NGen — AI For Manufacturing Challenge 2024 - Canada

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Source verified July 31, 2026

NGen — AI For Manufacturing Challenge 2024

AI commercialization for advanced manufacturing

Offered by

Next Generation Manufacturing Canada (NGen)

Official source: ngen.ca

Latest source update

Last Update: July 31, 2026

Latest change: The AI4M financial guide was replaced with a new version that changes reimbursement, eligible organizations, cost rules, and portal instructions.

View change

AI4M Financial Guide revised

The AI4M Project Financial Guide now shows a new version dated 15 04 2025, replacing the earlier finance guidance with updated rules and workflow details. The guide changes the reimbursement rate from 35% to 40%, keeps the 80% per-participant cap, and updates the eligible organization and cost descriptions, including where FWB entries are completed in the NGen Portal. It also revises several funding conditions for salaries, subcontracting, foreign costs, equipment, and in-kind treatment, so applicants should use the new guide for budgeting and financial review. A new contact for finance questions is shown as ProjectFinance1@ngen.ca.

Funding available

$ 525,000 - $ 2,100,000

Deadline

August 9, 2024

Location

Canada

Who can apply

For-profit organizations incorporated in Canada.

See full eligibility

Overview

AI For Manufacturing Challenge supports collaborative AI and machine learning projects for advanced manufacturing in Canada. Eligible work includes systems optimization, robotics and automation, rapid prototyping, and manufacturing cybersecurity.

Find open grants for your business

Explore open funding programs that match your business and project.

At a glance

Funding available

Financing goals

Increase performance through digital transformation
Develop strategic partnerships
Develop a new product or service

Eligible Funding

Maximum amount : 2,100,000 $
Minimum amount : 525,000 $
Up to 35% of project cost

Funds Providers

Next Generation Manufacturing Canada (NGen)

Eligible candidates

Eligible Industries

All industries

Location

Canada

Legal structures

For-profit business
Non-profit

Annual revenue

All revenue ranges

Organisation size

500 employees maximum

Audience

Canadians
Startups

Non-profit candidates

Sector of operation

Research
Economic, Social and Community Development
Employment and Training
Business Associations
Professional Associations
Diversity and Inclusion

Target groups

Indigenous peoples
Women & girls
Business owners / entrepreneurs
Nonprofits / charities
Academia / students
Minority groups

Revenue structures

Mixed revenue (50%+ earned)

Scope

National
International

Next Steps

Determine your project

Validate your eligibility

Activities funded

Commercialization of AI and machine learning solutions for manufacturing.
Systems optimization within manufacturing facilities or across supply chains.
Development of new advanced manufacturing capabilities, including robotics and automation equipment.
Rapid prototyping and testing of materials, products, and processes.
Enhanced cybersecurity for manufacturing facilities and processes.

Documents Needed

Signed Application Agreement.
Application questions and project description.
Appendix 1: Project Plan, Appendix 2: Risk Register, and Appendix 3: Intellectual Property Tables.
Financial due diligence documents for each partner.

Official resources

Official page

AI For Manufacturing Challenge

Program guide

AI4M Project Financial Guide

NGen Funding Programs Process and Requirements for Project Screening (Expression of Interest)

Application form

Application process

Dislcaimer

Province, Territory of incorporation);

SME Declaration Form

Supporting document

Agenda - Ordre du Jour

How to Build a Successful Project Finance Plan

NGen Project # - IP Tables

NGen Project Funding

Eligibility

Who is eligible?

For-profit organizations incorporated in Canada.
Not-for-profit organizations that facilitate and fund research and development.
Non-federal Crown corporations with commercial revenues.
Manufacturing companies, AI solution providers, and other industry partners.
Research organizations and technical partners contributing to project consortia.

Who is not eligible

Other not-for-profit organizations.
Post-secondary institutions.
Federal Crown corporations.
Government departments and agencies.
International organizations without an incorporated presence in Canada.

