Innovate in Halifax
Located in the heart of Halifax, on both sides of the harbour, the Halifax Innovation District is a technology and research-dense community of entrepreneurs, post-secondary institutions, R&D facilities, startups and scaleups, established firms, and innovation hubs that are working together to develop and commercialize new ideas, products, and services.
The District offers a culture of collaboration and ingenuity, and it’s an incredible community where you can access everything you need to grow your company at every stage.
Connect to Business & Talent
Our Innovation District is home to more than 2,100 companies including startups, scaleups and established firms in Halifax's growing IT, life sciences, cleantech, financial services, ocean tech, and transportation and logistics sectors. It also offers companies access to one of the most concentrated talent pipelines in Canada graduating from the city's seven post-secondary institutions.
+
startups and scaleups
+
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services Firms
%
of Halifax companies with 500+ employees
,000
residents
,000
students enrolled in universities and colleges
,000
STEM enrolments across Halifax universities
Innovation & Startup Hubs
Partner with 15+ startup incubators and innovation hubs in the district to bring your ideas to life and connect and collaborate with like-minded innovators.
Featured Hubs
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Volta
Volta provides world class mentorship and support to new and growing startups and is a place where they can learn from each other, grow and expand to global markets.
COVE
The Centre for Ocean Ventures & Entrepreneurship (COVE) is a collaborative facility for applied innovation in the ocean sector.
ideaHUB
The IdeaHUB helps students and faculty develop entrepreneurial and innovation capacity, design and build prototypes, and launch startups with a focus on “tough tech”.
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Innovacorp
Innovacorp is Nova Scotia's early stage venture capital organization. It finds, funds and fosters innovative Nova Scotia start-ups that strive to change the world.
Creative Destruction Lab - Atlantic (CDL Atlantic)
CDL-Atlantic fosters the creation of powerful “blue-green” technology ventures through strategic alignment with Dalhousie’s world-class research expertise.
The PIER
Located in Halifax, Canada, The Pier is a global centre of excellence for research and collaboration in port logistics, management, development, and planning.
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We look at our founders as our customers. We want to make it easier for them to get into the program and connect with the right people so that we can become the most collaborative part of the ecosystem across the region.
Erin O'Keefe Graham, Director
Emera ideaHUB
Universities & Colleges
Take advantage of the research expertise, R&D facilities, and talent pipeline at Halifax's eight post-secondary institutions.
Featured Post-secondary Institutions
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Dalhousie University
As Atlantic Canada’s leading research university, we excel in collaboration with industry and opportunity for discovery.
Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC)
Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC) excels at working with industry to improve products, enhance processes, develop new technologies, and grow their business.
Saint Mary's University
Saint Mary’s University is Nova Scotia’s second largest university and a Canadian leader in international education and partnerships.
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Mount Saint Vincent University
Mount Saint Vincent University (the Mount)’s mission is to be a model of creative teaching and research that nurtures socially responsible global citizens.
NSCAD University
NSCAD offers an interdisciplinary university experience unlike any other art school in the country.
District Maps
Explore our maps to find the places and spaces supporting innovation and entrepreneurship in the Halifax Innovation District (the highlighted section of the map) and the broader ecosystem.
Halifax Innovation Agenda
Growing a culture based on ideas, innovation, and partnerships is a key strategy in Halifax's Inclusive Economic Strategy for 2022-2027.