Alberta Innovates Growth Program

Overview of the Alberta Innovates Growth Program program:

The 500 Global Alberta Growth Program is a short-term, high-impact accelerator tailored specifically for post-revenue startups based in Alberta. This initiative is delivered in partnership with 500 Global, one of the world’s leading venture capital firms, and Alberta Innovates, a provincial innovation agency. The program is designed for companies that have already launched and are now focused on accelerating customer acquisition, increasing revenue, and refining growth strategies. Spanning 6 weeks, the program offers intensive support through workshops, one-on-one coaching sessions, and hands-on growth experiments. Startups work closely with experienced mentors and growth specialists to identify bottlenecks, fine-tune customer journeys, optimize marketing funnels, and build scalable sales strategies. The program is equity-free, meaning startups are not required to give up ownership to participate. It is particularly well-suited for Alberta-based companies with demonstrated traction, existing customers, and the desire to expand locally, nationally, or internationally. Sessions are conducted in a hybrid format, blending in-person sessions in Alberta with virtual programming to accommodate the needs of participating teams. Each cohort concludes with a Growth Showcase, allowing startups to demonstrate their progress to stakeholders, partners, and investors. This initiative is part of a broader effort to strengthen Alberta’s startup ecosystem and to position it as a globally competitive hub for innovation and entrepreneurship. It complements other 500 Global programs in the region, such as the Alberta Accelerator, but is specifically optimized for companies past the MVP stage and focused on scaling.

Benefits of the Alberta Innovates Growth Program program:

• 6-week growth-focused accelerator, hybrid delivery format
• Equity-free participation with no cost to the startup
• Access to global growth experts and mentors from 500 Globals network
• Hands-on experimentation and testing of marketing, sales, and retention strategies
• Development of scalable customer acquisition systems
• Customized one-on-one growth coaching
• Weekly workshops on growth funnels, product-market fit, and campaign design
• Access to peers, alumni, and investor introductions
• Final Growth Showcase to demonstrate progress and attract stakeholders
• Post-program alumni support and continued visibility in Albertas tech ecosystem

Eligibility criteria of the Alberta Innovates Growth Program program:

• To be eligible for the Alberta Growth Program, startups must meet the following criteria:
• Must be based in Alberta or have a significant presence in the province
• Should be post-MVP with early customer traction or recurring revenue
• Must have an active, full-time founding team
• Demonstrate a strong desire to scale operations, grow revenue, and improve marketing performance
• Operate in tech or tech-enabled industries (e.g., SaaS, healthtech, AI, clean technology, fintech)
• English proficiency is required for participation
• Commitment to attending both in-person and virtual sessions over the 6-week period
• No specific age or incorporation date requirements, but startups should be operational and revenue-generating