From the Californian Dream to the “Caladian Dream”
The Caladian Dream is where startups thrive. It takes the best of what California and Canada have to offer and combines it to create a startup utopia called Calada.
Philippines ➡️ California
I love California. I immigrated there from the Philippines when I was four and was extremely lucky to grow up by the “Golden Coast.” I remember landing at SFO airport and driving to my dad’s San Francisco apartment for the very first time with my mom. It was the first time we were all going to live together after four years apart. More than that for my mom and dad. The three of us lived in a two-bedroom apartment in the Richmond District with my aunt and my three-year-old cousin. My dad worked at a hotel downtown as a housekeeper making minimum wage. My mom had to start her career from scratch. Between my parents, my mom was the college-educated one and left an office job in the Philippines. She had to prove herself in America while family members told her she wouldn’t get anything better than a babysitting job. She proved them wrong, of course. Altogether, my family had a few hundred dollars in their bank account. This was where we started.
Now, they live in a house they own in the San Francisco Bay Area. They saved and helped my brother and I pay for our undergraduate degrees. My brother got his B.S. from UC Santa Cruz and is now a Product Designer. I got my B.A. from UCLA and my Master’s from USC and now an exited startup founder and VC. My dad is still working at the same hotel he started. My mom retired a few years ago after 25+ years of working as a Financial Analyst. They now spend their days together working on projects and traveling back and forth to the Philippines as much as they can.
My parents achieved their Californian Dream to create a better life for my brother and I.
After 25+ years, I left.
California ➡️ Canada
I unexpectedly found myself in Canada. I flew into Ottawa to celebrate my now-husband and my birthdays in March 2020. A few days later. The US-Canada border shut down because of COVID and I was forced to choose whether I stayed in Canada or go back to San Francisco. I decided to stay.
The longer I am here, the more I’ve seen how Canada is a great place to build a startup.
Unlike the US where the immigration process is one of the most challenging in the world, Canada has the reputation of having liberal immigration policies. The Canadian government spent years investing in innovation and education. It’s attracting the best and brightest people from all over the world and it’s starting to pay off. On top of that, Canadian startups have this amazing tax incentive called SR&ED where the government covers about half of a startup’s R&D expenses.
Before I dive a bit deeper into what’s happening in Canada for startups, let’s start with the best and worst parts of California.
The Best and Worst of California 🇺🇸
As a startup founder and VC, being from the biggest tech hub in the world had its advantages. It’s where serendipitous encounters at a local meetup become the start of a unicorn startup. Where a conversation can lead me to view the world differently. Where I can jump into my car and take a four-hour drive to the Lake Tahoe snow or a six-hour drive to sunny Los Angeles.
Speaking of the drive down to Los Angeles, the US 101 brings you down the scenic route along the Pacific coast. The weather is beautiful and you can’t help but roll down the windows to feel the ocean breeze blowing in your face. The entertainment capital of the world awaits at the end of the highway.
California is home to some of the most well-known universities in the world such as UCLA, UC Berkeley, and Stanford.
Innovation and disruption happens in California. Opportunity grows in California. The world comes to California.
Unfortunately, the rising cost of living and education comes to California too.
The Best and Worst of Canada 🇨🇦
A part of my unique perspective of Canada comes from my husband. He grew up in Ottawa, got his Master’s from the University of Waterloo, did a partial PhD from the University of Toronto, and is an early-stage startup founder. The rest comes from my involvement and exposure to regional VC and startup communities. My jaw dropped when I realized how much support Canadian startups have from the government. I wish I had it when I started my startup.
SR&ED is one example. Knowing that the government will cover almost half of research and development costs (developer/engineering costs) will extend a startup’s runway. Startups can fundraise in the US, bring it back to Canada, and feel assured that they’ll be able to retain their employees longer and get closer to product-market fit.
Finding top technical talent is not an issue and also more affordable. Liberal immigration policies, startup visas, and pathways for highly skilled workers are attracting top talent, even from the US. The presence of and government investments in top universities like the University of Toronto, the University of Waterloo, and McGill University are producing top talent as well.
According to Cade Metz from the New York Times, “(Toronto) is home to more tech workers than Chicago, Los Angeles, Seattle and Washington, D.C., trailing only New York and Silicon Valley.” Toronto is also the fastest-growing tech hub in North America.
Let’s not forget the free healthcare and affordable (if not free) university education. When I became a permanent resident, I was confused when I didn’t have to pull out my credit card to provide a co-pay for a general checkup.
Unfortunately, the startup and VC culture in Canada is more conservative than California’s bullish nature of placing big bets on startups that will change the world. According to the research firm Tracxn, investors pumped $132 billion into Silicon Valley tech start-ups in 2021 and 2022, compared to $5.4 billion in Toronto. Unless this cultural shift happens, Canada won’t reach the same level as Silicon Valley.
The Best of Both Worlds. The Best of Calada.
The Caladian Dream is about entrepreneurship. The Caladian Dream is where startups thrive. It takes the best of what California and Canada have to offer and combines it to create a startup utopia called Calada.
It’s about increasing the success rate of building innovative and profitable ventures. Having the top-notch, free or affordable university education. The free healthcare. The liberal immigration policies that attract the best talent in the world. The government’s financial support for fledgeling businesses. The bullish nature of innovation. The world’s industry leading hubs that bring them all in one place. The beautiful sunshine and the great outdoors.
Calada is where startups get the initial resources and support to grow. Calada is where they scale and compete at a global stage to become the next unicorn.
Calada is where the startup magic happens.
