There’s an epidemic in Canada. That epidemic is a mentality that leaves top talent with no option but to flee the nation’s borders and take with them everything they’ve learned. It undervalues breakthroughs developed and paid for by Canadian taxpayers. It’s a mindset that resents the success of others. It’s a bad case of tall poppy syndrome.

Source: Tech Crunch

Date: May 31st, 2017

Link: https://techcrunch.com/2016/04/29/tall-poppy-syndrome-and-the-canadian-opportunity/

Discussion

1) Atomwise “took full advantage of the R&D resources available in Canada (SRED and accessing the IBM Blue Gene supercomputer through Ontario Centres of Excellence), but when it came time to commercialize, it had a tough time raising money in Canada.”   Atomwise moved to Silicon Valley when the VCs (venture capitalists) funding it requested it move to Silicon Valley.  Why aren’t Canadian VCs investing in Canadian entrepreneurs?

2) Would it make sense for the Canadian government to have an invest-in-Canada VC-like operation, or is this the Canadian government picking winners and losers?