Kingston, Ontario – November 25, 2025 – Kingston Economic Development Corporation is honoured to receive the “Best Small City in Canada” award. This distinction recognizes Kingston, as the only Canadian city with a population under 500,000 to rank among the nation’s top 10 startup ecosystems and highlights the Corporation for its leadership in this achievement of the Kingston startup ecosystem.
The Startup Ecosystem Awards, separate from StartupBlink’s annual Global Startup Ecosystem Index rankings, specifically honour organizations that have demonstrated exceptional achievement in fostering startup ecosystem development. The awards are determined through detailed analysis of StartupBlink’s comprehensive algorithm, which evaluates over 40 parameters across more than 1,000 cities and 100 countries worldwide.
“StartupBlink is delighted to recognize Kingston Economic Development for its exceptional leadership in elevating Kingston to one of Canada’s top 10 startup ecosystems,” said Eli David Rokah, CEO, StartupBlink. “As the only city under 500,000 to earn this distinction, Kingston demonstrates impressive innovation capacity. This award is well-deserved, and we congratulate the team for their continued commitment to growing the city’s startup ecosystem.”
“As board chair and longtime Kingston resident, this recognition affirms that our strategic investments in ecosystem development are delivering real impact,” said Cathy Campbell-Wilson, Chair, Kingston Economic Development Board. “Our community’s entrepreneurial spirit, combined with the Corporation’s dedicated leadership, continue positioning Kingston as a global model for communities our size.”
The award recognizes Kingston Economic Development’s integrated approach to ecosystem building, which leverages strategic partnerships with industry leaders, innovation hubs and academic institutions to create comprehensive support for entrepreneurs at every stage of growth. This collaborative model has resulted in significant economic impact, with Kingston’s startup ecosystem contributing to the creation of high-quality jobs and attracting substantial investment to the region.
“This award belongs to our entire community,” said Donna Gillespie, CEO of Kingston Economic Development Corporation. “It recognizes the strategic partnerships and commitment that makes Kingston’s startup and entrepreneurial ecosystem thrive. This recognition stems from creating conditions where innovation flourishes and entrepreneurs build their futures here.”
Kingston’s startup ecosystem demonstrates particular strength in sustainable manufacturing and life sciences innovation. Kingston recently achieved recognition as the Best Small City worldwide for Energy & Environment ecosystems and ranks among the global top 10 in cleantech. This specialization aligns with Kingston’s commitment to sustainability and positions the community as a leader in sectors critical to addressing global challenges.
“Kingston’s startup ecosystem is exceptional because of our nimbleness and collaborative spirit,” said Norman Musengimana, Business Development Manager for Start-ups & Entrepreneurship at Kingston Economic Development. “This award validates our approach of building genuine relationships and providing practical support. Our entrepreneurs don’t just launch here—they grow here and create global impact from Kingston.”
The award presentation took place during StartupBlink’s virtual Startup Ecosystem Awards ceremony, which brought together ecosystem developers, government officials, and innovation leaders from around the world to celebrate achievements in startup ecosystem development.
To learn more about Kingston’s startup ecosystem and the support available for entrepreneurs, visit investkingston.ca/start
Media Contacts:
Daniel Solorio
Marketing & Communications Manager
Kingston Economic Development Corporation
613-329-9270
solorio@investkingston.ca
