Celebrating Plug and Play and 500 Global’s enrichment of Alberta’s tech ecosystem

August 14, 2025

As Alberta Innovates ends its accelerator programming with Plug and Play and 500 Global, we look back on all that we achieved through the Scaleup Growth and Accelerator Program (Scaleup GAP) pilot, and forward to what Alberta Innovates has in store.

Alberta Innovates will be ending our accelerator programming with Plug and Play Alberta, and 500 Global in November as we move forward with the next phase of scaleup and growth programming for Alberta companies. This follows the conclusion of CSW Accelerator’s programming earlier this year. 

Plug and Play Alberta, 500 Global, and CSW Accelerator have enriched our entrepreneurial ecosystem and showcased Alberta tech on a global stage.  

Plug and Play’s accelerator supported 18 cohorts and 500’s accelerator supported seven cohorts of entrepreneurs through resources, connections and knowledge over the past three years of the Scaleup GAP pilot. 

As Scaleup GAP is coming to the end of its pilot, the learnings and results will be used to enhance new scaleup programming for current and future Alberta companies.  

 

“The Alberta Innovates Scaleup GAP program has helped entrepreneurs bridge the scaleup gap and take their business to new heights, and we are grateful for the contributions Plug and Play, 500 Global and CSW Accelerator have made to this pilot program,” says Reesa John, Executive Director, Scaleup and Growth at Alberta Innovates.   

 

Alberta Innovates has a number of programs that support companies looking to scale and grow. More information about new programming will be available in the coming months. 

“We are working to realign our programs to provide the best possible services to our ecosystem and reflect our new strategic direction. We want to assure startups and entrepreneurs across the province that this shift in programming will not impact the level of service they have come to expect from us.” 

If you are looking to scale your business, reach out to your Technology Development Advisor or apply to be connected with one. 

For more information about scaling your business, check out our resources page.  

Alberta entrepreneurs take part in one of 500 Global's seven cohorts of accelerator programming during the Scaleup GAP pilot program.