Industry R&D Associates

Overview of the Industry R&D Associates program:

The Industry R&D Associates Program by Alberta Innovates supports Alberta-based companies by providing funding to hire research and development associates. These associates are early-career professionals with technical expertise, helping businesses develop and commercialize innovative technologies. The program covers up to $105,000 over two years for salary and benefits, with the company matching these funds. This initiative aims to enhance the company’s innovation capacity, contribute to economic growth, and provide valuable industry experience to emerging professionals.

Eligibility criteria of the Industry R&D Associates program:

• The Industry R&D Associate Program is open to for-profit organizations. To qualify for funding, applicants must meet the following criteria:
• Be a legally incorporated entity with up-to-date corporate filings.
• Be authorized to carry out the proposed project and capable of executing a grant agreement with Alberta Innovates under standard terms.
• Not be prohibited from receiving Alberta Innovates funding due to past issues such as bad debt or poor financial standing with Alberta Innovates, InnoTech Alberta, or C-FER Technologies.
• Be incorporated in Alberta or, if incorporated elsewhere, be extra-provincially registered in Alberta.
• Be a General Partnership, Limited Partnership, or Limited Liability Partnership registered in Alberta.
• Qualify as a small or medium enterprise (SME) with fewer than 500 full-time employees and annual gross revenue under $50,000,000.
• Have a significant physical and corporate operational presence in Alberta, including appropriate Alberta ownership and a clear intention that the operational benefits primarily flow within the province.
• Not have more than two active associates funded by Alberta Innovates at the same time.
• Project Eligibility
• To qualify for funding, all Projects must:
• Align with the objectives of the Program.
• TRL level between 3 and 9
• Be completed within the 1-year term; and
• Submit to other criteria that Alberta Innovates may develop from time to time.
• The project may be eligible for a second year of funding with the same Associate if:
• The Associate lives and works in Alberta; and
• The progress report indicates the project is on-track and confirms the Associates contribution to
• The milestones; and
• The second-year project is supported by the Applicants TDA
• The Associate has worked for 3 continuous months with the applicant prior to the first day of the
• 10th month of the project.