NGen — Cluster Building Project

• The applicant must be an SME (fewer than 500 employees) or a not-for-profit organization, incorporated in Canada.
• Applicants must be members of NGen (Next Generation Manufacturing Canada) at the time of application.
• The project must involve the creation or support of a cluster consisting of at least five Canadian for-profit SMEs who are members of NGen.
• The primary purpose of the project must be to enhance collaboration among Canadian SMEs in advanced manufacturing through activities such as technology adoption, workforce development, training, or market expansion.
• Applicants must be able to demonstrate the capacity and commitment to complete the project within the required timelines and agree to NGen’s financial due diligence processes.

Who is eligible?

• Canadian for-profit small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) engaged in advanced manufacturing
• Membership-based manufacturing clusters consisting of at least five Canadian for-profit SMEs
• Industry associations incorporated in Canada and primarily funded by private sector contributions
• Not-for-profit organizations that facilitate and fund research and development, provided over 50% of their funding comes from private-sector organizations

Who is not eligible

• Publicly funded not-for-profit organizations, post-secondary institutions, federal Crown corporations, and government departments or agencies are not eligible to receive funding directly.
• International organizations (offshore companies and research organizations without an incorporated presence in Canada) cannot receive Supercluster funding for their project activities.

Eligible expenses

• Staffing costs directly associated with cluster building activities.
• Office costs related to the project.
• Legal costs incurred for the collaboration.
• Travel expenses linked to project activities.
• Costs for joint assessments, studies, and reports conducted collaboratively.
• Expenses for Canadian subcontractors supporting project activities.
• Capital and equipment purchases, provided these do not exceed the lesser of 10% of the total project value or $15,000.

Eligible geographic areas

• Companies incorporated in Canada

• Clarity and significance of the opportunity addressed by the project, including key objectives and expected impacts.
• Quality and feasibility of the overall project and risk management plan, with clear milestones and deliverables.
• Transformative potential of the project and ability to drive meaningful change in advanced manufacturing for cluster members.
• Economic benefits anticipated for members and the broader ecosystem, including potential for business growth and job creation.
• Capability and experience of the project team to deliver the proposed benefits, including governance and resource allocation.

• A one-time, non-refundable project administration fee equal to 2.5% of the total project cost is required at launch.
• All partner organizations in the consortium must be identified in the proposal, whether contracting or non-contracting members.
• The financial due diligence will include a Business Credit Report or similar review for all contracting partners.
• The project must be completed within twelve months of contract initiation.