The future of self-driving cars is in full gear, and it’s happening right in our own backyard. With government funding through the Autonomous Vehicle Innovation Network (AVIN), autonomous vehicles have the ability to make Canada’s roads safer and more affordable.
Small businesses in Ontario that are developing technology can receive up to 33% of eligible costs to a maximum of $1M in grants for autonomous vehicle innovation.
AVIN’s AV Research and Development Partnership Fund focuses on projects testing self-driving cars on public roads to help researchers better understand and develop long-lasting technology. Get in-depth insights into the automotive and mobility sectors with AVIN’s reports. These technological demonstrations, also known as pilots, are not only essential in testing the success of new, innovative technologies, but they also create greater public awareness and acceptance for the future of automation.
AVIN: Driving the Evolution of Automotive Smart Solutions
Being administrated by the Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE), AVIN has a government funding budget of $80M over five years to connect emerging technological research, advanced manufacturing, and small local businesses to strengthen Ontario’s global position in driving the evolution of smart automotive solutions.
The Autonomous Vehicle (AV) Research and Development Partnership Fund offers AV technology innovators (SMEs) Ontario government grants to develop, prototype, and validate pre-commercial autonomous vehicle technology.
Through the AVIN funding program, lead applicants partner with eligible businesses, organizations, and post-secondary institutions to develop mutual projects that will advance the technology readiness levels of Canadian CAV innovations.
Eligibility Criteria: Stream Two of the AV Research and Development Partnership Fund
Project Eligibility
To access funding, companies should ensure their research and development projects:
- Have at least one lead applicant and one partner;
- Focus on innovation with a current technology readiness level (TRL)of 3 to 7;
- Are completed within 24 months of application approval;
- Match the minimum funding by 1:1 (from applicant and partner) for project expenses;
- Demonstrate genuine results that can be showcased at events in Stratford and Ottawa, Ontario, on the road, and at customer sites.
The deadline for EOIs to the Technology Demonstrations stream of the AV Research and Development Partnership Fund is November 5, 2020.
Applicant Eligibility
To qualify for funding through the AV Research and Development Partnership Fund, applicants must be deemed eligible for both their business as well as their chosen research partner, and meet the following criteria:
- Be a registered for-profit business;
- Have less than 500 employees on payroll;
- Have operations (manufacture, research, etc.) in Ontario;
- Research, commercialize, and/or fulfill the results of the project in Ontario;
- Be innovation-driven and develop products or services addressing automotive industry challenges;
- Have sound business/financial plans;
- Be in strong financial and reporting standing with OCE;
- Prove capacity to conduct contracted project activities; and
- Not be a lead applicant on another Stream 1 or Stream 2 project (can be a primary/secondary partner on multiple concurrent projects).
Research Partner Eligibility
Businesses eligible to partner with SMEs through this funding program include:
- Other small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs);
- National and multi-national establishments;
- Non-profit organizations;
- Public post-secondary academic institutions;
- Municipalities; and
- Indigenous communities.
Apply for AVIN Funding for Technology Demonstrations
To get started in accessing grants through the Autonomous Vehicle R&D Partnership Fund, lead applicant businesses should solidify a research and development partnership with an eligible partner. Once established and a mutual project identified, a formal application can be developed.
If you have an innovative autonomous vehicle project in mind, please contact Mentor Works to discuss your interest in accessing AVIN funding.
Interested in the growth of the autonomous vehicle sector? Learn more by downloading a free copy of the Mentor Works’ Electric and Autonomous Vehicle Trends white paper.