Digital Accelerator for Innovation and Research (DAIR)
Last Update: July 22, 2025
Canada
Cloud-based computing and storage
Digital Accelerator for Innovation and Research (DAIR) 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
Grant Providers
- CANARIE
Program status
Closed
Overview of the Digital Accelerator for Innovation and Research (DAIR) program
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.
Eligible projects & activities
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 criteria of the Digital Accelerator for Innovation and Research (DAIR) program
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.
Eligibility criteria of the Digital Accelerator for Innovation and Research (DAIR) program
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 to the Digital Accelerator for Innovation and Research (DAIR) program
1
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.
2
Complete Application
- Visit the DAIR Cloud Program application page.
- Provide necessary business information in the application form.
3
Submit Application
Submit the completed application form online.
4
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
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