GLOBAL RELAY BRIDGE THE GAP FUND INC.

What GLOBAL RELAY BRIDGE THE GAP FUND INC. does

Global Relay Bridge the Gap Fund Inc. (BTG) is a federally incorporated Canadian not-for-profit (BN 846162378RC0001) founded in 2012 in Vancouver, British Columbia. It was created by the technology company Global Relay together with five of Canada's top cyclists — Ryan Anderson, Will Routley, and Global Relay executives Warren Roy and Shannon Rogers — to help promising Canadian cyclists transition from junior to elite levels and ultimately into professional cycling careers.

The fund operates a portfolio of interconnected programs: Athlete Grants (CAD $1,000–$5,000 each, 6–20 annually), the upcoming Shannon Rogers-Roy Award (CAD $6,000–$12,000, launching 2026), Special Projects Grants (CAD $5,000–$10,000 for clubs, teams, and race organizers), an Athlete Mentoring Program supporting ~40 athletes per year under Karol Ann Canuel, cycling camps (including a Women's Camp and Smart Camp in Gatineau), the Canadian Cup national ranking system, the #conversations webinar series, Power Profile Testing & Advocacy (a benevolent-agent function with international UCI trade teams), and Team Consulting for Canadian trade teams. Grants and donations are administered with the BC Amateur Sport Fund / Sport BC to enable CRA tax-deductible giving.

The business model is philanthropic: principal funding comes from corporate philanthropy led by Global Relay (which committed CAD $400,000 over four years in 2012) with growing corporate support from Shimano Canada and individual donor contributions. Since 2013 the fund reports deploying $1.2M, supporting 100+ athletes, with 73% progressing to UCI trade teams, 10% reaching World Tour or top professional levels, and 7 alumni winning World Championship medals. Governance rests with a board of directors including co-founder Ryan Anderson, Chair Kevin Field (former Cycling Canada Head of Strategy), Olympian board members Svein Tuft and Erinne Willock, and Managing Director Leah Kirchmann (2016 and 2020 Olympian, 2017 World Champion TTT).

Name

GLOBAL RELAY BRIDGE THE GAP FUND INC.

Legal name

Global Relay Bridge The Gap Fund Inc.

Website

https://grbridgethegap.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Global Relay Bridge the Gap Fund is a Vancouver-based Canadian non-profit, founded in 2012 by Global Relay and pro cyclists, that supports Canadian developing elite cyclists through grants ($1K–$12K), Olympian-led mentorship, camps, advocacy with international teams, and the Canadian Cup ranking system.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Athlete Development Services

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

International Grantmaking & Development Foundations (BPAGAKAH)

Keywords

• Cycling development fund
• Athlete grants
• Sport nonprofit
• Cycling mentoring
• Junior elite cycling

Headquarters

HQ city

Vancouver

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Corporate Philanthropy: Principal funding from Global Relay, a Vancouver-based technology company. Global Relay committed $400,000 over four years in 2012 to seed the fund. Additional corporate contributors include Shimano Canada and other growing corporate partners.
2. Individual Donations: Tax-deductible donations from individuals, processed through the BC Amateur Sport Fund (Sport BC). Donations support athlete grants and fund operations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Global Relay Bridge the Gap Fund is a federally incorporated Canadian not-for-profit organization that supports emerging Canadian road cyclists transitioning from junior to elite and professional levels. Its core offerings are direct financial grants ($1,000–$12,000), an athlete mentoring program led by former World Tour riders, skills and race-craft camps, the Canadian Cup national ranking system, advocacy with international trade teams, and consulting for Canadian cycling team management. The fund is principally seeded by Global Relay philanthropy and supplemented by individual donations processed through the BC Amateur Sport Fund.

