Collaborative Research and Development Funding for Biomass Innovations

Nipissing University’s Biomass Innovation Centre is allocating its assigned Canadian Government funding towards collaborative research and feasibility studies regarding the identification of potential biomass energy sources in Northern Ontario. The program intends to provide academic services and funding for small business that are attempting to determine the feasibility of early-stage biomass investigation projects.

Canadian Research and Development Funding for Alternative Energy Projects

The Biomass Innovation Centre looks to address the lack of resources and funding for research and consultation services during the early stages of biomass investigation projects. In collaboration with the Nipissing University, Canadian small businesses in Northern Ontario are able to receive financial and academic support to determine the feasibility of their potential biomass research projects. Candidates who are considered eligible will receive 70 hours of consulting and research services and up to 6 months of academic research and project support.  Businesses considered eligible for the program must be located in Northern Ontario or partnered with a local municipality or organization. The deadline for preliminary project application submissions is Friday, November 2, 2012.

Canadian Business Grants for Collaborative R&D

The Canadian Government offers a wide selection of programs and funding for small business R&D projects involving Canadian post-secondary academic institutions. Those interested in pursuing a product development or technical problem solving project can apply for one of the following Canadian small business funding grants:

• NSERC Engage – Provides up to $25K in business funding grants to support the development of an innovative solution to an industry specific problem. The project will be carried out in collaboration with a Canadian University over a 6-month period.
• NSERC CRD – The Collaborative Research and Development (CRD) program is for relatively longer collaborative R&D projects when compared to NSERC Engage and is often used in follow-up to an NSERC Engage project. This funding can be applied for following an Engage project and provides from 25-75% of project expenses for R&D projects lasting up to 5 years.
• MITACS Accelerate – Research institutions can receive up to $10.5K for a 4-month collaborative R&D project involving the development of software and tools to solve a technical challenge or hindrance to growth.

Small businesses that are interested in learning more about the Research and Development Grants for Small Business and Post-Secondary Collaboration are encouraged to contact one of our Small Business Funding Experts or leave a comment on our website. For weekly updates on the latest in Canadian small business funding releases, please subscribe to our Canadian Government Funding E-Newsletter or follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Google+.