Get a non-refundable grant up to $500,000 to cover up to 40% of eligible expenses when your SME partners with a research centre on an artificial intelligence R&D project in the field of health technologies.

Eligibility criteria

Eligibility criteria for the grant include the following: 1. A minimum partnership of two companies, with at least one being a Quebec SME, collaborating with a research center. 2. Research center expenses must represent at least 20% of eligible project expenses. 3. The group of companies must share the costs, benefits, and intellectual property of the innovation project. 4. Each partner company must plan to hire one trainee per year or equivalent over the project duration. 5. Maximum project duration is 24 months (2 years). 6. Maximum financial assistance is $350,000 per partner company, up to a maximum of $1,500,000 per project. 7. Financial assistance covers up to 50% of eligible project expenses, with industrial contributions amounting to a minimum of 25% of eligible expenses. 8. Companies must meet specific legal and financial criteria to be eligible, including having their head office in Québec and having a certain number of employees and assets. 9. Ineligibility criteria include companies directly or indirectly controlled by government entities, companies under certain legal circumstances, and holding companies. These criteria aim to promote collaborative research projects in artificial intelligence involving SMEs or start-ups working with a public research center in Quebec.

Who is eligible

- Quebec SMEs - Companies legally incorporated under federal or Quebec law - Companies with their head office in Quebec - Companies with 250 or fewer employees in Quebec - Companies with assets less than $50 million calculated on a worldwide basis

Who is not eligible

- Companies controlled directly or indirectly by a government (provincial or federal) or municipal entity - Companies majority-owned by a Crown corporation - Companies under the protection of the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act or the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act - Companies registered with the Registre des entreprises non admissibles aux contrats publics (RENA) - Companies that, during the two years preceding the year of the application for financial assistance, have failed to meet their obligations after having been duly put on formal notice in connection with the awarding of previous financial assistance from the Ministère or Investissement Québec under the Economic Development Fund or Investissement Québec’s own funds - Companies whose ethical conduct is likely to tarnish, even by association, the Québec government’s image of integrity and probity - Companies that may be ineligible under the Ministère’s responsible financing policy - Holding companies

Eligible expenses

Eligible expenses for this grant include: - Direct labor costs - Equipment costs - Project-related expenses These expenses must be related to the collaborative research project in artificial intelligence.

Eligible projects & activities

The projects or activities eligible for this grant include: - Collaborative research projects in artificial intelligence (AI) involving SMEs or start-ups working with a public research center - Projects aiming to improve business competitiveness through AI adoption, especially in sectors where it is not widely used - Projects encouraging collaboration between companies of all sizes and research communities to accelerate AI integration - Structuring projects for the mass adoption of AI in various sectors of the economy - Innovation efforts in the field of AI development - Positioning Quebec as a leader in AI development These are the eligible projects or activities for the grant.

Evaluation & selection criteria

- Project objectives, quality, and relevance - Innovative nature of the project - Commercialization potential - Level of commitment from financial partners or stakeholder community - Ability of the team and the company to bring the project to fruition - Number and suitability of implementing partners - Contribution to the development of the next generation - Intellectual property protection strategy - Benefits for Quebec (economic and social spin-offs, knowledge consolidation, etc.) - Project’s contribution to wider adoption of AI by the user company

How to apply

To apply for the grant in question, you need to follow the steps outlined below: 1. Contact the MEDTEQ+ team at projet@medteq.ca to initiate the application process and receive the necessary documentation. 2. Prepare your application in French and ensure it includes all required documents, such as a francization certificate, supporting documentation on equal access programs, detailed service offers, CVs of project team members, budget breakdown, and any other relevant documents. 3. Assemble a consortium with at least two companies (one being a Quebec SME) and a research center, with research center expenses accounting for at least 20% of eligible project expenses. 4. Each partner company should commit to hiring one trainee per year for the project duration. 5. The maximum funding assistance per partner company is $350,000, up to a total of $1,500,000 per project. 6. Industrial contributions must cover at least 25% of eligible expenses. 7. Additional funding from other programs like NSERC or MITACS may be considered. 8. The MEDTEQ+ team will provide support throughout the evaluation and approval process, including sectoral and technical-scientific evaluation, financial analysis by Investissement Québec, and approval by the Board of Directors. 9. The project must align with specific evaluation criteria, including objectives, innovation, commercialization potential, commitment from partners, team capability, intellectual property strategy, and benefits for Quebec. 10. Download the complete guide for more details and ensure compliance with all requirements. For more information or specific queries, feel free to contact the MEDTEQ+ team.

Additional information

- Applicants should ensure that their project proposal clearly aligns with the objectives of the call for consortia innovation projects in artificial intelligence. - All applications must be submitted in French and must include specific documentation as outlined in the guidelines. - The maximum financial assistance per partner company is $350,000, with a total project funding cap of $1,500,000. - Industrial contributions must make up a minimum of 25% of eligible project expenses. - Eligible projects must have a duration of up to 24 months (2 years). - The MEDTEQ+ team provides support throughout the project proposal process, and applicants should contact MEDTEQ+ for guidance and necessary documentation. - Projects will be evaluated based on various criteria, including project objectives, innovation, commercialization potential, and benefits to Quebec. - Final approval of the project involves a technical-scientific evaluation, approval by the Board of Directors, financial and economic analysis by Investissement Québec, and potential approval by other programs if applicable. - Applicants should be aware of the mandatory requirements for consortium composition, project duration, funding distribution, and evaluation criteria specified in the application guidelines.

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