Accelerating Innovations into CarE (AICE) – Market Access

• Last 3 fiscal year-end financial statements, or all years if the organization was founded less than 3 years ago, and statements for the current fiscal year up to and including the most recent completed quarter, prepared on an audited, review engagement, notice to reader, or, if needed, unaudited internally prepared basis
• Most current pro forma statement(s)
• Most current business plan
• Alberta Innovates Work Plan and Budget Workbook
• Health Innovation Checklist

Who is eligible?

• Alberta for-profit small-medium sized enterprises (SMEs)
• Companies with fewer than 500 full-time employees and less than $50,000,000 annual gross revenue
• Entities incorporated in Alberta and/or incorporated in another jurisdiction and extra provincially registered in Alberta, or General Partnership, Limited Partnership, or Limited Liability Partnership registered in Alberta
• Corporate persons with up-to-date corporate filings
• Alberta-based entities with an Albertan footprint, including significant physical and corporate operational presence in Alberta, appropriate Alberta ownership and control, and discernable intent that operational benefits will flow primarily within Alberta

Who is not eligible

• Business management or operational clinic and hospital backend software.
• Natural health products.
• Unregulated products such as digital health information apps and virtual communication platforms.
• Direct-to-consumer goods and wellness products.

Eligible expenses

• Labour costs at reasonable market rates directly attributable to the Project, excluding general overhead and costs reimbursed elsewhere
• Materials at the lower of cost or fair market value that are specifically identified and quantified in the performance of Project activities
• Acquisitions of property, including capital improvements to facility premises and capital equipment, excluding land and buildings; software or information databases are also considered
• Basic professional services, fees and disbursements directly related to the Project, subcontractor costs at fair market rates, and necessary travel pre-approved by Alberta Innovates or included in the approved Project budget
• Additional direct operating costs, unrecoverable GST on eligible expenses, and any other cost pre-approved in writing as an Eligible Expense

Ineligible Costs and Activities

• Costs incurred prior to the Project Start Date or before the Investment Agreement is signed, unless Alberta Innovates provides written approval
• Transactions between Related Persons; interest on debt; losses on investments, bad debts and collection charges; and losses on other projects or activities not related to the Project
• Fines and penalties; unreasonable compensation for Project labour; professional training and development; passport or immigration fees; and commuting costs between residence and place of employment
• Federal and Provincial income taxes; GST except for unrecoverable portions of GST; depreciation and amortization charges; and costs related to land and buildings not directly related to the Project
• Advertising costs except reasonable industrial or institutional advertising in trade, technical or professional journals; routine testing and maintenance; costs associated with applying for government grants and programs; entertainment, hospitality, alcohol and gifts; and any other costs deemed ineligible by Alberta Innovates

• Technology, business opportunity, overall risks, and potential size of the return to Alberta against the performance outcomes.
• Management team, market conditions, competitive advantage, and product-market fit.
• Go-to-market plan, financials, and technical feasibility, including the robustness and clinical relevance of the project plan.
• Export potential.
• Prior Alberta Innovates funding history and resulting achievements.

• Register on the Alberta Innovates Application Portal.
• Complete and submit the AICE Intake Form in the Funding Opportunities tab on the Portal dashboard.
• Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit the Intake Form as early as possible, and no later than 5 weeks before a Full Application submission date.
• Attend the Intake Meeting if scheduled to discuss alignment to the program streams, desired project objectives, deliverables, and outcomes.
• Submit the Full Application Form in the Portal by the posted deadlines on the program webpage.

• Applications are reviewed by internal and external reviewers with relevant clinical, technology commercialization, and business expertise.
• If the review is positive, Alberta Innovates may make a funding recommendation to senior management and may adjust the funding request and conditions.
• Successful applicants must execute an Investment Agreement with Alberta Innovates before funding is advanced.
• The agreement includes reporting on progress to milestones and budget on an agreed timeline during and after the term, and a payment schedule based on milestone achievement and progress reporting.
• Applicants must submit a Progress or Final Report and demonstrate sufficient progress before the next milestone payment; outcomes may be monitored for up to five years after project completion.

• AICE program project advisors can help find the right program fit, discuss application content and concerns, aid with navigation, and make connections to other supports in the ecosystem.
• Technology Development Advisors provide business coaching, guidance on accessing capital, and connections to community support through various networks.
• Funded clients may access showcases, networking, workshops and events, including opportunities to be featured at conferences such as Inventures.
• Health Ecosystem Partnered Offerings may include diagnostic sample access and guidance, medical device prototyping support, clinician engagement and advisory support, simulation testing, and usability validation.