For Calgary entrepreneurs ready to hire, train, and scale their small and medium-sized businesses, a new fund is offering simplified access to capital.
In other words, money to grow, without the red tape.
The Opportunity Calgary Investment Fund (OCIF), in partnership with the Government of Alberta, is investing up to $3.5 million into local SMEs through a new stream called OCIF Express.
The goal is to speed up the path to funding and support shorter-term, high-impact projects that can boost Calgary’s innovation economy and workforce readiness.
The Express fund targets projects with a lifecycle under 24 months, prioritizing areas like AI, clean energy, aerospace, advanced manufacturing, and data science.
This funding news comes on the heels of OCIF CEO Brad Parry’s announcement at the mesh conference in April, that the broader fund will receive a new $60 million commitment via Calgary City Council.
OCIF was launched in 2018 with $100 million, as a vehicle to kickstart the city’s innovation economy.
A faster path to hiring and upskilling
Rather than waiting through lengthy application cycles or jumping through traditional grant hoops, OCIF Express is designed to accelerate funding timelines. That speed matters for SMEs facing fast-moving markets and pressure to adapt quickly.
“Alberta’s government is helping to strengthen Calgary’s workforce and business community by investing in the Opportunity Calgary Investment Fund,” says Matt Jones, Alberta’s Minister of Jobs, Economy and Trade.
“The businesses supported by OCIF Express will have the tools they need to train their employees while creating new jobs for Albertans.”
The emphasis on both hiring and in-house training means these funds are not just about immediate growth but also long-term talent development. The 23 funded projects are expected to create more than 150 jobs and train nearly 90 workers.
Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek framed the program as a strategic response to uncertainty.
“Small and medium-sized businesses are the heart of our economy,” she says. “Now, more than ever, we need to support small businesses as they face challenges and uncertainty from tariffs. By giving local companies faster access to funding, OCIF Express is supporting job creation and talent development across key sectors that will support our economic future and lead the next chapter of growth.”
A signal of support for local innovators
For Calgary’s business community, the signal from OCIF Express is clear: local innovation matters, and speed is part of the strategy.
Parry says the program is designed to meet companies where they are, and help them move forward faster.
“Calgary is a city forged by innovators, dreamers, and doers, and OCIF Express is designed to help accelerate their impact,” says Parry.
“Each of these projects is supporting our local economy, fostering innovation, and helping build a strong, more competitive workforce. Through OCIF and the Express program, with expedited access to capital, we are striving to support the elements we need to ensure our city-wide innovation ecosystem continues to flourish.”
And the speed of it all? Well, that’s just helping recipient SMEs meet demand, and in turn, putting the local innovation ecosystem on the map.
“We hired more than 100 people last year and this funding will help accelerate even further hiring required for us to deliver flexible access to pay to employees who need it most,” says Tate Hackert, chief strategy officer and co-founder of funding recipient ZayZoon. “It’s a big step forward — not just for ZayZoon, but for Calgary’s fintech ecosystem.”
Arlette Watwood, director of HR and administration of Carbon Upcycling says, “This investment enables us to equip key team members with the skills needed to accelerate our mission of reducing 4 million tonnes of CO2 by 2030.”
“It’s a vote of confidence in our work and a reflection of Calgary’s position as a global hub for clean technology and industrial innovation,” she adds.
CoolIT Systems, a data centre cooling technologies company, plans to add up to 20 new team members to help them meet global demand.
“Support from the OCIF Express funding program will help CoolIT Systems advance strategic hiring and capacity-building initiatives,” says CEO Jason Waxman.
“It’s a meaningful boost to our ongoing growth and underscores the strength of Calgary’s innovation and tech manufacturing ecosystem.”
For more information on projects supported by OCIF, visit their portfolio.
This article was created with the assistance of AI. Learn more about our AI ethics policy here.
