Digital Accelerator for Innovation and Research (DAIR)

Q: How much funding can be received?

There is no informations about how much funding can be received.

Q: What is the deadline to apply?

The deadline to apply is not specified.

Q: Is the Digital Accelerator for Innovation and Research (DAIR) a grant, loan, or tax credit?

Digital Accelerator for Innovation and Research (DAIR) is a Other Support

Q: Who are the financial supporters of the Digital Accelerator for Innovation and Research (DAIR)?

Digital Accelerator for Innovation and Research (DAIR) is funded by CANARIE

Q: Who is eligible for the Digital Accelerator for Innovation and Research (DAIR) program?

To be eligible for the Digital Accelerator for Innovation and Research (DAIR) program, you must: • The business must be Canadian with fewer than 500 employees. • The business must use the DAIR Cloud Program for the design, development, validation, and/or demonstration of a commercial product or service.

Q: Where is the Digital Accelerator for Innovation and Research (DAIR) available?

The Digital Accelerator for Innovation and Research (DAIR) program is available across Canada.

Q: Are startups eligible for the Digital Accelerator for Innovation and Research (DAIR) program?

Yes, startups are eligible to apply for the Digital Accelerator for Innovation and Research (DAIR) program.

Last Update: July 22, 2025

Canada

Cloud-based computing and storage

At a glance

Eligible Funding

No Condition

Timeline

Receipt of requests is now closed

Financing Type

Other Support

Expert Advice

Eligible Industries

Manufacturing
Information and cultural industries
Professional, scientific and technical services

Funds Providers

Unspecified

Program status

Closed

Overview

Tech entrepreneurs can get one year of free cloud-based resources for development, testing and trials.

Financing terms and conditions

The DAIR Cloud Program provides a comprehensive package of cloud-based resources and financial supports, designed to aid Canadian startups and SMEs in accelerating their product development and commercialization journey.

Generous monthly credits to spend on hosted-in-Canada public cloud resources through Amazon Web Services, covering data egress and storage charges.
Access to Graphical Processor Units (GPUs) based on availability, enhancing computational capabilities for eligible projects.
Up to $1,000 monthly to spend on AWS services, facilitating access to a broad range of AWS applications for product development.

Activities funded

The Digital Accelerator for Innovation and Research (DAIR) grant supports Canadian startups and SMEs in developing and commercializing their innovative products and services. The eligible activities primarily focus on leveraging cloud resources and emerging technologies to streamline product development processes.

Rapid and scalable design, development, validation, and demonstration of commercial products or services using free cloud resources.
Optimization of AWS credits and resource planning for commercialization.
Access to curated BoosterPacks for implementing emerging technologies such as IoT, machine learning, and augmented reality.
Participation in a collaborative community of entrepreneurs for technical support and best practices sharing.
Development of prototypes for showcasing to potential customers and investors.
Access to technical support resources, webinars, and events for cloud development expertise.

Examples of admissible projects:

$ 50,000

Development of an AI-powered financial analytics platform

$ 35,000

Development of a cloud-based smart irrigation system for urban gardens

$ 60,000

Optimization of cloud resources for an e-commerce recommendation engine

$ 40,000

Creation of a virtual reality (VR) therapy application for mental health

$ 45,000

Development of an online education platform for STEM subjects

$ 70,000

Creation of a cloud-based platform for crowdsourced environmental data

Eligibility

Eligibility for the DAIR Cloud Program grant is determined by specific criteria related to the business profile and intended use of the resources provided.

The applicant must be a Canadian business with fewer than 500 employees.
The resources must be used for the design, development, validation, and/or demonstration of a commercial product or service.

Who is eligible?

To apply for the DAIR Cloud Program, eligible applicants must be Canadian businesses with fewer than 500 employees, who are involved in building or developing a commercial product or service. The program is targeted towards startups, early-stage businesses, and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that require resources for the rapid and scalable design, development, validation, and demonstration of their product or service.

Who is not eligible

There are specific types of companies that are not eligible for the DAIR grant:

Companies with more than 500 employees.
Non-Canadian businesses.
Companies not focused on building or developing commercial products or services.

Eligible expenses

The DAIR Cloud Program offers a suite of resources to help Canadian startups and small to medium enterprises accelerate their product or service development. Eligible projects can take advantage of these resources to optimize their technological innovations and facilitate commercialization.

Rapid and scalable design, development, validation, and demonstration of commercial products or services.
Access to the DAIR Cloud Platform for hosted-in-Canada public cloud resources, including AWS credits.
Use of BoosterPacks which provide sample code and documentation for emerging technologies.
Opportunities to leverage AWS services on DAIR for development purposes.
Engagement with the DAIR Community for collaboration and support from Canadian entrepreneurs.
Use of the cloud platform to reduce development time and costs and expedite market entry.
Access to AWS services and applications as they are made available under DAIR.

Eligible geographic areas

This grant is available to Canadian companies, including startups, early stage businesses, and small & medium-sized enterprises. Eligible locations must be within Canada to ensure the program supports Canadian businesses effectively.

Companies based in Canada.
Businesses operating across all Canadian provinces and territories.

Selection criteria

The DAIR Cloud Program evaluates applications based on the following criteria:

Canadian business with fewer than 500 employees.
Building or developing a commercial product or service.
Intent to use DAIR resources for design, development, validation, and/or demonstration purposes.
Provide feedback on the quality and benefit of the program.

How to apply

Verify Eligibility

Ensure your business is Canadian and has fewer than 500 employees.
Confirm that the usage of DAIR aligns with design, development, validation, or demonstration.

Complete Application

Visit the DAIR Cloud Program application page.
Provide necessary business information in the application form.

Submit Application

Submit the completed application form online.

Await Response

Receive a response regarding your application within five business days.
If approved, you will receive credentials to access the DAIR Cloud.

Additional information

Here are additional relevant details for the DAIR Cloud Program:

DAIR provides generous monthly credits for AWS services, covering data egress and storage charges.
Participants can access Graphical Processor Units (GPUs), which are subject to availability.
BoosterPacks offer curated resources and sample code for emerging technologies, developed by experienced Canadian businesses.
DAIR participants can utilize a private Slack channel for peer discussions and technical support from DAIR Cloud experts.
Access to a library of technical resources and exclusive invitations to webinars and events are included.
Participants are required to provide feedback through short questionnaires or phone interviews.
Over 2,000 Canadian businesses have benefitted from DAIR.

Apply to this program

Frequently Asked Questions about the Digital Accelerator for Innovation and Research (DAIR) Program

Here are answers to the most common questions about the Digital Accelerator for Innovation and Research (DAIR). This section explains what the program is, how much funding is available, eligibility requirements, application deadlines, and other important details to help you determine if this grant is right for your business.