Thin Air Labs
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.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2018
- HeadquartersCalgary, Canada
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
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.
Thin Air Labs firmographics
Firmographics- 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
Thin Air Labs industry classification
Industry- 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
Where Thin Air Labs is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Calgary
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Thin Air Labs business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- 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.
- 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
Thin Air Labs product offering
Product offeringCore 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
Companies that use Thin Air Labs
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Thin Air Labs technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Thin Air Labs partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- ATB FinancialcoreATB 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 FoundationcoreThe 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 InnovatescoreAlberta 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 CanadacoreArtemis 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.)minorAPI 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
Thin Air Labs competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect 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
Thin Air Labs social profiles
Digital presenceThin Air Labs financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Thin Air Labs leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Thin Air Labs funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Thin Air Labs M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments28 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Thin Air Labs
What does Thin Air Labs do?
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.
Is Thin Air Labs a public or private company?
Thin Air Labs is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Thin Air Labs founded?
Thin Air Labs was founded in 2018. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Thin Air Labs based?
Thin Air Labs is headquartered in Calgary, Canada, in the North America region.
How does Thin Air Labs make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Venture Capital Investments are the primary driver. The others are funding Catalyst Consulting Services.
Who are Thin Air Labs's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Vanedge Capital, Version One Ventures, Build Ventures, Maple Leaf Angels, Panache Ventures, Highline Beta, The51 and Framework Venture Partners. BBCetc is listed as an emerging player. Alberta Innovates is listed as an others.
Does Thin Air Labs have an API?
No public API is recorded for Thin Air Labs.
What industry is Thin Air Labs in?
Thin Air Labs's product category is Venture Capital & Startup Consulting. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSANAAAB, Early-Stage Venture Capital (Series A/B), with a secondary code of FSANAAAI, Micro-VC & Angel Funds. Its NAICS code is 5259 and its SIC code is 6282.