CANARIE launches no-cost Cloud resources for startups

CANARIE, a vital component of Canada’s digital infrastructure supporting research, education and innovation, recently announced the launch of BoosterPacks to help Canadian entrepreneurs accelerate their learning of emerging technologies and take advantage of the efficiencies and agility of cloud computing. 

BoosterPacks are packages of cloud resources and curated knowledge about emerging technologies, built by Canadian businesses who are willing to share their expertise in that technology. Current BoosterPacks focus on Internet of Things (IoT), machine learning, and data analytics and have been built by experienced Canadian SMEs and entrepreneurs Apption, BluWave-ai, Carla Margalef Bentabol, and reelyActive.

Each BoosterPack includes three components, offered at no cost to eligible Canadian startups and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs):

1. A Flight Plan: Concise documentation of implementation and architecture options, key learnings, and resources to minimize the learning curve for new technologies
2. Launch Codes: A sample solution that demonstrates the technology, together with software code to launch the sample solution; and
3. DAIR Cloud Platform: Generous monthly credits (for up to one year) from leading hosted-in-Canada cloud providers to build, test, and experiment with pre-revenue products and services.

SMEs will also benefit from an exclusive technical webinar series on cloud services and architectures, support from CANARIE’s in-house cloud experts, and the ability to communicate and share experiences with other entrepreneurs.

BoosterPacks are an evolution of CANARIE’s Digital Accelerator for Innovation and Research (DAIR) Cloud Program. DAIR was Canada’s first made-in-Canada public cloud, launched in 2012 to help Canadian businesses take advantage of the cost efficiencies of cloud computing. More than 1,300 businesses from across Canada have since used DAIR to build products and services for diverse applications including construction, green energy, machine learning, cybersecurity, forestry, and medicine.

“From developing our first IoT and AI-based software-as-a-service for the renewable energy market in 2017, BluWave-ai has benefitted from CANARIE’s DAIR Cloud Program,” said Devashish Paul, CEO of BluWave-ai. “As a startup, having access to DAIR allowed us to focus on innovating our software instead of developing our own IT infrastructure. We’re pleased to be working with CANARIE again on BoosterPacks, to help startups get a head start in designing and developing AI-based products.”

“We’re excited to evolve DAIR to offer SMEs a broad set of resources to help accelerate their time to market,” said Mark Wolff, CANARIE’s Chief Technology Officer. “The substantial learnings and expertise of experienced SMEs will help early-stage businesses benefit from new technologies faster and avoid pitfalls in their design and development. I hope that as many young companies as possible take advantage of the bundle of resources provided through BoosterPacks.”

Applying to access DAIR BoosterPacks is a simple process: Canadian startups and SMEs must complete a brief application to describe how the resources will be used and commit to providing feedback about the impact of DAIR on their business.