Alberta Digital Traction Program

Insider Tip

The Technology Development Advisor (TDA) meeting is the real filter — engage with your assigned TDA early and honestly about your competitive differentiation. Reviewers value specificity: a proposal that names 5 target customer segments with estimated contract values beats a vague ‘validate PMF’ narrative. The restriction on US-based vendors (without prior written Alberta Innovates approval) can catch companies off guard — plan to use Canadian suppliers or pre-clear US vendors before the budget is finalized.

Rejection Pitfalls 6

• Software is not the core product — e.g. digital agency, IT services firm, or app as a side product
• Annual recurring revenue exceeds $1M
• More than 50 full-time employees

Success Profile

An Alberta-based SaaS or digital technology startup with 5–25 employees, a functioning MVP, initial user feedback, and a clear target market segment. ARR in the $100K–$900K range demonstrates early traction without disqualifying the company. Strongest applicants can articulate 3–5 specific customer discovery experiments to run with the grant funding.

Evaluation Criteria

Applications evaluated by Alberta Innovates staff and external reviewers on: (1) product differentiation — clear competitive advantage over existing solutions; (2) market validation plan — specificity of proposed customer discovery activities and experiments; (3) team capability to execute within the 1–2 year scale timeline; (4) Alberta economic benefit — operations and jobs based in the province; (5) project fit with program scope (software-core, MVP-stage, sub-$1M ARR).

Application Steps

Required Documents 6

Eligible Expenses 6

• Labour costs (gross wages/salaries at market rates) for employees directly performing project work
• Materials and supplies directly consumed in project activities
• Software and information database acquisitions critical to the project (pro-rated over project period, lower of cost or fair market value)
• Advertising and data-based marketing for customer discovery directly related to the project
• Arm’s-length subcontractor fees for work directly related to the project
• Unrecoverable GST on otherwise eligible expenses

Ineligible Expenses 6

• General overhead, administrative costs, and indirect expenses not directly attributable to the project
• US-based vendor costs without prior written approval from Alberta Innovates
• Costs greater than market prices or between non-arm’s-length parties
• Costs incurred before the Investment Agreement start date
• Hardware, equipment, or software not critical to the defined project
• Sales commissions and ongoing business operating costs

Intake Periods

Continuous year-round intake subject to funding availability. No fixed application windows or deadlines. Apply as early in the fiscal year as possible to avoid funding exhaustion.

Deadline Notes

Continuous intake — no fixed application deadlines. Applications accepted year-round subject to funding availability. First come, first served within intake cycles. Apply early in the fiscal year (April–June) to avoid allocation exhaustion later in the year.

Open Application Portal →

Ineligible Organizations

• Not-for-profit organizations
• Sole proprietorships without formal business registration
• Digital agencies and IT services firms where software is not the core product
• Companies with more than 50 full-time employees
• Companies with annual recurring revenue exceeding $1M

Compatible Programs

Clawback Risk

Low Risk

Non-repayable contribution with no clawback unless project milestones are materially unmet, funds are misused, or the applicant ceases Alberta operations during the project period. Standard contribution agreement terms apply.