Ontario is a hub for innovation and investment within Canada. Hosting many of the country’s top businesses, not-for-profit organizations, and leading academic institutions, Ontario is often sought as one of the top places to conduct business around the world. A growing supply chain sector and new government policies have enhanced the growth potential of Ontario…
Update: The National Research Council (NRC) now offers project-based funding through a single Industrial Research Assistance Program (IRAP). Please visit the NRC-IRAP Research Project Contributions page for more information. Canadian small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs) are often confronted with difficult innovation challenges. Implementing research and development projects helps to increase product and process innovation, however…
The Organizations and Collaborations stream of Growing Forward 2 (GF2) Ontario is specifically designed to address challenges faced by the agriculture and agri-food industry within Ontario by supporting key partnerships across the province. Not-for-profits (such as industry organizations) and collaborations (partnerships involving at least two organizations, or organizations and industry or academic partners) can apply…
The Automotive Supplier Innovation Program (ASIP) was created as part of the Economic Action Plan 2015. This Canadian government funding program will provide up to $100 million over five years (2015-2020) to encourage automotive suppliers to develop new innovative products and processes that will make Canada more competitive on a global scale. This program was…
Since its inception in 2008, the Canadian government funding program Automotive Innovation Fund (AIF) has awarded over $468 million in support. This funding fuels automotive R&D projects aimed at improving fuel-efficiency and lowering the environmental impact of automobiles. Canadian businesses awarded with funding include Toyota, Ford, Linamar, and Magna International. The program was renewed in 2016…
Canada is known for many things, one of which is the quality of our education. Canada’s post-secondary institutions continue to prove themselves as global contenders. In fact, McGill University, the University of Toronto, and the University of British Columbia all ranked among QS World University Rankings 2015/2016’s top 50 universities in the world. With such…
Canadian small and mid-sized businesses (SMEs) are often the drivers of industry change, developing innovative solutions to complex problems. These solutions can increase productivity, reduce technical barriers, and provide new capabilities that expand product and service offerings. However, for many small businesses in Canada, a lack of resources restricts the amount of research, development, and…
Small businesses often face technological hurdles which impede their ability to grow. Two of the most common growth challenges include developing and maintaining a profitable e-commerce presence and developing and testing innovative products or technologies. Small businesses often lack the technical expertise or access to facilities which make projects like these possible. As a result,…
The “Internet of Things”, or “IOT”, is a phrase that’s being used a lot these days. Many bloggers, commentators, and analysts are trying to pin-point what the Internet of Things will mean for specific industries, business in general, and even how it will change our personal lives. The goal of this post is to explain…
Administered by the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario), Investing in Business Innovation (IBI) offers small business loans to assist high growth, innovative startups and early-stage businesses in commercializing new products, processes, and technologies. Southern Ontario businesses with private funding that require additional cash flow can use IBI to help accelerate late-stage…