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Source verified July 9, 2026
Mitacs — Accelerate Entrepreneur
Supports student entrepreneurs commercializing start-up research
Latest source updateLast Update: June 3, 2026Latest change: Mitacs updated the Accelerate Entrepreneur page with clearer program details, application requirements, timeline information, and advisor contact guidance.View change
Latest source update
Last Update: June 3, 2026
Latest change: Mitacs updated the Accelerate Entrepreneur page with clearer program details, application requirements, timeline information, and advisor contact guidance.
Accelerate Entrepreneur page updated
Mitacs updated the Accelerate Entrepreneur page to foreground program details, eligibility, and the how-to-apply section. The page now presents clearer timing, application package requirements, extension rules, funding model notes, and advisor contact guidance, which materially changes how applicants use the page. The scope and target audience remain centered on student and postdoctoral entrepreneurs, but the page now emphasizes the full application path and supporting documents more directly. Several contact and resource links are also more prominent, making the page more actionable for applicants.
Funding available
$ 15,000
Deadline
Open continuously
Location
Canada
Overview
Mitacs Accelerate Entrepreneur provides $15,000 internship units for student and postdoctoral entrepreneurs at Mitacs partner colleges and universities in Canada to commercialize and develop the core research or technology of an incorporated start-up. Eligible work includes testing a new product, iterating an existing technology, and funded internships covering intern stipends and research costs.
/100
Opportunity Score
Moderate potential, but conditions must align.
At a glance
Funding available
Financing goals
- Develop a new product or service
- Conduct research and development activities
- Develop workforce skills
Eligible Funding
- Minimum amount : 15,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
Funds Providers
Eligible candidates
Eligible Industries
- All industries
Location
- Canada
Legal structures
- For-profit business
Annual revenue
- All revenue ranges
Organisation size
- All organization sizes
Audience
- Startups
Next Steps
1
Determine your project
2
Validate your eligibility
Activities funded
- Piloting and testing a new product, service or technology
- Iterating and improving an existing product, service, or technology
- Research that further develops the research or technology at the core of the start-up business
- Commercialization-focused internships for the incorporated start-up’s technology, product, or service
Documents Needed
- Completed Mitacs Accelerate proposal form
- Completed Mitacs Accelerate Entrepreneur COI Declaration Form
- Letter of support from the host incubator facility
- Intern CV
Official resources
Eligibility
Who is eligible?
- Students at Mitacs partner colleges and universities in Canada
- Postdoctoral fellows at Mitacs partner colleges and universities in Canada
- Recent college and university graduates, at the discretion of the academic institution, if the internship starts within two years of graduation
- Part-time students for Accelerate internships that do not include international travel, if the stated institutional and participation conditions are met
- Entrepreneurs who hold ownership of their incorporated start-up and responsibility for the company’s management and/or operations
Who is not eligible
- Consulting firms
- Full-time employees with no ownership or responsibility for the company’s management and/or operations
- Sole proprietorships
- LLPs (Limited Liability Partnership)
Eligible expenses
- Intern stipend or salary, with a minimum of $10,000 per internship unit
- Research costs, with up to $5,000 per standard $15K internship unit
Ineligible Costs and Activities
- Consulting proposals
- Development projects that are not research proposals
- Internships in which the intern is doing work they were previously doing as an employee or contractor
- University tuition fees
How to apply
- Connect with your local Mitacs Advisor to get your Accelerate Entrepreneur application started.
- Review the eligible research and adjudication criteria, the Writing Your Proposal guide, and the program policies when beginning your proposal.
- Collect all required signatures: intern(s), professor(s), partner contact, and university Office of Research Services or equivalent.
- Email your proposal package to your Mitacs Advisor.
Processing and Agreement
- Peer review of the proposal takes approximately six to eight weeks, and proposals with multiple internships or revisions may take longer.
- Partner organizations receive an invoice upon proposal submission; the invoice is refundable if the proposal is not approved.
- Mitacs contacts all participants with the outcome and applicable instructions.
- Mitacs forwards the Accelerate funds to the academic institution after receiving the partner contribution and approving the proposal.
- If a proposal is not approved, applicants may revise and resubmit a new version of the current proposal or a new proposal on a related eligible project.
Additional information
- Projects are limited to two years in duration.
- Projects start at four months and can be scaled up depending on the start-up’s needs.
- Mitacs takes no position on intellectual property; IP is shared according to the academic institution’s rules unless a separate agreement is negotiated.
- Partner interaction may take place virtually, in person, or in a hybrid format, with on-site interaction still encouraged when logistically feasible.
Contacts
Frequently Asked Questions about the Mitacs — Accelerate Entrepreneur Program
What is the Mitacs — Accelerate Entrepreneur?
Mitacs Accelerate Entrepreneur provides $15,000 internship units for student and postdoctoral entrepreneurs at Mitacs partner colleges and universities in Canada to commercialize and develop the core research or technology of an incorporated start-up. Eligible work includes testing a new product, iterating an existing technology, and funded internships covering intern stipends and research costs.
How much funding can be received?
Mitacs — Accelerate Entrepreneur Funds up to 50% of admissible expenses.
Who is eligible for the Mitacs — Accelerate Entrepreneur program?
To be eligible for the Mitacs — Accelerate Entrepreneur program, you must:
The applicant must be a student or postdoctoral entrepreneur at a Mitacs partner college or university in Canada, or an eligible recent graduate.
The entrepreneur must own and manage or operate an incorporated start-up.
The start-up must be housed at an approved incubator for the full project, and the research must further develop its core research or technology.
What expenses are eligible under Mitacs — Accelerate Entrepreneur?
Piloting and testing a new product, service or technology
Iterating and improving an existing product, service, or technology
Research that further develops the research or technology at the core of the start-up business
Commercialization-focused internships for the incorporated start-up’s technology, product, or service
Who can I contact for more information about the Mitacs — Accelerate Entrepreneur?
You can contact Mitacs by email at accelerate@mitacs.ca.
Where is the Mitacs — Accelerate Entrepreneur available?
The Mitacs — Accelerate Entrepreneur program is available across Canada.
Is the Mitacs — Accelerate Entrepreneur a grant, loan, or tax credit?
Mitacs — Accelerate Entrepreneur is a Grant and Funding