Résumé exécutif
D’un fournisseur Internet à un leader en innovation logicielle
gaiia’s journey is anything but conventional. The company began as oxio, a Quebec-based internet service provider (ISP) that became Canada’s fastest-growing ISP before exiting to Cogeco for $100M in 2023.. While building their ISP business, the team recognized a critical gap in the market: The existing operating systems for internet service providers were inadequate for modern needs.
Rather than continuing to work with subpar infrastructure, gaiia built their own comprehensive OSS/BSS (Operating Support System/Business Support System) from scratch. The gaiia platform handles everything an ISP needs to operate, from tracking physical router inventory and managing support tickets to billing customers and schedule technicians. It’s the behind-the-scenes system that powers the entire ISP operation.
In early 2023, the company made a bold strategic pivot. They sold oxio’s telecommunications operations to Cogeco Connexion and began operating solely as an OSS/BSS software provider. This included building a platform that has since run more than 10 million workflows for operators across fiber, fixed wireless, cable, and MVNO segments.
LE DÉFI DU CRÉDIT D’IMPÔT R&D
As gaiia transformed from an established ISP into a high-growth SaaS company, the business faced a common challenge: Maximizing R&D tax credit opportunities while running a lean finance operation.
Prior to the saleof oxio, the company had successfully claimed SR&ED credits with Boast’s support, but the company hadn’t qualified for many provincial Quebec programs because a portion of the revenue and assets were tied to the ISP business rather than solely technology development. Once gaiia emerged as a pure SaaS company with a substantial R&D team, new opportunities opened up—particularly Quebec’s CDAE (crédit d’impôt pour le développement des affaires électroniques) tax credit program.
LA SOLUTION BOAST
Un partenariat d’experts qui exige peu de votre temps
gaiia’s relationship with Boast began during the oxio days, when they first started claiming SR&ED credits. As the company transformed and new opportunities emerged with the CDAE program, Boast’s value proposition became even more critical.
« La plateforme facilite vraiment le transfert des données nécessaires », explique Erin Bury, chef des finances chez gaiia. « Je fournis toutes les données financières, et c’est simple et efficace. »
Streamlined SR&ED Process
The foundation of Gaiia’s success with R&D tax credits lies in Boast’s efficient SR&ED claim process. Despite the complexity of documenting R&D activities for a team of 50+ R&D professionals, the time needed to prepare the claim is limited.
Cette flexibilité se reflète aussi dans la façon dont Boast collabore avec Olivier Falardeau, le CTO de gaiia. Au départ, Ollivier rédigeait lui-même la majorité de la documentation technique. À mesure que l’équipe a grandi et que ses responsabilités se sont multipliées, Boast a adapté sa méthode : ils privilégient maintenant les entrevues plutôt que les soumissions écrites, ce qui tient compte du fait que les CTO de compagnies en croissance rapide ont de plus en plus de tâches à gérer.
« J’adore les programmes où je peux limiter l’implication de notre équipe d’ingénierie », souligne Bury. « Les ingénieurs veulent coder, pas devenir CPA. Boast m’a permis de fournir toutes les données requises sans détourner notre équipe technique du développement de notre produit. »
Quebec CDAE: Expertise Where It Matters Most
The Quebec CDAE program represented new territory for gaiia. The CDAE focuses on e-business development activities and offered an opportunity to top up their SR&ED claims, but only if they could navigate Quebec’s specific requirements.
This is where Boast’s Quebec-specific expertise proved invaluable. The team’s bilingual capabilities and established relationships with Investment Québec removed what could have been significant obstacles.
The CDAE process required limited involvement from gaiia’s Engineering team. Aside from their CTO conducting the presentation with Investment Québec, Bury handled everything administratively with Boast’s support.
“For the CDAE specifically, the team was clear at the start about what to potentially expect,” Bury explains. “They framed it as ‘this is topping up on top of SR&ED—it’s not going to be the same amount, but if we’re already doing the work, there’s no point leaving this money on the table.’ And it was really, for me, the easiest money we don’t want to leave on the table.”
Une approche pragmatique des réalités du terrain
Contrairement aux grands cabinets comptables qui exigent souvent des systèmes de suivi du temps rigoureux et une documentation exhaustive, Boast comprend la réalité des entreprises en forte croissance.
« J’apprécie le côté pragmatique de l’équipe », affirme Bury.