Eligible expenses

Gross wages or salaries for personnel based in Canada and working directly on the project, including eligible overtime premiums and specified benefits.
Sub-contract and consultancy fees for work essential to the project, where the expertise does not exist among the partners, and performed in Canada.
New equipment, rental, direct operation, and maintenance costs, including direct operating costs for existing equipment.
Materials and supplies consumed by the project.
Travel costs, other direct costs, user fees, room or facility rentals, conference costs, dissemination costs, and reasonable intellectual property costs.

Ineligible Costs and Activities

Routine administration and operations, including labour related to production, selling, marketing, or advertising.
Infrastructure and facility modification costs, including flooring, walls, HVAC, electrical, fire suppression infrastructure, and non-movable clean room installations.
Existing equipment, inventory on hand before the project start, travel to advanced manufacturing or industry association conferences, and project administration fees charged by NGen.
Production activities, activities that subsidize full-scale production, capital investment not related to the project, experimental or theoretical work without direct commercial application, and anti-competitive activities.
Projects where benefits accrue to a single firm or organization, projects that would be undertaken at the same scale or scope without NGen funding, and routine or periodic changes to existing products, production lines, manufacturing processes, services, and other ongoing operations.

Eligible geographic areas

Canada

Selection criteria

Each project application will be assessed based on eight questions by up to 5 independent assessors.
Responses are equally weighted in assessments.
Applications will be scored out of 80 marks (10 marks per question) by independent experts.
The assessors will answer two yes/no gateway questions; if the majority answer no to either question, the application will not be considered for funding, regardless of the overall score.

How to apply

Step 1: Become an NGen member
- Register as an organization in the NGen portal.
- Ensure all project partners are registered.
Step 2: Submit for screening
- Create the project in the member portal.
- Enter project summary, partner details, and high-level financial information.
- Submit the expression of interest for screening.
Step 3: Complete the full application
- Answer the eight application questions in the portal or by template.
- Upload the required appendices and supporting files.
Step 4: Complete financial due diligence
- Provide the requested financial documents for each partner.
- Allow NGen to review the financial capacity of the consortium.
Step 5: Submit for assessment and contracting
- Submit the final application through the portal.
- If approved, proceed to contracting before project launch.

Processing and Agreement

Projects are first screened for scope, eligibility, and financial due diligence.
Eligible applications are then reviewed by up to five independent experts.
The assessment uses ten equally weighted questions and two gateway yes/no questions.
NGen notifies applicants of the result and provides feedback.
Successful projects move to contracting, including the Master Project Agreement and Collaboration Agreement.

Additional information

NGen can provide pre-assessment support on project scope, partners, and funding sources.
All project partners should be ready for financial due diligence during the application process.

Contacts

ai@ngen.ca

Frequently Asked Questions about the NGen — AI For Manufacturing Challenge 2024 Program

What is the NGen — AI For Manufacturing Challenge 2024?

How much funding can be received?

NGen — AI For Manufacturing Challenge 2024 Funds up to 35% of admissible expenses, capped at $2,100,000 per project.

Who is eligible for the NGen — AI For Manufacturing Challenge 2024 program?

To be eligible for the NGen — AI For Manufacturing Challenge 2024 program, you must: Commercialization of AI/ML solutions in manufacturing Business-led and collaborative project with at least two industry partners, including one manufacturing company and one AI company At least one company in the consortium must be a Small Medium Enterprise, and the project must be in addition to the regular business undertakings of the applicants

What expenses are eligible under NGen — AI For Manufacturing Challenge 2024?

Commercialization of AI and machine learning solutions for manufacturing. Systems optimization within manufacturing facilities or across supply chains. Development of new advanced manufacturing capabilities, including robotics and automation equipment. Rapid prototyping and testing of materials, products, and processes. Enhanced cybersecurity for manufacturing facilities and processes.