Startup Visa Program

Helping entrepreneurs immigrate and scale their businesses in Canada through a 12-month advisory and mentorship program tailored to each business’ needs.
Designated by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)
News

Update to the Startup Visa Program

Intake is now closed for the Startup Visa Program (SUV) following Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)'s announcement that Canada will no longer accept new SUV applications as of December 31, 2025. We continue to run this program to support companies that met the application criteria and were accepted to join prior to this change.
Read the IRCC Announcement
Overview
Supporting newcomer founders with access to resources, services, and advisors to help immigrate and grow tech businesses in Canada.
50+
businesses supported
$6.8M
Revenue Growth
95%
Bipoc founder representation
$10.7M
Investment attracted
Services

Growing with Alacrity

Startup Visa is a 12 month program tailored to support each company's unique needs. Our team works in partnership with founders to ease entry into the Canadian market.

We help businesses access:
> Business registration & incorporation
> Accounting & bookkeeping support
> Legal & human resources support
> Marketing & business development support
Eligibility

We support companies that meet these criteria

Company profile
Market readiness
Team size
Capital & ownership
Language
We support companies focused on innovative technology, software, industrial transformation, and clean technology.
Teams must demonstrate early technology validation and/or customer traction, and be able to clearly articulate the market opportunity in Canada.
Teams may be considered as a single entrepreneur or as a team up to 5 members.
Teams must have access to sufficient working capital to meet initial needs. The team and Alacrity Canada together must hold a minimum of 51% of the voting rights in the proposed venture.
Teams must be able to effectively communicate and work in English or French to conduct business in Canada
Testimonial
“Our journey began in 2022 when our project was accepted by Alacrity as part of the SUV program. This milestone marked the beginning of an incredible journey in Canada. Through the program, I was granted a work permit, enabling me to establish our company, set up a bank account, and hire highly skilled professionals to bring our vision to life.”
Wai Cheung (Ivan) Ting
Director, Startec Dynamics
Companies

Discover the companies growing through immigration into Canada

Agriculture
Finance
Healthcare
retail
Services
Transportation

Farmzeo

Agriculture
Empowering farmers with sustainable solutions to reduce crop wastage by leveraging advanced technologies and innovative practices that enhance efficiency, promote environmental responsibility, and ensure food security.
See Website

Cattleision

Agriculture
Monitoring cattle health and improving farm productivity with an AI platform that tracks lameness, body condition, and comfort in real time.
See Website

N-atech

Agriculture
Measuring soil organic carbon using hyperspectral satellite and drone imagery with Geographic information systems, Machine Learning, and AI.
See Website

India Filings

Finance
Offering services for business incorporation, intellectual property protection, banking, licensing, accounting, and tax management to streamline all essential business compliance and financial tasks into a single platform.
See Website

Beet Innovation

Finance
Helping immigrants manage personal finances through AI-driven tracking and customized saving plans using filters like family size, location, and investments to deliver tailored financial guidance and promote long-term stability.
See Website

Get Acquired

Finance
Connecting entrepreneurs with buyers for SaaS and other online businesses through a web-based marketplace that streamlines transactions, verifies sales data to prevent fraud, and offers high-touch customer support for smooth business transfers.
See Website

CasaBook

Finance
Using AI and big data to make B2C and C2C real estate information transparent, match users with reliable service providers, and streamline transactions to offer affordable, efficient, and trustworthy real estate services.
See Website

Premium Trading

Finance
Allowing customers to trade cryptocurrencies or digital currencies for other assets through a cryptocurrency or digital currency exchange (DCE) platform.
See Website

Social Cents

Finance
Transforming engagement into rewards with a social currency card for social media enthusiasts and micro-influencers that enables users to earn by sharing experiences and making everyday purchases.
See Website

BLT

Finance
Providing solutions for financial institutions and individuals seeking credit approvals using non-parametric AI, ML and big data to improve the current credit evaluation system.
See Website

Vividmed

Healthcare
Providing personalized cognitive profiles, early disorder detection, and actionable insights through an AI-powered platform that uses qEEG and NVIDIA technology for real-time brainwave analysis.
See Website

Pharmaserv

Healthcare
Maximizing medical representatives’ productivity with AI-powered automation, multichannel communication, and real-time insights in one unified platform.
See Website

Bright Bridge Autism Care

Healthcare
Providing personalized early intervention for children with autism through AI-driven tools to tailored support and 24/7 access, making care more affordable and accessible.
See Website

Canphoto

Healthcare
Developing energy-efficient photochemical solutions for pharmaceutical manufacturing using light-driven reactions to enable sustainable production of pharmaceuticals, CBD products, cosmetics, and supplements.
See Website

