Call for Proposals in Horizon AI - Global Advantage

• Expression of Interest (EOI)
• Full Project Proposal
• Project budget
• Master Project Agreement
• Supporting documents for eligible costs and claims

Who is eligible?

• Canadian companies and multinationals registered to do business in Canada
• AI technology product companies
• Industry partners and customers
• Academic and research partners
• Not-for-profit, post-secondary, and research institutions

Who is not eligible

• Foreign organizations without a registered business presence in Canada cannot be Project Leads.
• Associates are not eligible for funding.

Eligible expenses

• Direct labour costs for project work, including wages, salaries, and contracts
• Equipment purchase, rental, operation, and maintenance
• Materials, supplies, user fees, and incremental facility rentals
• Project-related travel, telecommunication, dissemination, and insurance costs
• Eligible legal, consulting, and IP protection costs with approval

Ineligible Costs and Activities

• Costs incurred before project approval
• Routine overhead and general operating costs
• Taxes, fines, penalties, and cancellation fees
• Building or land purchase costs
• Discretionary benefits, severance, entertainment, gifts, and lobbying costs

Eligible geographic areas

• Canada

• Attractive emerging market opportunity, weighted at 20%
• Solution excellence and global commercial potential, weighted at 25%
• Team composition and execution capacity, weighted at 25%
• High-impact, innovative project quality, weighted at 30%

• Step 1: Review program guidance
  • Read the Program Guide and Co-Investment Guidelines.
  • Prepare a project concept aligned with the call.
• Step 2: Submit an Expression of Interest
  • Submit the project concept through the EOI online intake form.
  • Organizations interested in partnership opportunities may email the program team.
• Step 3: Receive review feedback
  • DIGITAL reviews EOIs on a rolling basis.
  • Applicants receive a response within 3 weeks of submission.
• Step 4: Submit the full proposal if invited
  • Invited teams prepare the Full Project Proposal and project budget in DIGITAL’s format.
  • Lead organizations must sign the required Participation Agreement to proceed.
• Step 5: Contracting and agreement
  • Successful teams sign the Master Project Agreement.
  • Project funding is then provided to the Project Lead.

• EOIs are reviewed by DIGITAL and assessed against program fit and quality.
• Strong EOIs may be invited to submit a Full Project Proposal.
• Complete proposals are reviewed by an independent Project Selection Committee.
• Final investment decisions are made by DIGITAL based on the committee’s recommendations.
• Successful applicants then sign a Master Project Agreement before funding begins.

• The call is now closed for concept submissions.
• EOIs are reviewed on a rolling basis, with responses generally provided within 3 weeks.
• A Non-Disclosure Agreement template is available for the EOI stage.
• Selected projects must sign a Master Project Agreement before funding is released.