Calgary is doubling down on its reputation as Canada's energy capital with a major investment into the ETC Foundation that's expected to create jobs and fuel the city's transition to a low-carbon economy. The Opportunity Calgary Investment Fund is leading a coalition of investors—including PrairiesCan, Alberta Innovates, CIBC, Avatar Innovations and Pathways Alliance—in a project valued at over $10 million to expand the foundation's entrepreneurial programs and facilities.

The investment will fund a massive 17,000-square-foot flexible workspace in downtown Calgary designed specifically for low-emission energy startups to collaborate with ecosystem partners and investors. The expanded programming includes structured educational courses, industry workshops and hands-on training aimed at graduate students, PhDs and professionals looking to upskill in the energy transition space. Over the next four years, the initiative expects to train 60 individuals, support 30 local companies, and help launch 10 new companies.

This builds on OCIF's original 2022 funding that launched the ETC through Avatar Innovations, which has already supported more than 60 startups that collectively raised over $500 million in venture capital. The timing aligns with promising economic forecasts—the Alberta Energy Transition Study found that a low-carbon economy could generate nearly 170,000 jobs and contribute $61 billion to provincial GDP by 2050. "This investment by OCIF will help fuel local startups to find technological solutions that will power a low-carbon economy," said Brad Parry, CEO of the Opportunity Calgary Investment Fund.