(OTTAWA) – April 9, 2015
Export Development Canada (EDC) and MaRS Discovery District (MaRS) have signed an agreement to increase their cooperation in support of high-impact companies seeking to grow their businesses through export.
EDC and MaRS will work more closely together to share expertise and experience in assisting Canadian companies seeking entry into foreign markets.
“EDC and MaRS have expertise that match well to support Canadian high-growth ventures in the cleantech, health, and ICT sectors,” says Clive Witter, Senior Vice-President, Insurance, EDC. “This partnership will provide opportunities for Canadian small businesses in these fast-growing sectors to accelerate their growth and facilitate introductions to key players in their industries.”
EDC is Canada’s trade finance agency, and the leading provider of financing, insurance and bonding for Canadian companies of all sizes that do business outside of Canada.
“This is a partnership built on our shared objective to increase global competitiveness of Canadian companies,” says Salim Teja, executive vice-president of MaRS Venture Services. “I am confident that working together with EDC, we will help Ontario’s most promising technology entrepreneurs explore more business opportunities abroad.”
As part of this partnership, EDC and MaRS will work collaborate together on export-related activities including joint events, highlighting business opportunities in emerging markets and projects across the three sectors. These include monthly MaRS Mornings, an open breakfast series that features talks by visionary founders in the innovation community.
This agreement follows on the heels of the successful green mining event that was jointly held by EDC and MaRS during the PDAC conference in February.
MaRS Discovery District
(@MaRSDD) in Toronto is one of the world’s largest urban innovation hubs. MaRS cultivates high-impact ventures and equips innovators to drive economic and societal prosperity. MaRS provides expert advice and market research, and makes connections to talent, customers and capital. MaRS startup ventures have created 6,500 jobs and, in the last three years alone, they have raised $1 billion in capital and generated $500 million in revenue.
For more information, contact:
Lara Torvi
MaRS Discovery District
(416) 673-8100
ltorvi@marsdd.com
EDC is Canada’s export credit agency, providing financing and insurance solutions locally and around the world to help Canadian companies of any size respond to international business opportunities. As a profitable Crown corporation that operates on commercial principles, EDC works together with private- and public- sector financial institutions to create greater capacity for Canadian companies to engage in trade and investment.
For more information about how EDC can help your company, call us at 1-888-434-8508 or visit www.edc.ca.
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Phil Taylor
Export Development Canada
(613) 598-2904
ptaylor@edc.ca
