We secure your government grants, then build your technology

As official CIT and DCC Program Advisors, we first get you funded, then use that money to build the AI systems, websites, and digital tools your business needs.

Check eligibility

Why now

There's likely $10K to $150K in Ontario funding waiting for your business

Ontario has built one of the most generous funding programs in North America for SMBs ready to invest in technology. Up to $10K to train your team in AI. $15K to plan and deploy automations. $50K to ship the systems that scale your business. All matching grants, all non-dilutive.

The catch is that almost nobody applies. The paperwork is a maze, the eligibility rules are dense, and most consultants only handle one piece of the puzzle. As official CIT and DCC Program Advisors, we manage every step from application to implementation, and we've helped 100+ Ontario businesses unlock funding they'd otherwise leave on the table.

If you run an Ontario business doing $500K+ in revenue, there's likely a grant waiting for you. Let's figure out which one fits.

Who qualifies

Ontario businesses

5-499 employees

$500K+ annual revenue

Businesses eager to optimize operations

Manufacturing, construction, agri-food, and mining industries

The funding stack

Ontario grants we can help you unlock

Each grant funds a different kind of project. The right one depends on your goal: training your team, building your first systems, or implementing technology at scale.

Future Ready

$10,000

Best for: Teams ready to put AI to work every day

Hands-on training in Claude, Cowork, and Claude Code, led by senior experts. Your team learns to use frontier AI tools on the real work they do, so adoption sticks and productivity compounds from day one.
‍

Training on ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, Cowork, and Code

Built around your workflows: skills, artifacts, and projects

Expert-led sessions that put your whole business on AI

Learn more

Consulting

$15,000

Best for: Leaders who want a clear AI plan before investing

A full AI audit and strategic blueprint for your business. We map where AI creates the most value, prioritize the highest-impact opportunities, and hand you a roadmap your team can act on right away.
‍

Complete audit of your operations

Prioritized opportunity roadmap

Actionable AI blueprint

Learn more

Implementation

$50,000

Best for: Businesses ready to ship production AI systems

‍We design and build agentic workflows that automate your top AI initiatives from start to finish. Production-grade systems, shipped by our engineering team over six months and fully managed the whole way through.
‍

Custom agentic workflow builds

Top AI initiatives automated

Fully managed 1-3-month delivery

Learn more

New: BDC LIFT financing

Fund your share of the grant at 2.25% interest

Ontario grants match your investment. BDC's LIFT program covers your half with a low-interest loan, and building with a Canadian team like ours qualifies you for the preferential rate.

2.25%

Interest rate

$25K to $2M

Loan size

Up to 2 years

Principal deferral

Check eligibility

LIFT is a repayable loan administered by BDC for businesses with $1M+ in annual revenue. Conditions apply.

What we can build together

Complete AI Business Audit

We analyze your entire operation to pinpoint where AI delivers the highest ROI and biggest wins.

• Automation goldmines: high-impact processes AI can handle so your team focuses on strategy

• Revenue analysis: workflows and decisions that directly move your top and bottom line

• Efficiency gaps: hidden bottlenecks quietly costing you time, margin, and headcount

• Implementation roadmap: a prioritized plan to sequence and maximize every AI investment

AI GTM Pipelines for Sales

We build always-on sales pipelines that source, qualify, and nurture leads while your team closes.

• Prospect sourcing: AI agents that find and enrich accounts matching your ideal customer profile

• Lead qualification: automated scoring and routing so reps only touch deals worth their time

• Personalized outreach: multi-channel sequences written and sent based on real buyer signals

• Pipeline intelligence: live dashboards that surface where deals stall and how to move them

AI Content Engine

We stand up a content system that produces on-brand assets at a pace your team could never match alone.

• Content strategy: AI-driven research into topics, keywords, and formats your audience actually wants

• Production pipelines: briefs, drafts, and edits generated in your voice and reviewed by humans

• Distribution automation: publishing across your site, social, and email with zero manual lift

• Performance loops: analytics feed back into the engine so every piece gets smarter than the last

AI-Enabled ERP & CRM Extensions

We extend the systems you already run with AI layers that make every workflow faster and smarter.

• Salesforce and HubSpot: AI copilots, smart routing, and auto-generated notes across the funnel

• NetSuite and Dynamics: intelligent approvals, forecasting, and anomaly detection inside your ERP

• Custom agent layers: purpose-built agents that read, write, and act inside your existing systems

• Seamless integration: everything connected to your data so insights and actions stay in one place

Inventory Forecasting & Optimization

We deploy AI models that predict demand and optimize stock so you never over-order or run out.

