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PROMPT — PARTENAR-IA
Last Update: March 4, 2026
Quebec, Canada
Funding for Quebec innovative collaborations in AI for ICT
Partnering and Collaboration
Grant and Funding
Overview
Get a non-refundable grant up to $350,000 per partner company to cover up to 50% of the expenses when you partner with at least one other business and a research centre on an artificial intelligence project.
At a glance
Funding available
Financing goals
- Integrate new technologies
- Research and experimental development
Eligible Funding
- Maximum amount : 1,500,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
Timeline
- Open Date : August 13, 2023
- Closing date : April 15, 2025
Eligible candidates
Eligible Industries
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Educational services
- Health care and social assistance
Location
- Quebec
Legal structures
- For-profit business
Annual revenue
- All revenue ranges
Organisation size
- 249 employees maximum
Audience
- Startups
Activities funded
- Collaborative research projects in artificial intelligence between Quebec-based companies and a public research center.
- Development of innovative AI-driven solutions through joint industrial research initiatives.
- Projects aimed at advancing data valorization and AI implementation within organizations.
Examples of admissible projects:
$ 175,000
AI-driven supply chain optimization involving two SMEs and Concordia University
$ 175,000
AI-based energy management in smart grids with Université de Sherbrooke and energy tech SMEs
$ 175,000
AI-enhanced healthcare diagnostics with McGill University and two tech startups
$ 175,000
Smart urban planning using AI technology in collaboration with Laval University and local SMEs
Eligibility
- The applicant must be a Quebec-based SME or startup, legally incorporated under federal or Quebec law and registered with the Registraire des entreprises du Québec.
- The head office, employees, or subcontractors must be primarily located in Quebec.
- The company must have 249 employees or fewer and not be owned 50% or more by another company.
- The project must involve collaborative research in artificial intelligence, carried out by a consortium of at least two Quebec-based SMEs or startups and up to four companies, in partnership with a public research center.
- Each eligible partner company must commit to hiring at least one intern per year and demonstrate its concrete contribution to resolving technological uncertainties as well as specific project outcomes.
Who is eligible?
- Quebec-based small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)
- Startups established in Quebec
- Large enterprises in Quebec (as part of consortiums)
- Consortiums involving multiple Quebec companies
- Companies collaborating with public research centers in Quebec
Who is not eligible
- Companies with 250 employees or more.
- Businesses not legally incorporated under federal or Quebec laws.
- Companies whose head office, employees, or subcontractors do not primarily operate from Quebec.
- Enterprises that are 50% or more owned by other companies.
- Organizations that are not SMEs or startups, such as individual entrepreneurs or certain large enterprises not collaborating as part of a consortium.
Eligible expenses
- Service offerings from a public research centre related to the project (minimum 20% of eligible expenses must come from these services and/or hiring of a related intern).
- Salaries or stipends for interns hired and associated with a public research centre.
- Other project-related expenses that may be eligible for R&D tax credits (e.g., SR&ED), depending on the project's alignment with those programs.
Eligible geographic areas
- Companies headquartered in Quebec.
Selection criteria
The grant program has specific evaluation and selection criteria for applicants:
- Companies must be legally constituted and registered in Quebec, have their headquarters in Quebec, and their employees or subcontractors must mainly work from Quebec.
- Projects must involve a minimum of two Quebec companies and a maximum of four companies, with the project aiming to hire at least one intern per year for each partner company, among other requirements.
How to apply
1
Initial contact
- Contact a counselor from the PARTENAR-IA program.
- Fill out the contact form so that the PROMPT team can reach you quickly.
2
Preparation of the file
- Develop a project proposal that meets the program's requirements in terms of collaboration and innovation in artificial intelligence.
- Include the expected contributions of each partner and the role of the public research center.
- Document the financial aspects, including the overall budget and expected private contributions.
3
Submission of the request
- Submit the complete file according to the guidelines received during the initial contact.
- Ensure that the application includes all required elements and meets the criteria outlined by the program.
4
Follow-up
- Receive a response from the funding organization regarding the status of your application.
- Provide additional information if necessary, according to the agency's instructions.
Additional information
- The continuation of the program is subject to renewal, and its future availability is not yet confirmed.
- Management fees of 5% apply to the total eligible project expenses.
- Unsubsidized expenses might be eligible for the federal SR&ED (Scientific Research and Experimental Development) tax credit, depending on the criteria of that program.
- Continuous support and guidance are provided up to the final project submission to optimize the likelihood of approval.
