The Government of Canada’s vision for a low-carbon economy has created numerous opportunities for businesses across the country. One of these incentives is Natural Resource Canada’s (NRCan) Energy Innovation Program (EIP), which provides small business grants for clean technology research and development. This critical source of Canadian government funding helps companies bring their innovations to market faster, strengthening the economy. The Energy Innovation Program aims to reduce emissions, including greenhouse gases (GHGs), to meet 2050 clean growth targets.
The Energy Innovation Program has an open call for its $30M Breakthrough Energy Solutions Canada investment. Projects supported are to have the potential to significantly reduce (GHG) emissions.
The Breakthrough Energy Solutions Canada investment will be delivered through a targeted funding call that leverages public and private financing and expertise to support the advancement of Canadian clean energy technologies. Successful companies will obtain funding to gain exposure to investors, advance their technologies, and receive the chance to be considered for additional private investment.
Breakthrough Energy Solutions Canada: Clean Technology Funding
The Energy Innovation Program Breakthrough Energy Solutions Canada investment is targeting “breakthrough” energy technologies that will:
- Introduce a new low greenhouse gas (GHG) product into the market;
- Decrease the carbon intensity of a GHG-emitting system or product;
- Increase the distribution and/or improve the performance of an existing low GHG product or system; and/or
- Present a systems-level or structural change that enables the above objectives.
Recipients of NRCan funding are eligible for $300,000 to $3,000,000 per project, up to 50% of total project costs. Projects that are considered R&D may receive consideration for up to 75%.
Successful companies will also have the opportunity to attend annual “pitch events,” where they can showcase their innovations to investors such as Breakthrough Energy Ventures (BEV) and be given the chance to be considered for up to $10M in additional private investment. The upcoming deadline to apply is September 11, 2019.
Applicant Eligibility: EIP Breakthrough Energy Solutions Canada
Interested applicants for Breakthrough Energy Solutions Canadian government funding must have projects ready to start by April 1, 2020 with tangible performance targets to achieve within the two-year funding period. Additional criteria includes:
- Be an entrepreneur or start-up seeking Seed or Series A or Series B funding;
- Be a privately-held legal entity validly incorporated or registered in Canada;
- Own or have licensing rights to the IP related to the technology outlined in the proposal; and
- Technology must have a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) between 4 and 8.
Project Eligibility: EIP Breakthrough Energy Solutions Canada
Successful recipients of Breakthrough Energy Solutions Canada clean technology funding will have to demonstrate how they have the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 0.5GT/year globally in the following focus areas:
- Buildings: Next-generation heating and cooling technologies, intelligent buildings, and advanced low carbon building solutions and construction procedures.
- Manufacturing: Alternative cost-effective, low carbon methods for production of key manufacturing materials such as cement, steel, ammonia, hydrogen, and direct air carbon capture and utilization.
- Transportation: Battery technologies, high-speed charging technologies, passenger and freight transportation efficiency solutions, and other permitting technologies to fast-track advanced materials, electric vehicle adoption, and low emission liquid fuels.
- Electricity: Next-generation ultra-flexible grid management, ultra low-cost carbon-free generation, low-cost transmission for transferring bulk power between independently operated grids, and dispatchable carbon-free generation.
How to Apply for Breakthrough Energy Solutions Canada Funding
Companies interested in Energy Innovation Program Breakthrough Energy Solutions Canada funding must first complete a self-assessment to access the full application package and required templates. Once completed, applicants are to submit their proposal in INTEGRO, where they will be part of an initial assessment to select up to 60 projects qualified to move forward. To inform final selection, a panel of experts will assess the merits of the project/technology and business model. The upcoming deadline for submission of the full application package is September 11, 2019.
To learn more about the program and discuss if your upcoming project is positioned to succeed, please contact Mentor Works. We can also help optimize the application and reporting process.