NSERC Alliance – Alberta Innovates Advance Program (Stream I)

Overview of the NSERC Alliance – Alberta Innovates Advance Program (Stream I) program:

NSERC Alliance – Alberta Innovates Advance (Advance) is a partnership program between Alberta Innovates and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC). Through this program, we invest in projects that, in alignment with Alberta’s technology and innovation strategies, advance discoveries to develop emerging technologies that can generate economic, environmental, health and social benefits for Albertans and Canadians. The Advance Program has two streams: Stream I (NSERC Discovery Grants [Individual]): In 2024-25, Alberta Innovates will offer supplemental funding opportunities to NSERC Discovery Grants (Individual) researchers who hold active NSERC Discovery Grants (Individual) in Alberta, awarded in Competition Year (CY) 2023, and have R&D activities focusing on one or more emerging technology subject areas as outlined in Appendix A of the Guide. Stream II (General stream): Stream II is the general stream of the program. Funding is available to NSERC eligible researchers at Alberta-based universities .

Benefits of the NSERC Alliance – Alberta Innovates Advance Program (Stream I) program:

• Stream I: Successful applicants will receive 2/3rd of NSERCs annual Discovery Grants (Individual) award value from Alberta Innovates to a maximum of $20,000 per year per award for a maximum of two (2) years.
• Stream II: Individual proposals can request up to $150,000 per year and can be for up to two years in duration. A maximum of $100,000 per year will be provided by Alberta Innovates and NSERC will match the Alberta Innovates contribution at a ratio of 50% up to a maximum of $50,000 per year.

Eligibility criteria of the NSERC Alliance – Alberta Innovates Advance Program (Stream I) program:

• To qualify for funding all Projects must:
  • Align with the objectives of the Advance Program;
  • Meet NSERCs eligibility criteria;
  • Align with at least one of the emerging technology subject areas as outlined in Appendix A (for Stream I); or one of the four emerging technology research topics as outlined in Appendix B (for Stream II) in the Program Guide;
  • Be completed within the two-year term;
  • Technology being developed by the Stream II Project must be within TRL levels 2 to 4; and
  • Comply with other criteria that Alberta Innovates may develop from time to time.
• Stream I: Researchers with active NSERC Discovery Grants (Individual), currently holding at a post-secondary institution in Alberta for Competition Year 2023 with research focusing on one or more of the emerging technology subject areas as outlined in Appendix A in the Guide. Applicants cannot hold more than one Advance Stream I grant simultaneously.
• Stream II: Researchers submitting an application must be from a university on NSERCs list of Alberta-based universities. To view this list of eligible universities, click here. The researcher must hold an NSERC peer-reviewed grant when they apply and meet NSERC eligibility criteria when applying and when funding is released.