An AI-focused venture accelerator for young Canadian entrepreneurs, offering SAFE-based funding plus a follow-on track.
- The offer:
- null per company
- Location:
- Remote
- Equity:
- Equity-free
What you need to qualify
- The venture must be a Canadian company, owned in majority by Canadian citizens and permanent residents.
- Founders need Canadian citizenship, permanent residency, or a valid work or study permit.
- AI must be core to the idea or the company.
- The program is designed for early stage or pre-seed ventures at the discovery to efficiency stage of development.
- Teams need at least one business co-founder and one distinct technical co-founder, each holding a minimum 10 percent equity stake.
- Each team must have at least one technical stream founder with a basic understanding of AI related technologies.
- Solo founders may apply but are much less likely to be accepted.
- Participants commit 6 to 8 hours a week to mandatory programming, and may continue employment on a part time basis.
- IP used by the team within the venture must be owned by the venture or licensed to it. IP created during the program belongs to the venture.
- The business model must support massive scaling.
Eligibility
- Eligible stages
- All stages
- Countries
- Global, subject to the provider’s eligibility and approval
How to apply
- 1
Confirm you meet the Canadian eligibility rules
NEXT AI is currently only available to Canadian companies, owned in majority by Canadian citizens and permanent residents, and founders need citizenship, permanent residency or a valid work or study permit.
- 2
Pick your site and decide who applies in which stream
Toronto runs virtually from March to May and in person from May to August. Montreal and remote is a fully remote track with required in person milestone events. Each team needs at least one technical stream founder and, ideally, a CEO and a CTO.
- 3
Register for the application alert on the NEXT AI page
NEXT Canada publishes an Airtable notification form on the NEXT AI page so founders are told when the next window opens, at https://airtable.com/appl9JP8wsxwv4fws/pagTfVON2MbVH6Xp4/form
- 4
Submit the founder application during the autumn window
The most recently published cycle stated Applications Open October 16, 2025 and Deadline To Apply December 10, 2025 at 11:59PM EST, for the 2026 cohort.
- 5
Run the program from March
Toronto runs March through mid August. Montreal and remote runs March through September. There is no cost to participate.