Collaborative Industrial Research and Support to Innovative Entrepreneurship — Stream 3

Who is eligible?

Who is not eligible

Based on the grant information provided, there is no mention of specific types of companies that are not eligible for the grant.

Eligible expenses

The eligible projects for this grant focus on the development and improvement of products or processes by leveraging artificial intelligence, in collaboration with multiple businesses. These initiatives require significant R&D efforts and aim to offer competitive advantages in the market.

• Development of a new product utilizing artificial intelligence.
• Improvement of an existing process with AI integration.
• Collaboration among at least two Quebec-based businesses sharing costs and benefits.
• Hiring at least one intern per partner business annually.
• Real-world demonstration projects up to pre-commercialization phase.

Eligible geographic areas

This grant supports collaborative projects involving at least two companies from Quebec. Only Quebec-based businesses are eligible for this funding stream, reflecting a regional focus on fostering local innovation.

• Quebec, Canada

Yes, there are evaluation and selection criteria for this grant. Below is a summary followed by the detailed criteria.

The evaluation and selection criteria for the grant focus on the project's relevance to innovation, technological risk, and potential commercial benefits. The project must demonstrate significant improvements, collaboration, and alignment with the objectives of the grant program.

• Project relevance to innovation in product or process.
• Demonstrate a significant improvement over existing solutions.
• Involve two or more Quebec-based companies in the collaboration.
• Each participating company must employ at least one intern annually.
• Share costs, benefits, and intellectual property among participating companies.
• Demonstrate potential for significant short-term benefits.
• Display technological or business risk and uncertainty.
• Necessitate efforts in research and development.
• Show potential for commercial success if the product/process is intended for sale.
• Adhere to a maximum project duration of 18 months.
• Maximize government aid at 50% of eligible expenses, up to a maximum of $1,500,000 per project.
• Ensure total government aid does not exceed 75% of total project expenses.

Here are the steps to submit an application for this grant:

• Step 1: Gather Required Documentation
  • Ensure you have Adobe Reader version 10 or later to access PDF forms.
  • Download and save the Guide and Application Form for the AI Innovation Projects from the ministry’s website.
• Step 2: Complete the Application Form
  • Fill out the "Formulaire de demande d’aide financière" for AI innovation projects in either Volet 2 or 3.
  • Ensure all required fields are completed and the form is signed electronically.
• Step 3: Prepare Supporting Documents
  • Prepare additional required documents such as project proposals, budgets, and letters of support.
  • Ensure all documents are formatted correctly and ready to be submitted electronically.
• Step 4: Submit the Application
  • Email the completed and signed application form, along with all supporting documents, to equipe.ia@economie.gouv.qc.ca.
  • Ensure submission is completed before the deadline of October 15, 2023, at 16:00.

Outlined below are additional relevant details for this grant:

• The maximum aid cap is 1,500,000 CAD per project, which cannot exceed 50% of eligible expenses.
• The cumulative aid limit from government sources cannot exceed 75% of the project's total expenses.
• The maximum allowable project duration is 18 months.
• Applicants must submit their application electronically by the specified deadline.
• There are specific software requirements for accessing and completing application documents, namely Adobe Reader version 10 or later.