CRIBIQ — PARTENAR-IA — Industry

Who is eligible?

• Legally constituted businesses under Quebec or federal law registered with the Quebec Enterprise Registrar.
• Headquartered in Quebec with employees or subcontractors working primarily in Quebec.
• Quebec-based small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with 250 or fewer employees.
• Having worldwide assets under $50 million for the fiscal year ending in the year prior to application.
• Must be members in good standing of CRIBIQ at the time of the detailed application submission.

• Government or municipally controlled companies.
• State-owned enterprises.
• Companies under bankruptcy protection or insolvency.
• Companies listed on the Quebec non-eligible public contracts registry.
• Companies failing to fulfill previous financial aid obligations from the Ministry or Investissement Québec.
• Enterprises posing ethical concerns that might damage governmental integrity.
• Entities classified as holding companies.

Who is not eligible

This grant excludes certain companies due to their status, including government-controlled entities and those under financial distress. These restrictions ensure alignment with the grant's goal of fostering private sector innovation in the bioeconomy within Quebec.

• Companies controlled directly or indirectly by a governmental (provincial or federal) or municipal entity.
• Businesses majority-owned by a crown corporation.
• Companies under protection under the Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act or the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act.
• Businesses listed in the Register of businesses ineligible for public contracts (RENA), including subcontractors required to perform the work.
• Companies that have failed to meet obligations related to previous financial assistance from MEIE or Investissement Québec.
• Enterprises with ethical behaviors potentially tarnishing the government's image.
• Businesses classified as ineligible clientele under the Ministry's responsible financing policy.
• Holding companies.

Eligible expenses

This grant supports the innovation and integration of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies in various phases of bioeconomy sectors. The eligible project activities emphasize collaboration between businesses, development, commercialization, and validation of new AI-driven solutions.

• Conducting preliminary studies and activities essential for planning and executing the project, including project assembly in cooperation with partners, and international collaboration assistance.
• Development or enhancement of a product or process encompassing conception, design, engineering, and prototyping.
• Testing and validation of the product or process through prototype testing, pilot production testing, and controlled environment demonstrations.
• Formulation of a commercialization plan and steps necessary for certification or homologation.
• Demonstration in real-world operation settings outside laboratories, including scaling up efforts to complete development or improvement of the product or process.
• Showcasing technological solutions by demonstrating or utilizing the product or process in real operational settings with an independent partner (either public or private in Canada or internationally).

Eligible geographic areas

This grant is available to companies located in specific geographical areas specified by the funding body. Quebec-based businesses are the focal point to support regional industrial innovation in artificial intelligence.

• Companies based in Quebec, Canada.

Here are additional relevant details for this grant:

• Applicants must submit a letter of intent; however, for this specific call, the letter of intent submission is not applicable.
• Successful projects will be those that align closely with Quebec's strategic initiatives in AI and the bioeconomy.
• Projects must adhere to language requirements, including project documentation in French as stipulated by Quebec's language policies.
• CRIBIQ offers continuous project support, from the submission phase through the project's lifecycle, ensuring guidance on project execution and compliance.
• Applicants should consider engaging with a wide array of stakeholders, including research institutions and other industry actors to strengthen the competitiveness and innovativeness of their proposals.