innovÉÉ — SI2TEC

• Letter of intent (LOI)
• Detailed application
• Supporting documents required by the program guide

Who is eligible?

• SMEs that are members of an RSRI
• SMEs that are members of a cooperative or industrial federation that is a member of an RSRI
• Mixed companies (municipality/private sector)
• For-profit companies with fewer than 250 employees carrying out industrial activities in Quebec

Who is not eligible

• Companies that are state-owned or majority-owned by a state enterprise.
• Cities or municipalities.
• Non-profit organizations (NPOs).
• Public research institutes.
• For-profit companies with more than 250 employees having industrial activities in Quebec.
• Regional county municipalities (MRCs).

Eligible expenses

• Professional fees for specialized services, including subcontracting services.
• Direct labor costs related to the project, including social benefits and mandatory contributions, as well as project management fees.
• Travel and accommodation expenses related to the project, in compliance with the current governmental standards outlined in the Recueil des politiques de gestion du gouvernement du Québec.
• Direct costs of materials and inventory.
• Direct costs of equipment, calculated based on the ratio between the project's duration and the equipment's useful life.
• Rental fees for equipment directly related to the project, calculated according to the project's duration.
• Fees for acquiring studies or other documents.
• Fees for animal studies or platform fees.
• Costs related to the preparation of an intellectual property protection strategy, obtaining intellectual property protection, and acquiring intellectual property rights or licenses (including patent application fees such as patent agent fees).
• Obtaining necessary approvals or certifications for commercialization.

Eligible geographic areas

• Quebec

• Commercial potential or deployment potential of the solution.
• Technology maturity level of the project.
• Relevance to an environmental issue.
• Environmental gains expected in Quebec and outside Quebec across the innovation lifecycle.
• Quality of the partnership and alignment with circular economy principles.

• Step 1: Download the letter of intent
  • Access the program page and download the LOI template.
• Step 2: Submit the letter of intent
  • Complete and submit the LOI for initial review.
• Step 3: Prepare the detailed application
  • Prepare the full application after the LOI response.
  • Include the required supporting documents.
• Step 4: Submit the detailed application
  • Send the detailed application before the deadline indicated by the program.
• Step 5: Approval process
  • The application is reviewed by the CATE, then by the board and the ministry.
• Step 6: Agreement and project launch
  • If approved, receive the award letter and sign the research agreement with partners before starting the project.

• Letter of intent is reviewed first.
• Detailed application is then analyzed and presented orally to the CATE.
• The CATE makes a recommendation, followed by board and ministry authorization.
• If approved, a grant letter is issued and a research agreement is signed with partners.

• The program offers support services, including project preparation, access to equipment, partner matchmaking with academic or industrial entities, and supplementary financing.
• There are opportunities for participation in interest-based communities, webinars about the programs, and networking activities.
• The guide for the program is downloadable, providing detailed insights and instructions for applicants.
• A letter of intent needs to be downloaded as part of the application process.
• For queries regarding the funding program, applicants can contact Nabila El Khadir.
• The funding is aimed at supporting the transition towards a circular economy by enabling industrial innovations in Quebec.
• Eligible projects require a minimum technology readiness level of 6, focusing on prototyping or process implementation in a real-world setting.