Global Startup Visa | Platform Calgary

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What is this program about?

For Eligible Founders: Important Requirements & Considerations

The Government of Alberta and the Government of Canada have additional eligibility criteria for immigration. See SUV (Startup Visa) and FGES (Foreign Graduate Entrepreneur Stream) for details. Participation in this program does not guarantee nomination for the Foreign Graduate Entrepreneur Stream or acceptance into the Startup Visa Program.

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Priority Processing with Platform Calgary

Startups applying to Platform Calgary’s Global Startup Visa Program get priority processing as part of Canada’s Tech Network.

Upcoming Cohort

Spring Cohort: April 22, 2025

Application Deadline: March 17, 2025

Join Info Session

Info Session

Join us for a virtual one hour session to learn more, meet the team, and ask questions.

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Joe Williams

Board Member

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Joe Williams

Advisor

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Why Platform Calgary?

Why Register

Strong Networks

Our association with trusted immigration and business professionals demonstrates our commitment to supporting your venture and strengthens your application's legitimacy. Our Partners and Pillar Team, including KPMG Law– are well-known, influential companies.

Founder Focused

When you succeed, we succeed. We give entrepreneurs the tools they need to move, scale, and thrive in Calgary, and internationally.

Soft Landing

Once you arrive in Calgary, we support you with access to the Platform Innovation Centre community, personalized accelerator programs, credits for outside workshops, and other startup development incentives.

The Global Startup Visa Program is for international founders who:

Target Audience:

Have a minimum viable product (MVP)
Have existing revenue or customers
Have a tech or tech-enabled company
Are looking to connect into Calgary’s tech community
Looking to establish a business in Calgary through Canada’s Startup Visa or Foreign Graduate Entrepreneur immigration streams

Program Breakdown:

This three-phase program starts with an eligibility assessment and application. If qualified, you’ll proceed to an interview with the Platform Calgary team, who will determine your acceptance into the program. For full details on the process, visit our FAQ below.

Phase 1: Strengthen Your Calgary Market Strategy

Eight weeks of structured programming focused on Canadian market research, financial projections, sales, and marketing
1-on-1 sessions with seasoned entrepreneurial coaches
Weekly workshops to improve your business plan and pitch deck
Resources to support your learning and strengthen foundational knowledge

Phase 2: Immigration & Business Readiness

Get free 30-minute consultations with major immigration law firms
Get access to vetted resources to help you grow your business in Calgary
Gain access to our in-house service firms (Pillar Team)

Phase 3: Landing & Business Expansion Support

Access to one-on-one advisor support
Unlock a network of opportunities with hundreds of startup ecosystem events
Connection to an immigrant focused venture capital firm
Access to resources for you and your family to ensure a soft landing and get settled in Calgary
Begin expanding your business by accessing accelerator programs
Receive a one year Platform Calgary Membership
Access the Platform Innovation Centre

This three-phase program starts with an eligibility assessment and application. If qualified, you’ll proceed to an interview with the Platform Calgary team, who will determine your acceptance into the program. For full details on the process, visit our FAQ below.

Phase 1: Strengthen Your Calgary Market Strategy

Eight weeks of structured programming focused on Canadian market research, financial projections, sales, and marketing
1-on-1 sessions with seasoned entrepreneurial coaches
Weekly workshops to improve your business plan and pitch deck
Resources to support your learning and strengthen foundational knowledge

Phase 2: Immigration & Business Readiness

Get free 30-minute consultations with major immigration law firms
Get access to vetted resources to help you grow your business in Calgary
Gain access to our in-house service firms (Pillar Team)

Phase 3: Landing & Business Expansion Support

Access to one-on-one advisor support
Unlock a network of opportunities with hundreds of startup ecosystem events
Connection to an immigrant focused venture capital firm
Access to resources for you and your family to ensure a soft landing and get settled in Calgary
Begin expanding your business by accessing accelerator programs
Receive a one year Platform Calgary Membership
Access the Platform Innovation Centre

"My experience with Platform Calgary's Startup Visa Program has been transformative for my business. From the moment I joined the program, I felt supported and empowered to take my business to the next level. The program offers not just resources but also a community of like-minded entrepreneurs who are striving for excellence."

Farzan Havaee, CEO, Rambody

"The connections I made during the program, both with mentors and fellow participants, have proven to be invaluable. The networking events and workshops organized by Platform regularly not only expanded my professional network but also opened doors to potential investors"‍

Prabh Paul, Founder, Tracecost

"Platform Calgary is dedicated to nurturing and supporting tech companies. With global operations for 9 years, we moved our HQ to Calgary in 2022 and have been based at the Platform Innovation Centre since. From meeting prospective clients, to finding tech talent - it’s all possible under one roof here."

