PARTENAR IA

Overview of the PARTENAR IA program:

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.

Benefits of the PARTENAR IA program:

• Get a non-refundable grant up to $500,000 to cover up to 40% of eligible expenses when your SME partners with a research centre on an artificial intelligence R&D project in the field of health technologies.

Eligibility criteria of the PARTENAR IA program:

• To qualify for this program, the following criteria must be met:
  • Eligible companies include startups and PMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises)
  • Startups that are legally constituted according to federal or Quebec laws and registered with the Quebec Enterprise Register.
  • Startups with their head office in Quebec and employees or subcontractors working mainly in Quebec.
  • Startups with 250 employees or less in Quebec.
  • Startups not majority-owned (50% or more) by existing companies or organizations.
  • Startups not created as part of a concentration, restructuring, extension of pre-existing activities, or takeover of such activities.
  • Startups led by at least one full-time (35 hours or more per week) founder or a founding team.
  • Startups that own the intellectual property rights for their product, process, or service.
  • Startups that receive support from an eligible incubator or accelerator at the time of application.
  • Startups with an establishment in operation in Quebec aimed at producing goods and services or conducting internal R&D activities.
  • Startups with global assets, including those of affiliated companies, of less than 50 million dollars for their fiscal year ending in the calendar year preceding the given year.
  • Startups primarily dedicating their resources to developing their enterprise from conception to market launch of their product.
  • PMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises) meeting similar criteria as startups but can also have an establishment in Quebec dedicated to regular production activities.
  • PMEs with global assets, including those of affiliated companies, of less than 50 million dollars.