The innovation journey is rarely a linear, sequential process. We assist high-growth, high-potential SMEs to reduce the time it takes to commercialize new technology and knowledge-based products, and to scale their business.
We support innovation in Alberta through Coaching, Community, and Capital to help Alberta businesses commercialize new technology and grow our province’s economy.
Through our funding programs, we invest in high-growth, high-potential companies that will become self-sustaining and positioned to provide economic and social benefits to Alberta.
We support innovation in all sectors, and in recent years have increasingly focused on aligning our investment portfolio and funding to innovation in the following focus areas:
High-growth, high-potential Alberta-based small-medium enterprises (SMEs) developing and/or commercializing new technology
Companies developing innovative products and processes intended to be commercialized and sold, not for internal productivity benefits.
Refer to the table below for examples.
We remain flexible in our focus areas and adapt our programs as needed. The following are the Alberta Innovates overall corporate focus areas:
To clarify understanding of what we invest in to help grow Alberta’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, it’s helpful to review our technology commercialization scorecard for 2021:
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Can your tech company contribute to these metrics? If so, check below. We may have a program for you.
Coaching, Community, and Capital!
This program is designed to fund high potential, high growth technology and knowledge-based Alberta SMEs to employ a highly trained resource with the goal of advancing business readiness levels and/or accelerating product commercialization.
This program provides funding for Alberta SMEs that rely on software development as core to one or more of their products and/or services and intends to rapidly scale in the global marketplace to accelerate their revenue growth.
The Ecosystem Development Partnerships (EDP) Program is designed to provide support for non-profit and for-profit entities to deliver launch-ready projects that will assist Alberta technology start-ups and SMEs to scale and grow and contribute to a thriving innovation Alberta ecosystem.
This program is intended to help Alberta Small and Medium-sized Enterprises align their international plans with global opportunities and to evaluate the risks and benefits of exporting prior to entering new global markets.
Micro vouchers are aimed to help Alberta’s small- and medium-sized enterprises in the technology and knowledge-based sector hire a service or product provider to advance their technology closer to commercialization.
Vouchers are for Alberta’s small- and medium-sized enterprises in the technology and knowledge-based sector with technologies in the mid-to-late developmental stages. It could include some early developmental stages.
The International Technology Partnership program is designed to de-risk the commercialization process by providing funds and coaching to high potential, high growth technology Alberta small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to further product development or pilot the technical and business merits of their product to prove the value, and advance commercialization.
We designed the Product ScaleUp Pilot Program to help propel Alberta SMEs forward as they refine and iterate their highly scalable digital technologies.
The program is a grant of up to $100,000 for one year for qualified SMEs to hire a product associate with expertise in developing, commercializing, and scaling digital technology using a product management model. A matching percentage is required.
The Product Demonstration Program is a focused, business-to-business partnership, allowing the applicant to access funding and key alliance resources, which can help accelerate their product to commercialization.
This program is designed to fund high potential, high growth technology and knowledge-based Alberta SMEs to employ an r&D professional that has the advanced technical skills required by the SME to make that last leap from research to a marketable product.
Regional Innovation Networks are entrepreneur-centric, community-based networks with the goal of providing programs and services to accelerate growth of technology and knowledge-based businesses in those jurisdictions.
The Alberta Scaleup and Growth Accelerator Program will accelerate the growth and scaleup of Alberta companies and propel digital transformation.
Our Technology Development Advisors provide front-line business coaching and technology development advice to small & medium size enterprises in technology or knowledge-based industries to accelerate clients through their client journey.
A few of our many stops along the way include a discussion around what Andrew calls the signal to noise ratio and how founders need to protect their time, the importance of humility and the need to learn from our mistakes, and his mantra that everything communicates.
James Keirstead is a tireless advocate for entrepreneurs in Edmonton and Alberta, and this candid interview really sheds light on his approach to business and life.
Alberta has a lot to boast about when it comes to female tech leaders, and our next guest is no exception. Catherine Warren leads the newly-rebranded Edmonton Unlimited as a vital cog in Alberta’s tech entrepreneurial ecosystem.