Thin Air Labs

What Thin Air Labs does

Thin Air Labs Inc. is a privately held venture capital and consulting firm headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, that operates two interrelated businesses under one roof. The first is Funding Catalyst, a project-based consulting service through which a team of PhDs, MBAs, and MScs helps scaling startups secure non-dilutive capital from Canadian federal and provincial programs, including grants, tax credits, and SR&ED claims management. The firm reports having helped clients access more than $90 million in non-dilutive funding since inception. The second is a venture capital operation comprising Fund I (an institutional venture fund) and an Angel Investments program, through which Thin Air Labs takes direct equity positions in early-stage Canadian companies.

The firm serves early-stage and scaling startups across multiple verticals, including technology, biotech, clean energy, agritech, e-commerce, and water technology, with named engagements including Ultimarii, Patabid, AquaPure Technologies, Brilliant Harvest, Garden Loft, Ayrton Energy, and Reverb Therapeutics. Revenue mechanics combine fee-for-service consulting income (quote-based, not publicly priced) with venture fund management fees and equity upside from portfolio investments. Distribution is primarily direct, driven by founder referrals, the firm's presence in the Calgary/Alberta innovation ecosystem (anchored by relationships with OCIF, Sandstone, ATB Financial, Alberta Innovates, and The Brenda Strafford Foundation), and a content engine built around The Founder Mindset podcast and associated blog/newsletter.

Beyond Funding Catalyst and the venture funds, Thin Air Labs offers a Product Traction consulting service and operates The Founder Mindset podcast as a brand-building and pipeline-development asset. The firm is independently owned with no disclosed parent company or external institutional investor, and reports no patents, certifications, or regulatory actions. Leadership disclosed in the data includes Rick Bird as Chief Operating Officer; no CEO is explicitly named in the provided sources.

Name

Thin Air Labs

Legal name

Thin Air Labs Inc.

Website

https://thinairlabs.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Thin Air Labs is a Calgary-based venture capital and consulting firm that helps scaling startups access non-dilutive funding (grants, SR&ED tax credits) and invests early-stage equity through Fund I and Angel Investments.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Venture Capital & Startup Consulting

NAICS

Other Investment Pools and Funds (5259), Other Financial Vehicles (52599)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Early-Stage Venture Capital (Series A/B) (FSANAAAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Micro-VC & Angel Funds (FSANAAAI), Capital Raising Advisory (Debt/Equity/Private Capital) (BPAHADAG)

Keywords

• Venture capital funding
• Grant writing services
• SR&ED tax credits
• Non-dilutive capital
• Startup consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Calgary

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Venture Capital Investments: Thin Air Labs invests in early-stage companies through their venture capital fund (Fund I), providing capital in exchange for equity ownership in portfolio companies.
2. Funding Catalyst Consulting Services: The Funding Catalyst team provides consulting services to help startups secure non-dilutive funding through grants, tax credits, and government funding programs. Revenue is generated through service fees for funding strategy, grant writing, and SR&ED claims management.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Thin Air Labs helps scaling startups access non-dilutive capital through its Funding Catalyst consulting service, which builds funding strategy roadmaps, writes and manages grant applications, and manages SR&ED tax credit claims. The firm complements this consulting offering with direct venture capital investments through Fund I and an angel investment program targeting early-stage Canadian ventures. Since inception, the Funding Catalyst team has helped companies secure more than $90 million in non-dilutive funding.

Product overview

Thin Air Labs is a venture capital and consulting firm offering a portfolio of services focused on helping founders fuel their growth. The core offering is the Funding Catalyst service, which helps scaling startups access non-dilutive capital through funding strategy, grant writing, and SR&ED tax credit management. Complementing this are their venture capital investment vehicles (Fund I and Angel Investments), the Product Traction consulting service, and The Founder Mindset Podcast content series. Since inception, the Funding Catalyst team has helped companies secure more than $90 million in non-dilutive funding.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Funding Catalyst

Quantifiable outcome

• $90 million+ in non-dilutive funding secured for portfolio companies since inception

Named customers4 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ATB FinancialcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerATB Financial is the presenting sponsor of The Founder Mindset podcast produced by Thin Air Labs. ATB also supports the broader innovation ecosystem in Calgary and Alberta, providing banking services to startups and tech companies.
• The Brenda Strafford FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Brenda Strafford Foundation is collaborating with Thin Air Labs portfolio company Garden Loft on a smart home aging-in-community project testing how smart homes and integrated health data can help older adults live independently at home.
• Alberta InnovatescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlberta Innovates is collaborating on the Garden Loft smart home project as part of Thin Air Labs' portfolio ecosystem, supporting innovation in Alberta's technology sector.
• Artemis CanadacoreGTM or Marketing PartnerArtemis Canada is a supporting sponsor of The Founder Mindset podcast. They partner with tech companies and Founders to hire executives and strategic hires at inflection points in company growth.
• API (Applied Pharma Inc.)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerAPI is a supporting sponsor of The Founder Mindset podcast. They help innovators accelerate from idea to impact in pharmaceuticals, medical devices, diagnostics, and health technologies.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Vanedge Capital: Vancouver-based early-stage venture capital firm investing in transformative technology. Comparable as a Canadian early-stage VC with a portfolio support model similar to Thin Air Labs' Fund I + services approach.
• Version One Ventures: Canada-focused early-stage venture capital firm backing mission-driven startups. Comparable as a direct peer given overlap in Canadian early-stage deal flow and founder-support orientation.
• Build Ventures: Atlantic Canada-based early-stage venture capital firm investing in Canadian technology startups. Comparable regional Canadian early-stage VC with similar Fund I-style structure and portfolio support orientation.
• Maple Leaf Angels: Canadian angel investor network making early-stage investments in Canadian startups. Comparable to Thin Air Labs' Angel Investments program given similar angel-stage check sizes and Canadian founder focus.
• Panache Ventures: Canadian pre-seed and seed venture capital fund investing across the country. Closely comparable to Thin Air Labs' Fund I given shared Canadian focus, early-stage check sizes, and emphasis on supporting founders through non-equity resources alongside capital.
• Highline Beta: Canadian early-stage VC and venture studio focused on corporate innovation. Comparable as a Canadian early-stage investor combining capital with hands-on founder support services.
• The51: Canadian early-stage VC investing in female-led startups with a community-plus-capital model. Comparable as a Canadian early-stage fund that pairs capital with structured founder support programming.
• Framework Venture Partners: Canadian venture capital firm focused on early-stage B2B SaaS and enterprise technology. Comparable in stage, geography, and services-oriented model to Thin Air Labs' venture capital practice.

Emerging players

• BBCetc: U.S.-based consulting firm specializing in helping startups secure non-dilutive funding through SBIR/STTR grants and other government programs. Comparable to Thin Air Labs' Funding Catalyst service in offering and client profile, though operating in a different (U.S.) funding ecosystem.

Others

• Alberta Innovates: Provincial innovation funder supporting Alberta-based technology development and commercialization. Comparable as an ecosystem partner and program provider rather than a competitor — Thin Air Labs' portfolio companies access Alberta Innovates funding.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/thinair_labs
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCHQyu5u8nMnIpw9e72boUAg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/thin-air-labs

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments28 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Thin Air Labs