Atlantic Canada Business Grants

New Brunswick Innovation Foundation (NBIF)

NBIF AI Pre-voucher

Amount:

$20,000.00

Type of Program:

Grants

Description:

The purpose of the AI Pre-Voucher Fund is to help foster the creation of new industry-academia collaborations by allowing an industry partner to explore a small project related to an artificial intelligence (AI) application with an academic partner, at no cost. The project must center around the use of applied AI to solve an industrial problem, with the potential to advance the industry partner’s problem definition through to at least a proof of concept within a nine month time frame.  

Comments on Funding:

Funding is in the form of a pre-voucher up to a maximum size of $20,000. No leverage is required.

When It Ends:

Ongoing

Deadline:

August 16, 2022

Eligibility:

The industry partner must:

  • have demonstrated revenue from FY20-21 and would be in a position to make a cash contribution to a project within the next 12 months,
  • have not previously contributed cash to a research project with the proposed PI,
  • have physical operations in NB and is incorporated in Canada,
  • have not previously used this NBIF AI pre-voucher program.

The PI:

  • must be an eligible NBIF grant holder at an NB research institution,
  • The PI or someone on their team must have some expertise in artificial intelligence, as demonstrated by any combination of their CV, previous AI projects, and/or peer-reviewed articles.

Application Steps:

1

Applicants must submit their applications and supporting documents via the NBIF Research Portal.

Other Things to Note:

New funding for this program will be released approximately every 3 months. 

Program Contact:

​Artificial Intelligence Fund

​AI Pre - Voucher Application Portal​​​

Lab-to-Market Fund

Amount:

No Fixed Amount

Type of Program:

Investment

Description:

The primary objective of the Lab-to-Market fund is to accelerate the development of new or improved technologies and/or transfer knowledge that address specific, well-defined market problems. Lab-to-Market fund emphasizes the importance of validation at all stages of technology development and encourages the application of the scientific method to finding product-market fit.

Comments on Funding:

Funding is up to 33% of projects with NB SMEs or not-for-profit organizations, and up to 25% of projects that do not have NB SMEs or not-for-profit organizations as partners. 

When It Ends:

Ongoing

Deadline:

Rolling deadline

Eligibility:

​Applicants must be researchers that should have:

  • a commercialization partner, SMEs or not-for-profit organizations, 
  • student participation, 
  • a clear understanding of the market problem being solved and the competitive advantages of their new technology, 
  • a self-assessment of technology readiness level (minimum TRL 3),
  • a plan for the intellectual property. 

Application Steps:

1

Applicants must submit their applications and supporting documents via the NBIF Research Portal.

Documentation Needed: 

The applicant must submit:

  • the application form,
  • project plans that include clear deliverables and timelines. 

Program Contact:

Lab-to-Market Fund Application Portal - New Brunswick Innovation Foundation

Early Stage Commercialization Fund (ESCF)

Amount:

$100,000.00

Type of Program:

Grants

Description:

The Early Stage Commercialization Fund (ESCF) helps move New Brunswick university, college and institutional research to market. The ESCF assists the academic & institutional research communities in pursuing commercialization opportunities by providing up to $50,000 in funding and go-to-market support.

Projects can be applied for in one of two phases:

Phase 1: for technologies that have achieved proof of concept and are now in initial stages of development.

Phase 2: for projects that have clarified the opportunity for commercialization as well as target markets and potential revenue streams.  

Comments on Funding:

Funding is up to $50,000 for projects in either Phase 1 or Phase 2. A given project can receive at most one Phase 1 award and one Phase 2 award, up to a maximum of $50,000 in each phase.

When It Ends:

Ongoing

Deadline:

February 14, 2022

Eligibility:

Applicants must be:

  • research personnel, including professors, research staff, and faculty members, at approved New Brunswick research institutes,
  • undergraduate, graduate, and college students, as well as post-docs, provided a faculty member is a co-applicant.

Eligible expenses include: 

  • intellectual property development,
  • assessment of market potential,
  • development of go-to-market strategies,
  • business plans and strategic plans,
  • development of intellectual property protection strategies,
  • proof-of-concept or prototype development,
  • technology design and optimization. 

Application Steps:

1

Applicants should apply through the NBIF Research Portal 

Documentation Needed: 

​Applicants must submit:

  1. 1
    the application form,
  2. 2
    a technical report, including a financial report of expenses, at the end of the 1-year funding period.

Other Things to Note:

Innovacorp and New Brunswick Innovation Foundation (NBIF) are proud to be working together to deliver the Early Stage Commercialization Fund (ESCF) in both Nova Scotia and New Brunswick 

Program Contact:

​Early Stage Commercialization Fund (ESCF)

​Application Portal​​​