• Demand forecasting: models trained on your sales history, seasonality, and external market signals

• Reorder automation: smart triggers that place and adjust purchase orders before you hit stockouts

• SKU optimization: analysis that surfaces slow movers, dead stock, and hidden margin leaks

• Supplier intelligence: lead time tracking and scenario planning to keep your supply chain resilient

AI Enablement & Team Training

We turn your team into confident AI operators through hands-on training built around the work they actually do.

• Role-based curriculum: tailored tracks for leadership, ops, sales, and technical teams

• Live workshops: expert-led sessions on Claude, ChatGPT, Perplexity, Cowork, and Code

• Real-workflow practice: your team builds skills, artifacts, and projects on live business tasks

• Adoption playbooks: internal champions, prompt libraries, and rituals that make AI use stick

Your AI-driven transformation begins here

We've helped over 100 small businesses unlock government funding for AI and technology upgrades. Fill out the form below and we'll be in touch within 48 hours.

Successfully submitted.

Congrats, you may be a great fit for the DMAP program. Book a consultation call to find out more.

Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

ABOUT US

Trusted partner for Ontario's digital transformation programs

Islands helps Ontario SMEs across sectors like Advanced Manufacturing, Construction, Agri-food, Mining, and beyond upskill their teams and adopt emerging technologies with confidence.

As an official CIT and DCC Program Advisor, a BDC Advisor, and active seminar participants with the Toronto Region Board of Trade, we help small and mid-sized businesses unlock government funding and put it to work. From funding applications to building and implementing custom technology, we handle the complete process end to end.

Book a free consultation call

Ali El-Shayeb

Lead Advisor and Founder/CEO of Islands

Serial entrepreneur, investor, and AI operator out of Toronto. With two AI exits behind him, Ali works with high-growth teams as a Fractional CTO, designing agentic systems, training their people to build alongside them, and turning AI strategy into shipped work.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What business owners ask us

Quick answers to help you understand how the grant works for your business.

Is my business eligible for government funding?

Your business may be eligible if you're an Ontario company with 5-499 employees, $500K+ annual revenue, and operate in Manufacturing, Construction, Agri-food, or Mining industries. We'll help you determine which grants you qualify for during your free consultation call.

How much funding can my business get?

Depending on your business needs, you can access between $10,000 to $80,000 with follow on funding through other government assistive programs or low interest <3% loans. We offer multiple grant programs that can be combined to maximize your funding. During our first call, we'll assess your business and determine which programs offer the best fit.

Do I have to pay anything?

These are 50% matching grant programs. Your business contributes toward technology solutions, and the government provides matching funding.

What digital solutions can I implement with the grant?

We build custom technology that helps your business run smoother and grow faster. This includes systems that handle customer inquiries automatically, tools that track and follow up with leads, custom software designed for your specific processes, and websites that actually bring in more customers.

What happens after I submit the form?

We'll check your eligibility and one of our experts will contact you to understand your business needs and schedule a free consultation call to create your funding strategy.

APPROVAL PROCESS

How to apply for the Digital & AI Training Grant

We guide you through the entire process. Approval takes up to 30 days.

Check eligibility

Book a Call

We map where AI can help your business most and match you to the right program, from Future Ready training to full-scale implementation.

Application and Proposal

We handle the paperwork and build a custom funding proposal tailored to your business and the program that fits best.

Get Approved and Get Started

Access government funding and kick off with your team, starting as fast as the $10,000 Future Ready training or scaling up to consulting and implementation.

WALL OF LOVE

Real results from real businesses

We specialize in helping businesses secure funding for both digital transformation and AI adoption. Our team ensures a seamless application process, from eligibility assessment t project implementation. See what our clients have to say:

Monty Elsabbagh, Director

Ottawa General Contractors

We weren’t just learning theory—we werebuilding AI workflows that solved realbottlenecks. This was the best kind of hands-ontraining: clear, relevant, and future-ready.

Vash Bhatia, CEO

Myron Tile & Stone

The Islands AI training felt like a lightbulb going off. This was the first time AI made real sense for our business, making AI actually useful, not just cool.

Junaid Zabir, COO

Toronto Construction

Islands made AI click for me and my team. It’snot just about tools, it’s a new way of thinkingabout scaling our work.

Mohammad El Hassan, CEO

Infinite Distribution Inc.

