Learn the language of funding
Short, plain-language guides to the financing concepts behind every funding conversation — so you can walk into a pitch, a bank meeting or a grant application knowing exactly what the words mean.
Financing fundamentals for founders
Browse fundingThe vocabulary and concepts behind every funding conversation — financing vs funding vs loans, debt vs equity, and how financing shows up in your statements.
Financing vs funding vs loan: untangling the terms
Founders use these words interchangeably, but lenders and investors don't. What each term actually means and why the distinction matters when you are raising.
Read the guideDebt vs equity financing: how founders choose
Both raise capital, but they differ in ownership, repayment and risk. A practical comparison for Canadian founders weighing a loan against a round.
Read the guideThe financing decision: how to choose where capital comes from
A framework for the financing decision — cost of capital, control, stage and risk — and how to sequence the sources available to Canadian founders.
Read the guideFinancing vs investing vs operating activities: reading your cash flow statement
The three sections of a cash flow statement, what belongs in financing activities, and why founders should track them separately from burn.
Read the guideGrants, loans and tax credits: Canada's three flavours of startup funding
Non-repayable grants, repayable loans and refundable tax credits each fit a different situation. How the three interact and how to combine them.
Read the guideGovernment funding and tax credits
Browse fundingCanada's public funding stack — SR&ED tax credits, NRC IRAP contributions, regional development agencies — and how financing expenses are treated by the CRA.
SR&ED: Canada's flagship R&D tax credit, explained
What the Scientific Research and Experimental Development program pays, what work qualifies, and why so many founders claim far less than they could.
Read the guideNRC IRAP: funding and advisory support for innovative SMEs
The National Research Council's Industrial Research Assistance Program funds R&D projects at small and mid-sized companies — and pairs the money with advisors who have done it before.
Read the guideCanada's regional development agencies: finding funding where you operate
From ACOA to PacifiCan, Canada's regional development agencies deliver billions in grants, contributions and loans. Which one covers your region and what they fund.
Read the guideFinancing expenses and the CRA: what founders can deduct
Interest, financing fees and the costs of raising capital — how the Income Tax Act treats each, what to keep for the CRA, and where not to double-claim.
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