Access to capital

Looking for funding for your business venture? The organizations below provide funding opportunities for Alberta businesses in various fields and stages of development.

  • Alberta Enterprise Corporation Fund: $100 million has been allocated by the Government of Alberta to the fund to co-invest in a number of early stage capital funds focused. Improved access to capital means that companies can spend less time raising capital and more time developing technologies, products and market plans.

  • Alberta Deal Generator (ADG): Alberta Deal Generator works to facilitate investment in high-growth Alberta technology companies. Alberta Deal Generator (ADG) has established the largest network of accredited investors in Canada who are actively pursuing opportunities in Alberta’s early and growth-stage companies. Through a screening process ADG identifies technology companies that are “investment ready” and then connects these firms with our network of angel investors, Venture Capital firms and other investor groups in special presentation forums.

  • Alberta Innovates Bio Solutions Funding Opportunities: There are funding programs available related to advanced materials and chemicals, and quality food for health research and innovation.

  • Alberta Innovates Energy and Environment Solutions Funding Programs: Alberta Innovates offers grants for research into innovations with a potential to make a significant impact on the energy industry.

  • Alberta Innovates Health Solutions Grants and Awards: Funded by the Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research endowment, Alberta Innovates Health Solutions offers grant and funding programs for research in health sciences.   

  • Alberta Innovates Technology Futures Vouchers Program: Innovation vouchers help small technology and knowledge-driven businesses in Alberta get their ideas and products to market faster. Companies can apply for vouchers worth up to $10,000 or $50,000 to use at Alberta's public and not-for-profit service providers for business and technology development services.

  • Alberta Innovates Technology Futures nanoWorks (nanotech related products/companies): nanoWorks is a $15 million, five-year initiative, funded by the Alberta government and managed by Alberta Innovate Technology Futures that brings industry and academic researchers together to increase industrial R&D investments and develop market-driven nanotechnology products. The program is open to industry and academic proposals focused on developing new nanotech businesses, building much-needed nanotech talent and infrastructure, and creating economic and social returns to the province. Proposals must align with provincial strategic priorities in energy and environment, health and medical technologies, and agriculture and forestry.

  • Alberta Scientific Research and Experimental Development Tax Credit: The Alberta Scientific Research and Experimental Development (SR&ED) tax credit benefits businesses of all sizes and in all sectors that conduct research and development that will lead to new, improved or technologically advanced products or processes. The credit is worth 10 per cent of a company's eligible expenditures up to $4 million, for a maximum credit of $400,000. It will be refundable for all companies. The credit is for all expenditures incurred after December 31, 2008 that are also eligible for the Credit. The Alberta SR&ED tax credit is over and above the federal SR&ED credit, helping the research and development investments made by Alberta companies go further. Because the credit is refundable, start-up and early-stage companies will still be able to benefit from the credit even if they are not yet earning enough income to pay income taxes.

  • AVAC: AVAC is a private company that invests in organizations that deliver value-added products and services to the market. AVAC has three primary funding areas:
    • Ag Research Fund – Investing in qualified research and development programs and projects in food products, environment management and other Alberta-based agricultural industries
    • Agrivalue Fund – Helping agriculturally based businesses with research, commercialization or start-up investment capital in order to promote the creation of new and more profitable products and technologies
    • IVAC Initiative – Providing investment and other support to early-stage Alberta businesses in the ICT, life sciences and other industrial technology sectors

  • Banff Venture Forum: The Banff Venture Forum is one of the premier company financing events in western Canada. It is designed to showcase the hottest hi-tech companies, provide insights into key issues in the industry, and present a premium networking opportunity and a chance to learn from world-class professionals in the investment community.

  • Business Link - Grants and Finances: Information on grants, contributions, subsidies, etc. can be found on this site, each with specific criteria and targeted to specific clients.

  • CETAC-WEST: CETAC-WEST is a private sector, not-for-profit corporation committed to helping small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) engaged in the development and commercialization of new environmental technologies. Established in 1994 by Environment Canada, CETAC-WEST delivers its services to SMEs in the four western provinces through its office in Calgary. The corporation has formed linkages between technology producers, industry experts, and investment sources to facilitate this process.  In the over fifteen years it has been operating, CETAC-WEST has reviewed over 500 project opportunities throughout Western Canada.

  • Innovate Calgary: In 2010, Calgary Technologies Inc. And University Technologies International joined to form Innovate Calgary, a full service organization offering technology transfer and business incubator services to researchers, entrepreneurs and businesses within the advanced technology sector.

  • National Research Council Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC- IRAP): The NRC Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC-IRAP) provides a range of both technical and business oriented advisory services along with potential financial support to growth-oriented Canadian small - and medium-sized enterprises. Working directly with clients, NRC-IRAP supports their innovative research and development and helps them become commercialization-ready with their new products and services.

  • Scientific Research and Experimental Development (SR&ED) Tax Incentive Program: The SR&ED program gives claimants cash refunds and/or tax credits for their expenditures on eligible R&D work done in Canada. The SR&ED program is a federal tax incentive program to encourage Canadian businesses of all sizes and in all sectors to conduct research and development (R&D) in Canada that will lead to new, improved, or technologically advanced products or processes. The SR&ED program is the largest single source of federal government support for industrial research and development. Claimants can apply for SR&ED investment tax credits for expenditures such as wages, materials, machinery, equipment, some overhead, and SR&ED contracts.

  • TEC Edmonton: TEC Edmonton is a not-for-profit agency that helps people transform technological inventions and innovations into business opportunities. It primarily serves the Alberta Capital Region, but two programs are Alberta-wide. TEC Edmonton helps inventors, entrepreneurs, companies and investors access expertise, facilities, management and financing to succeed in technology ventures. About 30 staff, including interns, provide assistance in three overlapping areas, represented by “TEC”: Technology, Entrepreneur & Company development.

    • VenturePrize Program: VenturePrize is a program established by the non-profit group, TEC Edmonton. The Venture Prize Program assists aspiring entrepreneurs in transforming high-growth ideas into solid business plans.

  • Venture Alberta: VentureAlberta Forum is one of the largest gatherings of business angels in the cities of Calgary and Edmonton, Alberta.

Date Updated:
RDP-1646