JUNE 21, 2022: Program is now accepting applications
Filling the gaps in Alberta’s entrepreneurial ecosystem
The Ecosystem Development Partnerships (EDP) Program is designed to support entities to enhance the research and innovation ecosystem in Alberta. Entities are invited to converge services and initiatives working together to create provincial strengths, new industries and enhance value throughout the entire system and its operations. Partner with us as we build a research and innovation economy in Alberta that serves as a competitive advantage for innovators and simultaneously transform products and services for Albertans.
The program is managed across multiple business units at Alberta Innovates, including Entrepreneurial Investments, Post-secondary Investments and Emerging Technologies, Health Innovation and Platforms, and Agri-Food Innovation.
Qualified applicants
We are seeking qualified applicants for the Ecosystem Development Partnerships Program with services and initiatives that contribute to filling ecosystem gaps along the client journey.
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Qualified applicants are those focused on:
- providing communities, services and supports for inventors and entrepreneurs traversing the client journey;
- supporting key markets with the ability to implement and adopt innovations;
- accelerating the development and/or application of emerging technologies and technology companies, and
- building capacity, platforms and/or networks.
Program priority areas
The program is focused on the following priority areas*:
Digital health
A project or suite of projects focused on developing a robust and coordinated digital health economy in Alberta and supporting digital health implementation and adoption. We are seeking partners to: (i) support the implementation and adoption of made-in-Alberta health technologies, (ii) enable innovation culture through talent development and attraction initiatives, and (iii) accelerate health research using a data-enabled approach.
Entrepreneur ecosystems
A project or suite of projects focused on facilitating collaboration with the ecosystem, intentionally supporting equity, diversity and inclusion, and complementing existing technology entrepreneur and business services filling gaps along the client journey from Ideation to Scaleup. This includes non-duplicative opportunities that augment the ecosystem with specialized knowledge not addressed currently in the ecosystem.
Agri-food innovation
A project or suite of projects seeking to bridge the gap between technology development and commercialization and adoption in the agri-food sector through collaborative service-driven initiatives. This includes initiatives that leverage resources, reduce duplication, and broaden reach strengthen Alberta’s research and innovation ecosystem and create an unparalleled opportunity to accelerate the best ideas for a sustainable and diversified agri-food economy.
Innovative technology hubs
Multi-organizational collaboration projects focusing on collision of activities, research, and projects that strengthen and converge Alberta’s emerging technology development ecosystem and increase capacity to discover, develop and use emerging technologies in Alberta to create provincial strengths, new industries and enhance value throughout the entire system and its operations.
*Projects outside of our priority areas that demonstrate high value to the entrepreneur client journey will be considered. Alberta-wide initiatives preferred. Regional initiatives and gaps should be address with your local regional innovation network.
How the program works
Application process
Submissions to the Ecosystem Development Partnerships Program will be evaluated using a two-stage application process:
- Application registration* – complete the Non-Confidential Summary section of the application Expression of Interest application form via the online application portal. Note for new users of the application portal: Account Registration is not the same a Registering an application for a competition. Please complete the required sections of the application form and save a draft.
- Stage 1 expression of interest – submit a complete Expression of Interest form via the online application portal
- Stage 2 full proposal – success stage 1 applicants are invited to submit a complete Full Proposal application via the online application portal
The program is highly competitive, and only the highest quality projects will be considered for funding.
*Registered applicants will receive feedback on their proposal prior to the EOI deadline. Non-registered applicants may still submit an EOI by the deadline. No extensions will be given for the EOI or Full Proposal deadlines.
Key dates
Program resources
Program documents
- Ecosystem Development Partnerships program guide
- Online application portal
- Standard investment agreement
Related ecosystem investments
We are pleased to contribute funding to projects supporting and strengthening Alberta’s ecosystem. Read press releases here and here.
| Applicant | Project title |
| Alberta Health Services | Pre-commercial engagement and product-market fit: An Alberta Stroke & Neuroimaging Beachhead Offering |
| Alberta IoT Association Ltd | Alberta Science Park/Fast Track Program |
| Bio-Conversion Databank Foundation | Digitally Enabled Collaborative Infrastructure to Accelerate Innovation in Health and Other Sectors |
| Canadian Blockchain Consortium Corp. | Accelerating Alberta’s Blockchain Leadership Through Collaboration |
| Central Alberta: Access Prosperity | The Manufacturing & Export Enhancement Cluster |
| Cybera Inc. | Applied Data Science Lab for Economic Development |
| Digital Media Association of Alberta | Interactive Digital Media Ecosystem Development |
| European-Canadian Centre for Innovation and Research | Connecting high-growth and high-potential SMEs in Alberta with European partners: Enhance ability to scale business and speed up commercialization of new technology |
| GrowthX, LLC | The Alberta Innovates Revenue Accelerator (TAIRA) powered by GrowthX |
| Institute of Health Economics | Health Economic Support for SMEs Across the Health Innovation Cycle |
| Intrinsic Innovations | Entrepreneur Growth Retention in Alberta |
| Lethbridge Economic Development Initiative Society | Rural Women Entrepreneurs in Technology |
| Mount Royal University | Growth Catalyst |
| Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) | NAIT CAMS Innovation Platform |
| ScaleUp Concierge Inc | Leadership Development Platform delivered through a SaaS Marketplace focused on accelerating diverse executives to the C-Suite |
| Start Up TNT Organization | Startup TNT Investor Training and Access to Capital Program |
| The Natural Step Canada | Ecosystem Development for an Equitable Energy Future |
| University of Alberta | Shared Innovation Group for Hard Technologies (SIGHT) Strategic Planning |
| University of Alberta | The Alberta Diagnostics Ecosystem Platform for Translation (ADEPT) |
| University of Alberta | UAlberta Health Hub & Accelerator |
| University of Alberta | Alberta PRECision health Innovation, reSearch and technology Ecosystem (PRECISE) |
| University of Calgary | CDL-Rockies Nurture Program |
| University of Calgary | W21C Digital Health Collaboratorium |
| University of Calgary | Modernizing the Primary Care Electronic Medical Record Ecosystem in Alberta |
| UTI Limited Partnership | Digital Compass – product roadmap and marketing scale up support |
| UTI Limited Partnership | Integrated Management Platform to Accelerate Clinical Trials (IMPACT) Expansion |
Related programs and services
- Alberta Scaleup and Growth Accelerator Program
- Regional Innovation Networks, connect with the innovation ecosystem and technology entrepreneur supports in Alberta.
- Health Innovation Platform Partnerships
- Connectica, a database to help connect Alberta’s innovative technology entrepreneurs to publicly funded or not-for-profit services, funding and facilities.
- Search other Alberta Innovates’ programs