Alberta’s small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have consistently proven their capacity to develop innovative solutions that address worldwide challenges. However, expanding from a local base to international markets can pose significant hurdles for startups and SMEs.
The Trade Accelerator Program (TAP) is a national program created by Toronto Board of Trade and delivered locally by Calgary Economic Development (CED) to businesses across Alberta. The program is specifically designed to equip these ventures with the knowledge, resources and mentorship required to successfully navigate the global arena.
“Alberta continues to evolve as a global innovation hub and programs like TAP are key to fueling that growth,” says Shona Reilly, Director of Trade at CED.
“By offering specialized guidance and a collaborative, mentor-driven environment, TAP empowers our local businesses to accelerate their growth in new markets. It’s a win-win for the entrepreneurs, our economy and the global reputation of our province.”
In a geopolitical environment rife with uncertainty around trade, programs like TAP build capacity for local businesses to scale to new international markets.
A proven pathway to international success
Over an intensive four-session program, participants gain access to expert export advisors, collaborative workshops and individualized coaching. They leave with a comprehensive Global Expansion Plan that maps out their route to growth and ensures they capitalize on the most promising foreign markets.
Since its inception in 2020, TAP has grown into a cornerstone of Alberta’s global trade strategy, celebrating its 40th cohort in February 2025. The program has now graduated 518 alumni provincewide, with more than 170 trade deals recorded.
In 2024 alone, TAP generated 42 trade deals — amounting to over $11 million in revenue — with almost two-thirds sending Alberta products beyond North America, underscoring the program’s global impact.
TAP alumni come from a broad range of industries, including energy, food and beverage, manufacturing, aerospace, agriculture, life sciences, consumer packaged goods, technology and media and entertainment.
Recognizing barriers certain groups face, the program has also hosted cohorts for Indigenous-owned businesses. In 2024, 66 per cent of TAP participants came from underrepresented groups, including women entrepreneurs, newcomers to Canada and rural business owners.
Albertan companies expand world-wide
A Calgary-born success story, Rosso Coffee Roasters has leveraged the program to rapidly expand into international markets, achieving major global growth in 2024. A TAP 14 graduate, the program helped Rosso successfully expand its exports to Australia, the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, Romania and China — marking a pivotal year in its journey from a local and national coffee staple to a global player.
Rosso’s international reputation was further cemented in 2024 when it had the honor of roasting coffee for the top two competitors of the Specialty Coffee Association National Japan Barista Competition — a significant milestone that placed Calgary’s coffee expertise on the world stage.
Whether securing multimillion-dollar contracts in new markets or growing exports into multiple countries, TAP graduates are proving that Alberta businesses can compete — and win — in new markets.
“The concept of export to a small company is very daunting, but the TAP program is a fantastic tool to break the process down and get small businesses to think beyond borders,” said Kelti Baird, co-owner of Lethbridge’s Theoretically Brewing Co., a graduate of TAP 36 last fall.
Support for TAP Alberta alumni extends beyond program
Beyond graduation, TAP alumni continue to receive support through ongoing check-ins, industry networking events and the opportunity to join CED on trade missions. These initiatives help businesses build tangible connections with key legal, accounting, and business-to-business partners in their target markets, ensuring they have the tools and relationships necessary for long-term international success.
Initiatives like TAP support the broader vision for Calgary’s future, as outlined in the city’s economic action plan, Uplook. By equipping Alberta businesses with the knowledge, mentorship and connections to scale internationally, TAP directly contributes to the goal of creating a more resilient, diversified and globally competitive economy.
The program’s focus on practical education and inclusive support ensures that ambitious SMEs have every opportunity to thrive internationally, creating jobs, diversifying the economy and solidifying the province’s standing as an epicenter of innovation.
Learn more about TAP and the other ways Calgary Economic Development can support your business’ global goals here.
TAP thanks its national and local sponsors, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada as well as the Government of Alberta for their support in the running of TAP across Alberta.