Cette approche pragmatique s'étend également à la manière dont Boast gère sa relation avec les autorités québécoises.
RÉSULTATS
Rendement maximal pour un investissement de temps minimal
The partnership with Boast has delivered tangible value across multiple dimensions for gaiia:
Efficient Resource Allocation
En investissant seulement 8 à 10 heures par cycle de demande RS&DE, gaiia optimise la récupération de ses crédits d’impôt R&D, sans nuire à ses autres priorités stratégiques.
« Le montant reçu était proportionnel au temps investi », note Bury. « J’ai vraiment eu l’impression d’optimiser mon temps, et c’est exactement ce qu’on recherche avec ce genre de programme. »
Foundation for Long-Term Success
Successfully navigating the CDAE process in year one sets gaiia up for continued success, even as the program evolves to include AI development components starting in 2026.
« Obtenir ce premier certificat, c’était une étape importante », explique Bury. « La première année demande plus d’efforts, mais ça reste très gérable. Je pense qu’on pourra le refaire en 2025. Même si le programme évolue, le temps investi pour l’argent qu’on s’attend à recevoir en vaut encore la peine. »
Finance as a Value Driver
For a lean finance team, demonstrating measurable value creation is critical.
« La finance est souvent vue comme un centre de coûts », réfléchit Bury. « Donc chaque subvention que je peux obtenir et qui crée de la valeur pour l’entreprise, c’est un vrai plus. »
POURQUOI BOAST
Pourquoi gaiia a choisi Boast plutôt qu’une autre solution
gaiia’s experience working with Boast contrasts sharply with both tech-only competitors and traditional accounting firms:
Not Just Software
While automated R&D tax credit platforms promise low-cost, AI-driven solutions, they lack the human expertise and regional specialization that gaiia needed—particularly for navigating Quebec’s CDAE program and building credibility with Revenu Québec.
“The team is really flexible,” Bury says, noting how Boast adapted to gaiia’s changing availability and communication preferences over time. “They understand how high-growth companies actually work.”
« Boast comprend vraiment la réalité des entreprises en forte croissance, ce que les firmes traditionnelles n’offrent pas. »
Not Just Another Service Line
Unlike Big 4 accounting firms where R&D tax credits might be just another checkbox on a broader service menu, Boast brings specialized focus to this specific domain.
Regional Expertise That Matters
For a Quebec-based company with significant provincial R&D tax credit opportunities, Boast’s bilingual team and established relationships with Quebec authorities provide tangible value.
“Having people at Boast who can speak French makes a huge difference in those meetings,” Bury notes. “It’s about credibility with the authorities who are evaluating your claims.”
ENVISAGER L’AVENIR
Croître en toute confiance
As gaiia continues scaling—backed by a $40M Series B led by JMI Equity announced in May 2026—and expands their OSS/BSS platform across North American markets, .
The company’s focus on hiring top engineering talent in Quebec means their R&D activities will continue qualifying for both federal SR&ED and Quebec CDAE programs.
With Boast handling the complexity of navigating these programs, Bury can focus her attention on the strategic priorities that will drive gaiia’s next phase of growth
« Le processus s’est déroulé sans accroc, » conclut Bury. « On a pu faire tout ça sans que ça alourdisse vraiment ma charge de travail. Quelques rencontres efficaces, et maintenant on a une base solide pour la deuxième année et la suite. »
À retenir
For Finance Leaders at Quebec-Based Tech Companies:
- R&D tax credits (SR&ED and CDAE) can offset a portion of R&D costs without requiring extensive engineering team involvement
- Regional expertise and language capabilities matter when building credibility with Quebec authorities
- The right partner should adapt to your startup’s realities, not demand perfect documentation systems you don’t have
For Fast-Growing SaaS Companies:
- Comprehensive R&D tax credit programs are manageable with the right platform and expertise
- Year one CDAE-IA setup creates a foundation that makes subsequent claims increasingly efficient
- Complex business circumstances can be accommodated with specialized expertise
The Boast Difference:
- 8-10 hours of finance team time per SR&ED claim cycle (vs. 150+ hours reported with some competitors)
- Bilingual team capable of engaging directly with Revenu Québec and Investment Québec
- Specialized Quebec expertise for navigating CDAE alongside federal SR&ED programs
- Flexible engagement model that adapts as your team’s bandwidth and priorities evolve
