” says Ian McKay, CEO, Vancouver Economic Commission. “Vancouver is a globally recognised city for smart talent, smart capital and 21st century business continues to be validated.”

For more information about Futurpreneur and Global Entrepreneur Week events in Canada, visit www.futurpreneur.ca/GEW and follow @futurpreneur and @gewcanada.

About Futurpreneur Canada
Futurpreneur Canada (formerly the Canadian Youth Business Foundation, or CYBF) has been fueling the entrepreneurial passions of Canada’s young enterprise for nearly two decades. We are the only national, non-profit organization that provides financing, mentoring and support tools to aspiring business owners aged 18-39. Our internationally recognized mentoring program hand matches young entrepreneurs with a business expert from a network of more than 2,800 volunteer mentors. Futurpreneur Canada is a founding member of the G20 Young Entrepreneurs’ Alliance, the Canadian member of The Prince’s Youth Business International, and the Canadian host of Global Entrepreneurship Week.

www.futurpreneur.ca Facebook: Futurpreneur Twitter: @Futurpreneur

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Media contacts:

Lesley Wilmot
Director, Communications
Futurpreneur Canada
416.408.2923 x 2203
lwilmot@futurpreneur.ca