Tanuja Khanolkar, Co-Founder and COO, EMeRG Medtech

Program Fees & Structure

The Platform Calgary Global Startup Visa Program follows a phased fee structure, ensuring founders invest at key milestones.

$1,000 CAD fee upon acceptance into Platform Calgary’s Global Startup Visa Program
$20,000 CAD (plus additional $3,200 CAD per additional team member) after successful completion of Phase 1.*
$12,000 CAD fee upon landing in Calgary
Total fee for a one-person team: $33,000 CAD + GST

*The Letter of Support and Commitment Certificate will be issued in Phase 2

To Apply, You'll Need:

Current business plan
Current pitch deck
A product demonstration
A Resume‍

The Platform Calgary Global Startup Visa Program follows a phased fee structure, ensuring founders invest at key milestones.

$1,000 CAD fee upon acceptance into Platform Calgary’s Global Startup Visa Program
$20,000 CAD (plus additional $3,200 CAD per additional team member) after successful completion of Phase 1.*
$12,000 CAD fee upon landing in Calgary
Total fee for a one-person team: $33,000 CAD + GST

*The Letter of Support and Commitment Certificate will be issued in Phase 2

To Apply, You'll Need:

Current business plan
Current pitch deck
A product demonstration
A Resume‍

The Startups

Decisionhub is reducing bias in group decision-making through an online platform that allows organizations to efficiently make decisions on applications.

TechJutsu is a cybersecurity company specializing in Identity & Access Management.

moovez is a managed marketplace platform providing hassle-free moves & deliveries to SMBs and consumers.

Marmot Benefits Inc.

Marmot Benefits offers modern debt relief strategies that give employees financial wellness support to help them be more engaged, motivated and happier in their job.

IEP (International Education Platform)

IEP provides personalized recommendations for university pathways, helping students make informed decisions to optimize affordable studying abroad.

Exmerce Barter Inc.

Calgary’s largest barter exchange network for local businesses.

3D visualization software for home builders and condo developers to help them sell homes faster and with more upgrades.

The Reporting Hub

The Reporting Hub is a Plug 'n' Play, No-Code reporting portal developed for Power BI using Embedded technology.

On A Dime Transformations

On A Dime Transformations improve addiction recovery outcomes by empowering people into meaningful work-lives.

Finna Protocol is a Financial technology startup aimed at integrating stablecoins into daily transactions and settlements, particularly in emerging markets. The company is developing an ecosystem of financial tools to facilitate the use of stablecoins for payments, remittances, and settlements, targeting users in regions with low access to stable currencies.

Ampelus is revolutionizing production flow management by providing a finely tailored tool that combines hands-on experience with professional industrial expertise. They aim to empower manufacturing enterprises to navigate production challenges with ease, ensuring optimal efficiency and productivity

Giantwave AI Inc.

A digital content marketing platform dedicated to helping businesses tackle the challenges of online marketing and promotion.

A platform that helps all of its users have more professional resumes with reliable recommendations from their former managers or colleagues. Recomlinked helps job-seekers worldwide find and land their dream job with only a couple of clicks.

SpeakX is an AI platform in the language learning space. It creates a learning experience that fuses AI-driven avatars and insights from seasoned language educators.

An education technology platform helping high schoolers and institutions access global universities through live courses and expert support.

Clannit connects city dwellers with the people, services, and businesses that they need.

EasyJoy bridges advertisers with quality traffic sources, enabling clients to acquire top-notch users while empowering publishers to generate substantial revenue.

Meet the Experts

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Our Achievements

Our Achievements

Frequently Asked Questions

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Program Details

Schedule

8 Weeks of programming
1 Year of support after arrival in Calgary

Cohort

Spring Cohort April 22
Fall Cohort September 9

Fee

CAD $33,000 + GST for one applicant
$3,200 for every additional team member
Priority Processing via Canada’s Tech Network

Location

Virtual
In-person

Meet with an advisor

Become a Platform Member

Attend an event

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Land Acknowledgement

We honour and acknowledge Moh’kinsstis and the traditional Treaty 7 territory and oral practices of the Blackfoot confederacy: Siksika, Kainai, Piikani, as well as the Îyâxe Nakoda and Tsuut’ina nations. We acknowledge that this territory is home to the Métis Nation of Alberta, Region 3 within the historical Northwest Métis homeland. We respect all Nations who live, work, play, innovate and build things on this land, and in so doing honour and celebrate the territory.

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