INNOVATION PROJECTS IN ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND QUANTUM TECHNOLOGIES: COLLABORATIVE INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH AND SUPPORT FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP

PARTENAR-IA 

Description of the Call for Projects 

This call for projects is part of the Innovation Program and is open to all Quebec companies, with priority given to SMEs and startups wishing to carry out an innovation project for the development, commercialization or adoption of AI and quantum technologies. 

The call aims to support large-scale, structuring collaborative innovation projects involving a minimum of two Quebec companies (including at least one SME or startup), with or without the collaboration of one or more eligible Quebec public research centers, and with the possibility of obtaining a grant of up to $1,500,000 per project.
 

The call supports a variety of partnership configurations needed to carry out innovation projects in responsible AI and quantum technologies, with priority given to multi-partner projects (more than two companies) and projects in collaboration with eligible public research centers.   

To be eligible, the consortium must include at least one Quebec SME or startup.   

This call for projects has the following objectives:   

– Enhance business competitiveness through the adoption of responsible AI solutions and quantum technologies, particularly in sectors where they are still underutilized, such as the primary and secondary sectors of the economy;  

– Ensure the development and consolidation of innovation efforts in the field of responsible AI and quantum technologies;  

– Encourage collaboration between companies (of all sizes, including startups), as well as with the research and innovation communities, to accelerate the integration of responsible AI and quantum technologies in business circles and, by extension, in society;  

– Support structuring projects aimed at the comprehensive adoption of responsible AI solutions and the adoption of quantum technologies in one or more sectors of the economy;  

– Support the realization of projects with significant and immediate economic spin-offs;

– Help position Quebec as a leader in the development of responsible AI and quantum technologies.   

ELIGIBILITY  

Eligible clients  

To qualify as startups, companies must meet the following criteria:   

– Be legally constituted under federal or Quebec law and registered with the Registraire des entreprises du Québec; 

– Have their head office in Quebec and employees or subcontractors working mainly in Quebec;  

– Have 250 or fewer employees in Quebec;  

– Not be owned 50% or more by other existing companies or organizations;  

– Not have been created as part of a consolidation, restructuring, extension or takeover of pre-existing activities;  

– Be run by a founder or a team of founders, at least one of whom is dedicated full-time (35 h or more per week); 

– Own the rights to use the intellectual property of their product, process or service;  

– At the time of application, receive support from an eligible business incubator or accelerator;  

– Have an establishment operating in Quebec for the production of goods and services or for internal research and development activities;  

– Have assets (including the assets of associated companies), calculated on a worldwide basis, for their taxation year ending in the calendar year preceding the given calendar year, of less than $50 million. 

– Devote a significant portion of their resources to developing their business, from conception to market launch.   

To qualify as an SME, companies must meet the following criteria:  

– Be legally constituted under federal or Quebec law and registered with the Registraire des entreprises du Québec; 

– Have their head office in Quebec and employees or subcontractors who work mainly in Quebec; 

 – Have 250 employees or fewer in Quebec; 

– Not be owned by 50% or more by other existing businesses or organizations; 

– Have an establishment operating in Quebec for the production of goods and services or for internal research and development activities; 

– Own the rights to use the intellectual property of their product, process or service; 

– Have assets (including the assets of associated companies), calculated on a worldwide basis, for their taxation year ending in the calendar year preceding the given calendar year, of less than $50 million. 

To qualify as a partner in a project involving at least one startup or SME, companies that do not qualify as startups or SMEs must meet the following criteria companies that do not qualify as startups or SMEs must meet the following criteria: 

– Be legally constituted under federal or Quebec law, and registered with the Registraire des entreprises du Québec; 

– Have their head office in Quebec and employees or subcontractors working mainly in Quebec; 

– Have an establishment operating in Quebec for the production of goods and services or for internal internal research and development activities. 

Eligible projects   

Eligible projects are those that seek to develop innovative solutions (products, services or processes) using AI or quantum technologies, from the planning stage through to pre-commercialization (real-world demonstration), and that demonstrate the potential for significant short-term benefits. The solution innovation can be for organizational improvement or for sale.  

Nevertheless, the innovation project must meet all the following criteria:  

– Involve the development of a new solution or the significant improvement of an existing one;  

– Demonstrate the required degree of innovation, i.e. the solution must offer a decisive advantage over existing solutions on the market and in the targeted sector of activity, on a national or international scale;  

– Involve a technological and/or business risk or uncertainty for the company;  

– Have required research and development efforts;  

– Demonstrate commercial potential (if the solution is intended for sale);  

– Respect one or more principles of the Sustainable Development Act (RLRQ, chapter D8.1.1).

To be eligible, AI projects must address the following topics or themes:  

– Projects carried out as part of the Confiance.IA initiative;   

– Projects dealing with the ethical and responsible use of AI, sustainable development and data governance;  

– Structuring projects aimed at the adoption of AI solutions by an economic sector (priority given to the following sectors: agriculture and fishing, including the food processing sector; forestry and hunting; energy, natural resources, mining and quarrying; construction and infrastructure; manufacturing and fabrication; aerospace; front-line healthcare).  

Funding  

– The Ministry’s contribution may not exceed $1,500,000 per project for a maximum duration of 24 months. The maximum rate of financial assistance may not exceed 35% of eligible project expenses incurred by an SME or large enterprise, and 50% of eligible expenses incurred by a startup.  

In addition, the rate will be increased to 50%, regardless of the size of the company supporting the following expenses required to carry out the project:  

– Expenses incurred by an eligible public research center, if they represent at least 20% of the project’s eligible expenses;  

– Expenses for access to quantum computing platforms via PINQ2, Calcul Quebec and DistriQ.   

For more details, consult THE CALL FOR PROJECTS GUIDE