Building Canadian Success Stories: Ali Siddiqui, CPA on Moving from Theory into Practice

Canadian startups are not short on ideas, but many have a hard time scaling here at home. A Globe and Mail survey found that only 32% of startups founded by Canadians remain headquartered here.

Ensuring that startups – and entrepreneurs – have adequate support and resources to grow and scale at home will help solve Canada’s ongoing productivity crisis.

Building and scaling a business in Canada requires leaders like CPAs who can think strategically and move quickly alongside founders and leadership teams.

For Ali Siddiqui, CPA, supporting startups and scaleups is not just a professional interest – it’s critical to keeping the talent, firms and intellectual property that is critical for Canada’s future.

“Supporting startups and scaleups builds a globally competitive workforce and companies that are Canadian-made,” said Siddiqui. “I think CPAs bring a lot of discipline, clarity and credibility to the picture, helping founders turn ideas into sustainable businesses – not just building financial structures, but making them scalable for the future.”

Ali Siddiqui’s ILA Experience

CPA Ontario’s Innovation Leadership Accelerator (ILA) program was created to help bridge a talent gap in the Canadian innovation economy, by preparing CPAs to support startups and scaleups with the skills, mindset and the network they need to succeed.

“I was drawn to ILA because of where it sits at the intersection of innovation and leadership for CPAs,” he said.

“Most of the attendees have a similar background and an interest, which meant I was able to connect and learn about the day-to-day work environment – beyond theory and into practice.”

This shared interest helped create a tight-knit cohort of CPAs who think entrepreneurially and move quickly - an essential quality for the fast-moving world of innovation startups.

“That sense of camaraderie is huge,” Ali said. “It’s a professional network that continues to add value long after the program ends.”

Beyond networking, the program has had a direct impact on how Ali approaches his work - particularly through the development of an operator mindset.

“You learn the cost of moving too slowly,” he said. “Instead of long project plans that don’t lead anywhere, you test ideas quickly, work cross-functionally, and make decisions even with imperfect information. That agility is exactly what startups and scaleups need.”

Ali’s advice for CPAs’ joining ILA?

“Apply if you want to stretch beyond your role,” he said. “Come in curious, engaged and ready to contribute – and ready to learn.”

As Canada works to strengthen its innovation economy, programs like ILA help ensure that startups and scaleups have the leadership, discipline, and long-term thinking needed to grow build here at home.

Learn more about the Innovation Leadership Accelerator Program.