London named as one of North America’s top 10 emerging markets in tech

It’s no surprise to Londoners in the bustling tech sector that our city has made epic strides and is recognized as a booming place for innovation. Companies in London and the Southwestern Ontario innovation corridor have seen astronomical growth over the past few years, with local support and connectivity during the pandemic at an all-time high. 

With the recent release of CBRE’s annual Scoring Tech Talent Report, London was named in the top 10 of North America’s emerging tech markets. Our city boasts a comparatively high-tech talent employment rate, with over 13,700 tech jobs filled in 2021. Now in its 10th year of reporting, CBRE makes the ranks by analyzing 13 different measures of a region’s ability to attract and develop tech talent, including tech graduation rates, tech-job concentration, tech labour pool size, and real estate costs. North American tech talent has shown incredible resilience throughout the pandemic and has embraced and propelled through turmoil and tough times to make it near the top of the list.  

Embracing an influx of remote work has allowed the tech sector to expand in unprecedented ways. With nearly a quarter of all tech job listings across North America now offering remote possibilities, cities that have previously struggled to find local talent are able to expand their talent pool, and in turn, expand their impact. In London, there has been an increase in attraction of talented newcomers to Canada and migration of people with in-demand expertise from other urban centers securing employment in gaming, agtech, SaaS, medhealth and cleantech. Also, Fanshawe College and Western University are graduating skilled, emerging professionals into the local market, with industry observers recognizing the city as a cluster of tech-talent that continues to thrive. 

“Advanced North American tech markets accelerate innovation and develop and retain impeccable talent. To be named as one of the rising leaders in this space means that Londoners are being celebrated for what we’ve known all along – founders, industry leaders and entrepreneurs and their talented teams are dedicated to our region as a community of innovators, and have an appetite for growth like other flourishing ecosystems,” says Christina Fox, CEO of TechAlliance, “We are delighted to be recognized as a globally-competitive innovation economy, transforming some of Canada’s most promising startups into scaling, prosperous companies”.  

With accolades rolling in for many ventures this year, London and TechAlliance will continue to prioritize fostering the right conditions for innovation and scoring big for tech talent. With more than 300 businesses in the tech sector and local players stepping up to the plate with a growth mindset and innovation-driven attitude, job growth, revenue, and top-of-the-list recognition promises that London will continue this impressive depth in the tech industry.  

Photo by Scott Webb on Unsplash