By Connie Thiessen
The Canada Media Fund (CMF) is investigating starting a media tech fund that would help establish Canadian media and technology companies, while accelerating the commercialization of homegrown IP (intellectual property).
The CMF has signed an expression of interest to explore the creation of the Canada Global Media Tech Fund, alongside L.A.-based private investment holding company, The Interlink Group, and a consortium of organizations including the Vancouver Asian Film Festival, Racial Equity Screen Office, and Muslims in Media.
The agency envisions a potential public-private investment fund for building “globally competitive” Canadian media and technology companies. It also wants to hasten the pace of commercializing Canadian IP capable of reaching audiences worldwide.
“This fund would represent a new model for international collaboration in the media and technology sectors that would complement Canada’s screen-sector ecosystem, creating new pathways for investment, co-production, technology development, content creation, and international distribution across a range of sectors, including film, television, digital media, gaming, creator economy ventures, artificial intelligence, virtual production, and emerging content technologies,” CMF said in its announcement, adding that the venture would also establish Canada as a “strategic gateway” between North America, the Gulf Cooperation Council (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates), and Asia-Pacific, among other “high-growth” markets.
“Innovation is essential to strengthening the industry’s resilience and sustainability, alongside diversification through bold and imaginative funding models,” said CMF President and CEO Valerie Creighton. “This work is directly in line with key objectives in the CMF’s 2026-2029 Strategic Plan, namely to open pathways to global markets and expand opportunities for content driven by market demand.”
“The Canada Global Media Tech Fund represents an opportunity to build a truly global value chain for media and technology – from development and production to commercialization and international distribution,” added Ali Elashram, Founding Director, Muslims in Media. “By aligning public resources, private investment and strategic international partnerships, we can create a platform capable of generating economic and cultural returns across multiple markets.”
