Effective June 26th, the Edmonton Regional Innovation Network (ERIN) Coach and Post-Secondary Institution programs have transitioned to Innovate Edmonton.

Visit us at Innovate Edmonton to learn to learn more about these programs and other ways that Innovate Edmonton works to leverage, unite, and promote home-grown innovation as a gateway to solving the world’s most pressing problems.

Technology transfer and management services previously provided by TEC Edmonton, are now managed by the University of Alberta’s Technology Transfer Services (TTS) team. TTS can help University of Alberta researchers, staff, postdocs and students with:

Protecting an innovation or idea
by determining the best strategy to protect your intellectual property.

Navigating commercialization processes,
and assessing commercial opportunities.

Negotiating license agreements and/or contracts
(including NDAs/CDAs, MTAs, DSAs/DTAs, and other IP agreements (Inter-Institutional Agreements).

Entrepreneur resources

Searchable databases

There are several of online tools and databases that you can use to find out what funding and programs are available to you or your company.

Innovation Canada: funding, facilities, and services available in Canada.

Pocketed: a beta stage launch platform that provides information on available grant funding.

Connectica: funding, facilities, and services available to Alberta based companies.

StartAlberta: lists Albertan investors and companies that have successfully attracted investment.

Hockeystick: lists Canadian startups, investment groups, incubators and accelerators. They have also recently launched a matchmaking service between startups and funders. 

Tutorials, courses and self assessments

There are several courses and toolkits online providing information and tips for entrepreneurs and startups. They range in scope and cost. A small selection is provided here to give you a sense of what is available if you just want to learn more about being an entrepreneur or want some guidance on how to structure your thoughts about an idea you currently have.

MaRS entrepreneurship 101.
Techstars toolkit.
BDC entrepreneurship toolkit.

Information and tutorial about intellectual property and the patent process.

The Canadian Patent Office has guides to copyright and trademarks. The US Patent Office has eLearning modules and entrepreneur resources.

How to get started

Startup Edmonton provides hands-on support as you explore and move your ideas forward. You can start with a workshop and then commit to your idea with Preflight, a year-round, part-time program of mentorship, guided sessions, and access to corporate partners to get your product to market.

Business Link helps entrepreneurs navigate the steps toward starting their own businesses by providing one-on-one support through its business advisors. They also have great online resources.

Alberta Innovates provides technology commercialization advice, mentorship and grants through its Technology Development Advisors and the Edmonton Regional Innovation Networks (ERIN). ERIN is currently offering a Coach and Access to Capital programming to help entrepreneurs prepare for pitching to investors. 

Looking for your peers?

Rainforest Alberta is a networking community for entrepreneurs which holds frequent events in Edmonton. Startup TNT holds regular meet ups for entrepreneurs and investors. There is also an active Slack channel for Edmonton entrepreneurs. The invite link is here.

Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO) is a global, peer-to-peer network of business owners in 60 countries.

Edmonton post-secondary staff, students & alumni

University of Alberta

The ERIN EIR for the University of Alberta is Luke Butterworth.

For assistance with intellectual property or related agreements please contact the Technology Transfer Services team.

The university offers a diverse suite of programs and services to support innovation, entrepreneurship and commercialization. Visit entrepreneurship@UAlberta for information and links to many of these, including our newest addition—imYEG—an industry-led pre-accelerator whose industry leaders and investors help researchers and students overcome barriers faced in the early stages of commercialization. Co-created by the university and Brass Dome Ventures Inc., the program is designed to scale to other postsecondary institutions across Edmonton.

NAIT

The ERIN EIR for NAIT is Dale Schaub

The Mawji Centre for New Venture and Entrepreneurship is another resource available at NAIT for entrepreneurship.

MacEwan: The Social Innovation Centre offer programs, provides learning opportunities and hosts events that help people learn about and engage in social innovation.

Norquest: The ERIN EIR for Norquest is Dale Schaub.

Concordia: The ERIN EIR for Concordia is Kathleen Norman. 

Space

Several of organizations collectively provide spaces in Edmonton, St. Albert and Sherwood Park. Please contact them for information about their status during COVID.

Startup Edmonton, Unit B and Homestead have space in Edmonton

NABI has space in St. Albert

URBN has space in Sherwood Park and Edmonton South

Work Nicer has space in Edmonton and Calgary.

Roundhouse is a space run by MacEwan University.

Prototyping and product development

ST Innovations helps innovators and SMEs advance and test their health technologies via access to 300+ experts in intelligent devices and innovative health solutions, R&D and applied research, clinical/end-user validation and world leading health/digital/smart tech and artificial intelligence experts. They also offer access to some of Canada’s most advanced labs/facilities, and tools that are hard to find elsewhere such as the modular prosthetic limb (the first and only one in Canada), a bilateral Kinarm exoskeleton, VR immersion system, high-throughput cell-culture testing, and a laser microfabrication suite that supports R&D of implantable/wearable medical devices, advanced optics and diverse lab-on-a-chip (LOC) applications. Contact ST Innovations to learn more. 

The Productivity and Innovation Centre at NAIT features solutions for business innovation that include product testing, technology adoption, training and certifications, productivity and innovation, applied research, and industry conferences and events. Red Deer College now has a Technology Access Centre. 

Two groups that may be useful to you as you develop your product on the cloud are Cybera and CANARIE. If you are exploring the use of artificial intelligence in your business, you should connect with amii about their programs such as Supply Chain AI West.

Mentoring and money

Alberta Women Entrepreneurs (aWe) is dedicated to enabling women to build successful businesses, providing unique programs and services to women at all stages of business through advising, financing, mentoring and network development.

Futurpreneur is a national organization that provides financing (loan program) and mentoring for entrepreneurs between the ages of 18-39.

Creative Destruction Labs-Rockies brings together entrepreneurs, investors, and scientists from fields including energy, healthcare, software and hardware, and clean technology to mentor startups and help them raise capital.

Community Futures Community Futures has 27 offices across Alberta that offer loan solutions and business development services built for rural Alberta.

IRAP provides a range of services and funding for more established companies across Canada through its Industrial technology advisors (ITAs) and their extensive network of regional, national, and international partners.

Banks providing advice, events and financial products targeted towards entrepreneurs.

Angel investors

There are active angel investors in Alberta. Here are a few groups that are active in the technology space.

Valhalla Angels run programs like pitch nights and Basecamps .

A100 and its members expand the networks, connect people and share experiences with the people they work with.

Sprout invests in seed- and early-stage companies with series-A funding potential.

Accelerate Fund does matching investments with Angels.

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