We are happy to announce our Design for Startups program has received funding from the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC IRAP) to run for Fall 2026 – Spring 2028. The program will run twice a year, and work with 40 early-to-mid stage companies. Design for Startups has been implemented with 161 companies since 2013, and has been running twice a year since 2020.

Design for Startups addresses a clear gap in how companies engage with design by systematizing a method for integrating design into the development and improvement of digital platforms, including app-based, web-based, and user-facing digital experiences, alongside the communication systems that support platform clarity, user adoption, and market readiness. Operating within a design lab model, the program pairs students with expertise in interaction, service, and/or communication design with early-to-mid stage technology startups. Over 12 weeks, students work directly with company teams to develop design deliverables that improve usability, strengthen interface and communication design, and clarify how users understand and engage with a company’s platform. These deliverables help startups build stronger foundations for user trust, adoption, and market readiness.

About NRC IRAP

NRC IRAP is Canada’s leading innovation assistance program for small and medium-sized businesses. If you operate an innovative small or medium-sized business in Canada, we can help you build your innovation capacity and take your ideas to market. We do this through financial assistance, advisory services and connections to the best business and R&D expertise in Canada. It’s a winning model we’ve been using to drive business growth—and Canada’s innovation system—for over 70 years.