Our partnership was all about strategy. Islandcame in, assessed our business, and showed usexactly where AI would drive ROI. It was hands-on consulting and results.

Husam Abu Hashem, CEO

International Design Stars

From automation to customer experience, theirtraining gave us a whole new toolkit to rethinkhow we do business. We're now miles ahead ofwhere we started.

Amal Ahmed, President

Selections Interiors and Design

We’ve tried trainings before, but nothing likethis. Islands gave us clarity, direction, animmediate ways to streamline our work. We leftwith tools we actually use every day.

Mark Anthony, CEO

Noble Ground

Their LLM sessions were strategic, fast-paced and laser-focused on our real needs. I’d recommend Islands to any founder trying to bring AI into operations.

Khaled Daoued, CEO

Arcan Glass Inc.

Their AI training was detailed, actionable, and made me rethink how we run key processes. The team came out more efficient and more confident in using AI.

Justin Hocking, Director

JH & Co

From prompt engineering to smart automations, every part of the program delivered immediate ROI. This is AI strategy with execution.

Angie Polanco, Owner

Elite Iron Design

Islands upskilled our team quickly, but more than that, they taught us how to build, test, anddeploy AI solutions that actually work in our dayto-day environment.

Akram Hanna, Owner

Hanna Homes Construction

They didn’t just train our team. They restructured how we think about AI, applying it to procurement, site operations, and client communications with deep expertise.

Roger Sabat, CEO

Biiibo

Islands helped us unlock Grant (DMAP) thatdirectly supported our growth plans. Theirprocess was efficient and clear, and the impacton our hiring and internal systems wasimmediate.

Abdallah El-Falou, CTO

FluidAI Medical

Working with Islands gave us a real edge. Theyhandled the complexities of the grant processwhile we focused on scaling. The grant fundingwe secured through them accelerated keyinitiatives across our team.

Anan Massud, Head of Sales

Toronto General Contractors

Phenomenal team and very fast work. Glad wemet Ali and the team. They work diligently andhave helped us secure $25K funding in weeks,with very little effort on our side.

Valentin Staykov, CEO

Pastel

Islands made it incredibly easy for us to accessnon-dilutive capital. Their team understood ourbusiness, acted fast, and helped us makemeaningful progress without slowing us down.

Devin Holmberg, Founder

YTZ Management Inc.

Partnering with Islands was a smart move for us.They streamlined the entire funding process and helped us secure the support we needed tostrengthen our back office and internalcapabilities. Highly recommend them to anygrowing company.

Salpy Sepan, General Manager

Ararat Trading Corp.

We’ve worked with other consultants in the past, but Islands was on another level. Their team made the grant process seamless, and we were able to invest into areas of the business that needed immediate attention.

Umang Dua, Director

Trysight

Working with Islands felt like having an in-housegrants team. They guided us through every step, from identifying the right fundingopportunities to handling the full submissionprocess. Their support directly helped us investmore confidently in our team and productroadmap.

Your path to business automation and AI excellence

As trusted partners across Ontario's digital transformation programs, Islands helps businesses secure government funding and put AI and automation to work. We've guided 100+ companies from grant approval to full deployment.

24-hour eligibility check:

find out your funding potential in a single day

We handle everything:

from paperwork to setup, so you can focus on your business

98% approval rate:

our experience gets almost every qualified applicant funded

Built for your business:

our engineers understand your operations and build what actually works

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique.

Stylized intertwining blue and purple gradient loops forming an abstract, continuous shape.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique.

Waveform audio visualization with blue and white vertical bars on a dark background.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique.

Limited funds available

Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. Book a free 30-minute consultation today to find out how much your company qualifies for.

Book a strategy session

No pitches, no hard sell. Just a real conversation.

We secure your government grants, then build your technology

There's likely $10K to $150K in Ontario funding waiting for your business

Who qualifies

Ontario grants we can help you unlock

Future Ready

Consulting

Implementation

Fund your share of the grant at 2.25% interest

What we can build together

Complete AI Business Audit

AI GTM Pipelines for Sales

AI Content Engine

AI-Enabled ERP & CRM Extensions

Inventory Forecasting & Optimization

AI Enablement & Team Training

Your AI-driven transformation begins here

Successfully submitted.

Opening Motion Calendar...

Trusted partner for Ontario's digital transformation programs

Ali El-Shayeb

What business owners ask us

How to apply for the Digital & AI Training Grant

Book a Call

Application and Proposal

Get Approved and Get Started

Real results from real businesses

Your path to business automation and AI excellence

Limited funds available