Open
Mitacs Accelerate
Connect organizations with academia for research and innovation collaboration
Last Update: April 22, 2026
Funding available
$ 7,500 - $ 15,000
Timeline
- Open continuously
Location
Canada
Overview
The Mitacs Accelerate program supports collaboration between academic institutions and public or private sector organizations, offering up to $15,000 per placement to facilitate applied research and innovation. Eligible activities include research internships for students at all post-secondary levels, which involve collaboration with industry partners to solve research challenges and commercialize results.
/100
Opportunity Score
Moderate potential, but conditions must align.
At a glance
Funding available
Financing goals
- Increase performance through digital transformation
- Conduct research and development activities
- Access new markets
Eligible Funding
- Maximum amount : 15,000 $
- Minimum amount : 7,500 $
Timeline
- Open continuously
Eligible candidates
Eligible Industries
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Educational services
- Health care and social assistance
Location
- Canada
Legal structures
- Non-profit
- Public or Parapublic institution
- For-profit business
Annual revenue
- All revenue ranges
Organisation size
- All organization sizes
Audience
- Canadians
Non-profit candidates
Sector of operation
- Higher Education
- Research
- Hospitals and Rehabilitation
- Economic, Social and Community Development
Target groups
- Business owners / entrepreneurs
- Academia / students
Revenue structures
- All structures
Scope
- Municipal
- Regional
- National
Next Steps
1
Determine your project
2
Validate your eligibility
Activities funded
- Collaboration on research and development projects between academic institutions and partner organizations (for-profit or not-for-profit).
- Commercialization of research results developed through internships.
- Identification and development of new markets for innovative products or services.
- Execution of applied research initiatives aimed at solving organizational or sector-specific challenges.
- Projects involving national or international collaboration to advance innovation and knowledge transfer.
Documents Needed
- Accelerate proposal
- Intern CV
- Mitacs Academic Institution Acknowledgement form
- Conflict of Interest Declaration form, if applicable
Eligibility
Who is eligible?
- For-profit corporations in Canada
- Not-for-profit corporations in Canada
- Municipalities in Canada
- Hospitals in Canada
- For-profit and not-for-profit organizations operating outside Canada (as additional partners with a Canadian partner organization)
Who is not eligible
- For-profit businesses that receive more than 50% of their funds from government sources are not eligible as partner organizations.
- For-profit businesses and not-for-profit corporations operating outside of Canada cannot apply as the main partner organization; they are only eligible as additional partners on projects with a Canadian partner organization.
- For Accelerate Entrepreneur, consulting firms are not eligible.
- For Accelerate Entrepreneur, full-time employees with no ownership or responsibility for the company’s management and/or operations are not eligible.
- For Accelerate Entrepreneur, sole proprietorships and limited liability partnerships (LLPs) are not eligible because they are not incorporated.
Eligible expenses
- Intern stipend or salary (minimum of $10,000 per four- to six-month internship unit).
- Research costs directly related to the project (up to $5,000 per internship unit).
- Top-up of intern stipend/salary using additional partner contributions if provided.
- Specialized equipment or materials required for research, only if additional partner funding is included in the budget.
Ineligible Costs and Activities
- Consulting services.
- Development projects that are not research projects.
- Work on a project before the award letter is issued and funds are transferred to the academic institution.
- Projects that exceed the program’s start and end date limits, as these are subject to cancellation.
Eligible geographic areas
- British Columbia
- Yukon
- Québec
- New Brunswick
- Nova Scotia
- Prince Edward Island
- Newfoundland and Labrador
- Alberta (Note: Limited funding for 2024-2025)
- Saskatchewan (Note: Limited funding for 2024-2025)
- Manitoba (Note: Limited funding for 2024-2025)
- Ontario (Note: Limited funding for 2024-2025)
Processing and Agreement
- Your proposal is peer reviewed, usually within six to eight weeks; proposals with multiple internships or revisions may take longer.
- Applications are assessed by external experts and by Mitacs against program criteria, including project quality, feasibility, and the partner organization’s ability to support the internship.
- Mitacs may return the proposal and request revisions before making a final decision.
- Once an outcome is available, Mitacs contacts all participants with the decision and the next steps.
- After formal approval and receipt of the partner contribution, Mitacs forwards the funds to the academic institution, and no work may begin until the award letter has been issued and the funds have been distributed.
Additional information
- Peer review of proposals generally takes six to eight weeks, with possible extensions for complex or multi-internship projects.
- Intellectual property resulting from the project remains with the academic institution and partner organization as per the academic institution’s IP policy.
- Interns, professors, and partner organizations all have defined responsibilities before, during, and after the internship, including mandatory exit surveys.
- The new digital application portal is available, and eligibility for this platform depends on the award structure and absence of joint funding or known conflicts of interest at application.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Mitacs Accelerate Program
Here are answers to the most common questions about the Mitacs Accelerate. This section explains what the program is, how much funding is available, eligibility requirements, application deadlines, and other important details to help you determine if this grant is right for your business.
What is the Mitacs Accelerate?
The Mitacs Accelerate program supports collaboration between academic institutions and public or private sector organizations, offering up to $15,000 per placement to facilitate applied research and innovation. Eligible activities include research internships for students at all post-secondary levels, which involve collaboration with industry partners to solve research challenges and commercialize results.
How much funding can be received?
Mitacs Accelerate Funds up to $15,000 of admissible expenses.
Who is eligible for the Mitacs Accelerate program?
To be eligible for the Mitacs Accelerate program, you must:
For-profit or not-for-profit corporations, municipalities, or hospitals in Canada
For-profit and not-for-profit organizations outside Canada eligible as additional partners with a Canadian partner organization
What expenses are eligible under Mitacs Accelerate?
Collaboration on research and development projects between academic institutions and partner organizations (for-profit or not-for-profit).
Commercialization of research results developed through internships.
Identification and development of new markets for innovative products or services.
Execution of applied research initiatives aimed at solving organizational or sector-specific challenges.
Projects involving national or international collaboration to advance innovation and knowledge transfer.
Where is the Mitacs Accelerate available?
The Mitacs Accelerate program is available across Canada.
Is the Mitacs Accelerate a grant, loan, or tax credit?
Mitacs Accelerate is a Researchers And Facilities
Who are the financial supporters of the Mitacs Accelerate?
Mitacs Accelerate is funded by Mitacs (MITACS)