CRIBIQ — PARTENAR-IA — Industry

This grant provides funding support to encourage the integration of artificial intelligence in Quebec's bioeconomy sectors. The funding is structured to maximize the impact of the projects and ensure significant economic benefits.

• A maximum of 75% of the project costs are funded through public money.
• Management fees amounting to 5% of the total eligible project costs are covered, with half funded by the subsidy from the Ministry of Economy, Innovation and Energy (MEIE) and half by participating industries based on their financial contributions.
• Eligible indirect research costs can be covered up to a maximum of 27% by universities and affiliated hospital centres.
• All financial assistance must comply with the Ministry's conditions and cannot be supplemented with funding from other Ministry programs.
• The total government assistance includes both direct and indirect aids, such as non-refundable contributions and loans, within the Quebec and Canadian government constraints.
• The maximum project duration is 24 months.

Eligibility for this grant is determined by specific requirements related to the characteristics and parameters of the applicant companies and their collaborative projects.

• The applicant must be a Quebec-based enterprise or cooperative legally constituted under federal or Quebec law and registered with the Quebec Enterprise Registrar.
• The company must have its head office in Quebec, with employees or subcontractors primarily working in Quebec.
• The company must have 250 employees or fewer in Quebec.
• The company's assets, calculated on a global basis, must be less than $50 million for the fiscal year ending in the calendar year preceding the current year.
• At least one public research institute involvement is necessary, such as a university, CCTT, or government research center.
• Only members in good standing with CRIBIQ are eligible to apply, which implies all participating partners must ensure their membership status at the time of application submission.
• The project must involve the development, commercialization, or adoption of AI technologies in the bioeconomy sectors.
• Companies directly or indirectly controlled by government entities or municipalities, majority-owned by a state corporation, under protection from the Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act or Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act, or listed on the register of enterprises not eligible for public contracts are not eligible.

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.

The evaluation and selection of projects for this grant are based on specific criteria to ensure the alignment with the objectives of enhancing the integration of AI in Quebec's bioeconomy sectors.

• Innovative Character: Projects must demonstrate innovative aspects or potential innovation compared to the current state of the art. This is an eliminatory criterion.
• Quality of the Consortium: The project must show the quality of the partners involved and the match between scientific expertise and industrial needs, as well as the quality of AI expertise and potential benefits for each industrial partner involved. Active collaboration from industrial partners is also assessed. This is an eliminatory criterion.
• Scientific Quality, Methodology, and Project Setup: Projects are evaluated on their scientific quality, the level of excellence or expertise of academic teams involved, scientific or technical feasibility, project structuring, step definition, deliverables, and milestone identification.
• Project Impacts: The potential for use or integration of project results by the industries involved and the economic or commercial application prospects or competitive advantages are considered.
• Budget, Timeline, and Training: The realism of the timeline, financial structure justification against expenses, and training or involvement of qualified personnel, such as graduate students, postdocs, technicians, or interns, are evaluated.

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.