OVIN — R&D Partnership Fund – Advanced Charging and Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) Stream

Eligible companies must meet specific criteria to apply for this grant.

• Applicants must be Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) with fewer than 500 global, full-time employees.
• Applicants must have their operations and carry out their project in Ontario.

Who is eligible?

Eligible applicants for this grant include small and medium enterprises (SMEs) that demonstrate the potential to develop and commercialize connected and autonomous vehicle (C/AV) and smart mobility technologies in Ontario. Additionally, partnerships with various eligible entities are necessary to meet the program's goals.

• Applicant SMEs must have fewer than 500 global, full-time employees.
• Applicants must operate and conduct their project in Ontario.
• Eligible partners include SMEs, national and multinational enterprises, academic institutions (as clients only), municipalities, Indigenous communities, industry not-for-profit organizations, Crown Corporations, and Transit Authorities.
• Projects must involve one applicant and at least one eligible partner, reaching Technology Readiness Levels 3-9.
• Projects demonstrating actual products within Ontario are required.

Eligible expenses

The R&D Partnership Fund – C/AV and Smart Mobility – Stream 2 supports projects focused on advancing connected and autonomous vehicle technologies and smart mobility solutions. Activities must demonstrate products in real-world settings with significant commercial potential.

• Technology development for connected and autonomous vehicles.
• Demonstration projects showcasing Ontario-made smart mobility solutions.
• Validation and testing of C/AV and smart mobility technologies.
• Piloting innovative transit-supportive systems and vehicles.
• Projects involving intelligent transportation systems and infrastructure development.

Yes, there are evaluation and selection criteria for the R&D Partnership Fund – C/AV and Smart Mobility: Stream 2 grant. The criteria include project relevance, potential for commercialization, partnership strength, technological readiness, and alignment with program objectives.

• Project relevance to the development, testing, validation, and demonstration of connected and autonomous vehicle (C/AV) and smart mobility technologies
• Potential for commercialization of Ontario-made technologies
• Strength and scope of the partnerships involved in the project
• Technological readiness level (TRL 3-9)
• Alignment with intended program benefits, such as increased road safety, better road condition monitoring, and reduced environmental footprint
• Ability to demonstrate actual products that can be showcased in Ontario
• Budget feasibility and the ability to meet the minimum 2:1 funding contribution requirement
• Scalability of outcomes with high potential for commercialization and competitive advantage

The R&D Partnership Fund – C/AV and Smart Mobility – Stream 2 helps finance projects related to smart mobility technologies in Ontario with the goal of commercialization and public-private collaboration. The funding is contingent on a minimum 2:1 matching contribution from applicants and/or private sector partners.

• Eligible applicants must have fewer than 500 global, full-time employees and operate in Ontario.
• Eligible partners include SMEs, national and multinational enterprises, academic institutions (as clients), municipalities, Indigenous communities, not-for-profit organizations, Crown Corporations, and Transit Authorities.
• The program supports projects with a total budget of up to $3,000,000 over 24 months.
• Projects should be at Technology Readiness Level 3-9 and must include the demonstration of actual products in Ontario.
• Typical project activities include technology development, demonstration, validation, testing, and piloting.