Up to $150,000 Venture Development Grant
- Organization: Alberta Innovates
- Type: Grant
- Location: Alberta, Canada
- Deadline: December 31, 2026
- Funding: Fully Funded
Alberta Innovates funds Alberta-based, for-profit technology ventures to do the focused work that moves an innovation towards customers, revenue and investment, such as customer discovery, prototype testing, field trials, pricing, and IP or regulatory planning. Launched on 26 October 2026, the grant replaces six earlier startup and SME programmes with one application at three funding levels, from $10,000 to $150,000, and covers up to 75 percent of eligible costs. **What you get:** - Explore: $10,000 to $50,000 over 1 to 12 months, to test and validate key assumptions - Bridge: $50,001 to $100,000 over 1 to 18 months, to develop and refine towards product-market fit - Grow: $100,001 to $150,000 over 1 to 18 months, to pilot, launch or scale when at or near market - Alberta Innovates pays up to 75 percent of eligible costs; your company puts in at least 25 percent in cash - A Technology Development Advisor if your venture is judged a strategic fit, and a Grant Advisor once funding is approved **What you'll do:** - Rate your venture on six Innovation Readiness Levels (customer, technology, business, IP, team and funding) and back each rating with evidence - Deliver milestone-based work such as customer discovery, prototype testing, field trials, pricing validation, or IP and regulatory planning - Report progress, evidence and outcomes under Alberta Innovates' Investment Agreement **Key dates:** - Launched 26 October 2026 - Alberta Innovates takes applications continuously and reviews them in batches, with no published closing date - 31 December 2026 is LOT's working deadline, not Alberta Innovates', so apply early **More information:** - Venture Development Grant Guide (PDF): https://albertainnovates.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Venture_Development_Grant_Guide_Alberta_Innovates_Oct2026.pdf - Innovation Readiness Levels overview (PDF): https://albertainnovates.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Innovation-Readiness-Levels_IRL.pdf - Questions: smeprograms@albertainnovates.ca

