Tech startups abandon Kanata suburbs for downtown patios
Software companies including Autocorp.ai and Rewind are clustering on Preston Street and around Lansdowne Park, preferring urban amenities over corporate parks.
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Ottawa's technology sector is quietly shifting away from sprawling suburban campuses toward dense urban neighborhoods where founders can walk to coffee shops and dinner.
Companies including Autocorp.ai, Rewind, Qlik, bitHeads, Adobe, Corel, and Freebalance now operate from office towers at 333 and 343 Preston Street in Little Italy. A second cluster has formed around TD Place at Lansdowne Park, where firms like Robotics Centre and seoplus+ have set up headquarters.
The move reflects a maturing tech ecosystem. "There was a period where, right beside St. Laurent Shopping Centre, you had Assent, MindBridge and Lixar," said Nick Quain, Invest Ottawa's vice-president of ventures. "They all moved or were bought out. There was probably more money raised on Industrial Avenue than March Road for a couple of years."
Andrew Lemoine, co-founder and CEO of Autocorp.ai, said the company landed at 343 Preston almost by chance after meeting with Sun Life at their office there. "It's central, it's not directly downtown," Lemoine told Ottawa Business Journal. "You're not dealing with that direct cluster of downtown traffic, and it's a little more easy to access."
Autocorp builds fintech software for Canadian car dealerships, with over 800 now using the platform. Lemoine said Preston Street suits the company's remote-first model because the building functions like a co-working space without the full commercial commitment that Kanata North properties require. "The KRP properties are a little bit more difficult to get into as a startup. They really vet the companies a lot harder." The neighbourhood itself is a selling point. "There's no shortage of good food within a five-minute walking distance," he said.