Collaborative Industrial Research and Support to Innovative Entrepreneurship — Stream 2

This grant provides financial support for innovative projects leveraging artificial intelligence in small and medium-sized enterprises. It offers specific assistance caps and rates to align with the commercial potential and development risks associated with these projects.

• Maximum aid amount is $350,000 per project.
• Maximum aid rate is 30% of eligible expenditures.
• Maximum accumulation of government aid is 50% of the total project expenses, increasing to 75% for projects with research center collaboration or technology showcase projects.

Eligibility for this grant is determined by specific requirements related to the company's profile and the proposed innovation project.

• The applicant must be a small or medium-sized enterprise (SME).
• The project must involve the use of artificial intelligence in product or process innovation.
• The project should cover stages from planning to pre-commercialization.
• The project must focus on developing a new product or process or significantly improving an existing one.
• The innovation must provide a significant advantage over existing market solutions.
• The project must involve technological or business risks or uncertainties.
• The project should involve research and development efforts.
• The project must demonstrate commercial potential if the product or process is intended for sale.

Who is eligible?

Eligible expenses

The eligible projects for this grant focus on the development and innovation of new products or processes using artificial intelligence. They aim to enhance internal R&D capabilities and product commercialization for SMEs.

• Development of new products or processes incorporating artificial intelligence from planning to pre-commercialization stages.
• Improvement of existing products or processes with significant advancements using artificial intelligence.
• Projects demonstrating a competitive advantage of the new product or process over current market solutions.
• Initiatives involving technological or business uncertainties requiring research and development efforts.
• Commercialization potential for products or processes intended for sale.

There are evaluation and selection criteria for this grant. The following are the key criteria used:

• Relevance of the project to the call for proposals
• Quality and feasibility of the project
• Economic and social impacts of the project
• Capacity and expertise of the project team
• Cost-effectiveness of the project
• Compliance with regulatory requirements

Here are additional relevant details for this grant:

• The grant can be combined with other public funding, with a maximum cumulative aid limit of 50% of total project expenses, and 75% for collaborations with research centers and technology showcase projects.
• The maximum financial aid available per project is $350,000, covering up to 30% of eligible expenses.
• Projects must involve substantial risk or uncertainty, either technologically or in terms of business, for the applying company.
• Dynamic PDF forms must be downloaded and opened with Adobe Reader version 10 or later to function properly.
• The deadline for submission was October 15, 2023, at 16:00, indicating the importance of observing strict deadline adherence for future applications.
• Applicants must ensure the submitted electronic version of the application is signed and in PDF format.