Apply to participate in a Canadian Technology Accelerator
Eligibility
CTAs are open to innovative Canadian tech companies that can demonstrate:
- Traction in the Marketplace: You have at least a minimum viable product (MVP), along with quantifiable evidence of maturity (revenue, investment, or number of users). Life Sciences and Health companies must have a proof of concept and be post-seed.
- Product Market Fit: You can define your target audience, articulate the problem you solve, and demonstrate differentiation of your product/service.
- Strong & Experienced Executive Management Team: You can commit to send at least one senior member (C-level or Founder) to take part in the program and have the financial resources to cover in-market costs.
- Potential to Scale: You have a well thought out go-to-market plan for the CTA location along with KPIs to match.
Applying for the CTA
When applying, determine which sector and location fits your business best and target that specific CTA.
You can apply for a different CTA at a different point in time; past participation does not preclude future participation. Some program alumni have repeated the same program a year or two later to meet more objectives. Other alumni have participated in a second CTA at a later date to reach broader markets.
Selection Process
Participants are chosen in a competitive process. The Trade Commissioner Service and a panel of industry experts review the applications and decide whether applicants are eligible and a good fit for a location.
Selected and rejected applicants will be notified no later than 5-week from the stated deadline. Rejected applicants will receive written feedback on the reason(s) for their rejection.
Examples of Information you need to apply
- Full contact information and professional background for up to three company founders or CEOs
- Average yearly revenue
- Total funding raised to date
- Annual growth rate (%)
- Sources of funding to date (type and name of funder)
- Funding goal
- Major corporations targeted for strategic partnerships
- Full description of your product or service, including elevator pitch, solution, business model, intellectual property position (patents, patents pending) and launch plan
- Market activity, including current activity and traction, target market, international market and activity, and competitors
- References from other Canadian programs and partners such as the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC), National Research Council – Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC-IRAP), domestic accelerators, Trade Commissioner Services regional offices, and any other Canadian partners
- Goals at the CTA, such as partnerships, customers, soft launch of office, validating product, seed funding
- Series A or greater funding, demonstration project
- Description of why the company wants to participate in the CTA
- A list of previous Trade Commissioner Service events or programs that your company has participated in
- Other global markets of interest
- How you learned about the CTA
All information submitted on the application is treated as confidential by the trade commissioners and industry experts making the selection.
Application deadlines
Applications for most CTA programs are accepted throughout the year.
Contact us
To learn more about individual accelerators, contact your regional office of the Trade Commissioner Service. Trade commissioners can help you determine whether a CTA is right for your business, and which one is the best fit.
For general information about the CTA, contact: cta-atc@international.gc.ca