Product overview

Global Relay Bridge the Gap Fund is a federally incorporated not-for-profit national cycling development organization that operates as a platform of interconnected programs designed to help emerging Canadian cyclists reach professional levels. The core portfolio includes Athlete Grants (individual financial support), the Shannon Rogers-Roy Award (leadership development), Special Projects Grants (club and event support), and the Athlete Mentoring Program—all unified by the mission to bridge the gap from junior to elite cycling. Supporting programs include Cycling Camps for skills development, the Canadian Cup for domestic racing rankings, #conversations for education via webinars, and Power Profile Testing with advocacy services. The organization has invested $1.2M since 2013 supporting over 100 athletes, with 73% progressing to UCI trade teams.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Athlete Grants Annual financial grants ranging from $1,000 to $5,000 awarded to 6–20 Canadian Cat 2 or above road cyclists aged 19–25 (men) or 19–29 (women) with professional aspirations, selected by the board and advisors based on results, progression, testing data and coaching references.
• Shannon Rogers-Roy Award An annual grant of $6,000 to $12,000 awarded to a female athlete who embodies the leadership and community commitment of founding benefactor Shannon Rogers-Roy, supporting personal leadership development in cycling.
• Special Projects Grants Grants of $5,000 to $10,000 (2–3 awarded annually) supporting Canadian cycling clubs, teams, projects, and event organizers bringing U17, U19, and U23 athletes to international and domestic racing opportunities, with grants over $10,000 possible for higher-impact projects.
• Athlete Mentoring Program Mentorship program supporting approximately 40 Canadian athletes per year, led by former World Tour rider Karol Ann Canuel as Mentor Program Lead, providing guidance from a network of 19 active mentors including Olympians, World Champions, and former professional cyclists.
• Cycling Camps Camps designed to deliver race craft, skills, and knowledge that expand athlete capability beyond physical preparation, including Women's Camp programs and the Smart Camp in Gatineau, delivered directly or in partnership with cycling teams.
• Canadian Cup A national ranking system for junior and developing elite Canadian cyclists, created to build community and promote domestic racing, with grants awarded to category winners.
• #conversations Webinar Series Webinars and web-chats featuring Canadian athletes, coaches, and industry experts covering topics such as nutrition, race recon, the business of cycling, team structure, recruiting, agents, personal branding, and RED-S.
• Power Profile Testing & Advocacy A standardized power profile test developed with professional teams that riders perform four times annually (February, June, September, November), with BTG collecting results and advocating with international teams on behalf of promising Canadian athletes.
• Team Consulting Consulting and mentorship for Canadian cycling team leadership and coaching staff on multi-year planning, organizational structure, marketing, athlete identification and recruitment, and team management.

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• BC Amateur Sport FundcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorProcesses tax-deductible donations to BTG. Donations are eligible for CRA tax receipts through Sport BC partnership. 5% of donor gifts retained for transaction/processing fees.
• Sport BCcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership with BC Amateur Sport Fund to enable tax-deductible donations to BTG in Canada.
• Silber Pro CyclingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBTG mentors Silber Pro Cycling management in multi-year planning, organizational structure, marketing, athlete/staff identification and recruitment. In return, Silber provides racing program dedicated to growth of Canadian cycling.
• B2-TenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInnovative organization collaborated with on experiences and education for Canada's most promising athletes to help navigate journey to pro.
• Hamilton FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with BTG on experiences and education to help Canada's most promising athletes navigate the journey to professional cycling.
• Athlete to Enterprise (Alison Testroete)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBTG partnered to provide three athlete scholarships to Alison Testroete's Athlete to Enterprise program, helping athletes develop entrepreneurial mindset and personal brand.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• Cycling Canada: National federation governing competitive cycling in Canada. BTG's Chair Kevin Field is its former Head of Strategy and several BTG advisors (e.g., Shawn Clarke) work in its national team program. Cycling Canada is a structural partner rather than a competitor, administering pathways BTG-funded athletes feed into.
• Sport Canada: Canadian federal government agency that funds national sport organizations and athlete development. BTG's mission is complementary and overlapping with Sport Canada's mandate; athletes BTG supports may also receive Sport Canada funding through Cycling Canada.

Direct peers

• Australian Cycling Academy: Australia-based development program supporting emerging elite cyclists with structured training, mentorship, and competition pathways. Highly comparable to BTG as a regional cycling development platform targeting the junior-to-elite transition.
• Dave Rayner Fund: UK-based cycling development charity that provides financial grants and support to young British riders transitioning from junior to elite/professional levels. Closest international analog to BTG in mission (cycling talent development), funding model (small grants + mentoring), and structure (registered charity).
• USA Cycling Development Foundation: US national federation's development arm that channels funding, grants, and programs to support emerging American cyclists. Comparable to BTG as a national-level development funding entity serving cyclists transitioning to elite ranks, but operating at significantly larger scale.
• Sean Kelly Cycling Academy: Belgium-based cycling development organization founded by legendary pro Sean Kelly that supports young riders through coaching, camps, and competitive opportunities. Comparable in mission and structure to BTG, focused on developing professional-level cycling talent.

Broad incumbents

• Right To Play: International sport-for-development nonprofit using sport to transform the lives of youth in disadvantaged regions. Adjacent as a large-scale sport-focused philanthropic organization, but with a mission and beneficiary base distinct from BTG's elite-development focus.
• Canadian Olympic Foundation: National Canadian foundation funding Olympic and high-performance athletes across all sports. Operates as a broader incumbent to BTG within Canada, competing for similar high-net-worth donors and corporate sponsors interested in Canadian athlete development.
• Olympic Solidarity: IOC program that distributes funding to National Olympic Committees worldwide for athlete development, including scholarships for elite-track athletes. Comparable as a high-level funder of athlete-development pathways but at global scale.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC7XTjbslW7iidtFqmGSUWkw
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/posts/kfield_for-the-first-time-in-27-years-canada-doesnt-activity-7422075331190198272-JBe5

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about GLOBAL RELAY BRIDGE THE GAP FUND INC.