Beiken Dental

Healthcare
Tracking dental care procedures, sanitation, and maintenance through software that also manages inventory and compliance record-keeping based on regulatory requirements across different markets.
See Website

Doll Cellular

Healthcare
Analyzing cell images and medical data with AI-powered software applications, while offering budget-friendly data analysis and R&D solutions.
See Website

H1 Mobility

Healthcare
Designing and manufacturing wheelchairs that improve hand hygiene, reduce disease transmission, and enhance the dignity of wheelchair users without changing user habits.
See Website

Ehe Hair

Retail
Modernizing the hair salon operations and customer experience using VR and AI technologies with a platform that offers online booking, virtual consultations, hairstyle testing, inventory and client management, e-commerce, and loyalty rewards.
See Website

Bon Intelligence

Retail
Maximizing retail efficiency and customer experience with a suite of AI solutions that empower operational optimization, loss and prevention, and sales growth.
See Website

Hikesity

Retail
Creating fashionable technical apparel to stay stylish while protecting against the elements from the city to the mountains.
See Website

Inseanq

Retail
Enabling real-time exchange of inventory, availability, and bookings between live-aboard diving operators and their sales channels with a platform that streamlines operations and sales management in the diving industry.
See Website

Magnify Capital

Retail
Connecting e-commerce backend with marketing data with software that delivers comprehensive financial, predictive, and consumer analytics that help businesses make data-driven decisions.
See Website

Adura

Business Services
Developing web and app solutions, specializing in custom projects for small and medium-sized enterprises.
See Website

TalentVue

Business Services
Streamlining recruitment using AI-driven assessments, automated scheduling, and real-time reporting that reduces bias, shortens hiring cycles, and improves efficiency for both recruiters and candidates.
See Website

OP-Elect

Business Services
Providing customized display technology solutions for industrial and commercial clients with products including AR/VR display modules, night vision systems, simulation training devices, and gaming head-mounted displays (HMDs).
See Website

Suonare Tech

Business Services
Combining specialized algorithms and hardware to advance sonar systems, significantly enhancing underwater detection capabilities for navies worldwide.
See Website

Safe Extra Solutions

Business Services
Enhancing real-time worker safety and monitoring in high-risk environments through an Indoor Positioning System (IPS) that tracks people and assets in GPS-limited areas like mines, buildings, and tunnels.
See Website

Smart IRM

Business Services
Helping businesses reduce maintenance costs, extend asset life, and improve operational efficiency through a fully integrated, real-time asset management system that uses IoT and data analytics to monitor assets, predict failures, and coordinate service support.
See Website

Idojo

Business Services
Providing the manufacturing sector with custom training solutions that save time, reduce costs, and provide a realistic simulated training environment through mixed reality and remote support.
See Website

Appwedo

Business Services
Developing web, app, and digital solution such as API integration with plans to expand into cloud, VR, AI, RPA, and cybersecurity.
See Website

Smart Team AI

Business Services
Transforming workforce management with AI-driven software that optimizes schedules, personalizes employee experiences, and provides data-driven insights, predicting staffing shortages and identifying workflow bottlenecks to boost productivity.
See Website

Startec Dynamics

Transportation
Revolutionizing the light motor vehicle industry by making vehicles intelligent, secure, and seamlessly interconnected with their surroundings and users.
See Website

Future Vans

Transportation
Custom engineering and design solutions that integrate green technology and modern lifestyle features for RV manufacturers.
See Website
Media

In the media

Startup Visa Program companies are making waves in the media

News
Enhancing Motorcycle Safety in Southeast Asia: A Local Entrepreneur’s Vision
The tech sector in Greater Victoria, recognized as a significant economic powerhouse, is witnessing the innovative efforts of a local entrepreneur who aims to address a pressing issue: the alarming rise in motorcycle-related fatalities in Southeast Asia.
Read More
News
Gear Up For The Cold Weather
As temperatures drop, it’s time to gear up and elevate your wardrobe. From cozy outerwear to weatherproof boots, you can layer up and embrace the season with style.
Read More
News
Greater Victoria’s growing tech sector continues to thrive
While Greater Victoria's tech sector continues to be an economic force for the region, a local entrepreneur is looking to improve safety for motorcycle users in Southeast Asia as deaths related to motorcycles continue to skyrocket.
Read More
Team

Questions? Our team is here for you.

With years of experience across various industries, our dedicated team is committed to driving growth and operational excellence.

Connect with the Program Team
Chris Massot
Chris Massot
Director of Operations
John Fizzard
John Fizzard
Program Coordinator