Alberta-Europe Technology Collaboration Fund

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Background

Building on the success of the Alberta-Germany Collaboration Fund for Product Development and Commercialization (established in 2012) and the Alberta-Canada-France Joint Industrial R&D Projects Program (established in 2015), the German-Canadian Centre for Innovation and Research and the Alberta Government’s Ministry of Economic Development, Trade and Tourism introduced the Alberta-Europe Technology Collaboration Fund in February 2018.

Goal

The overarching goal of this program is to help participants become more globally competitive by developing innovative technologies and research-based alliances with the potential to foster economic growth. Further goals include:

  • Connecting industry players and researchers across multiple jurisdictions;
  • Development of new models of collaboration between Alberta and Europe that leverage key research & technology capabilities, address common priorities, and accelerate the commercialization of technology; and
  • Launching revolutionary product development and commercialization projects that aim to bring new products and services to market, and deliver economic benefits to citizens in both jurisdictions
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The GCCIR program has been essential in helping to create strong international cooperation with our German partner as we lead the way to a new industry shaping technology. We are excited and grateful to the programming!
Jeremy Bridge, President and CEO, PK Sound
GCCIR’s support for this project has enabled us to spend more time at our customers’ facility and to commit more resources to the partnership than would otherwise have been possible. Due to the long distances and cultural differences involved, the support has most critically allowed us to spend more time directly working with Sonnenbatterie’s development team, building the trust, understanding, and collaborative relationships that are major contributors to the success of such projects.
Brent Harris, Co-Founder, Eguana Technologies Inc

Who can apply?

Albertan small and medium-sized enterprises (1 to 499 employees and less than $50 million in gross revenues, Source: Industry Canada, Statistics Canada) are welcome to apply to the Alberta-Europe Technology Collaboration Fund. European partners can be small or medium-sized enterprises, as well as larger companies or independent research institutions. All proposals to the program must involve an industry partner from each jurisdiction (i.e. Alberta and Europe) with an interest in commercialization. Research organisations and university institutes are welcome to participate as additional project partners on the Albertan side, however they cannot receive GCCIR funding. European SMEs may apply for approximately matching funding in their respective jurisdictions. An overview of European funding opportunities can be found below.

*Please note that:
(a) The definition of SMEs in Europe may differ from Canada (i.e. UK, Luxembourg SME size is 1 to 249 employees).

(b) Collaboration projects with Cyprus must involve an industry and a research institution on both sides. While the GCCIR cannot support Albertan research organizations, these may be eligible for funding support through the Research Promotion Foundation in Cyprus.

Funding

At present the maximum project contribution by GCCIR is $250,000 CAD, which would be granted to the Albertan applicant and distributed in the form of reimbursements following the submission of pre-set milestone reports. The Albertan company is required to match GCCIR funding through a combination of cash and in-kind contributions to the project. Funding for the European partner may be applied for through one of the agencies below, or through other appropriate sources. Should the European company be too large to be eligible for funding, then the requirement for their participation in the project will be to match the funding contributed by GCCIR. All funding sources must be disclosed.

Which European funding opportunities are available for partners?

The German-Canadian Centre for Innovation and Research is a member of the IraSME Network. IraSME is a network of ministries and funding agencies which are owners or managers of national and regional funding programs for cooperative research projects between small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and in participation of research and technology organisations (RTOs).

*Please be advised that information on European funding opportunities listed here are only suggestions. Other national or regional funding options may be available. Furthermore, any program information listed here or program availability at these institutions may be subject to changes that the GCCIR has no influence on.

Project Requirements and Scoring Considerations

  • Indicate clearly identified commercialization goals consistent with project objectives (how does the project address and provide economic benefits – qualitative and quantitative – for both Alberta and Europe)
  • Demonstrate expertise (management, technical, and operational) in the field of the project and propose a strong joint team
  • Indicate the respective human expertise contribution(s) to the project
  • Leverage proven methodologies
  • Include a risk assessment complete with mitigation strategies
  • Provide realistic economic indicators (NPV, IRR suggested)
  • Demonstrate financial capacity and commitment to contributing the company’s portion of the project funding
  • Clearly demonstrate development of long-term innovation capacity
  • Delineate the potential return on investment for all participants in the proposal
  • Identify how intellectual property will be managed

Project Selection Criteria

Calls will be open to initiatives or projects focusing on developing innovative products, technology-based services, or methods in all technological and application areas, which have strong market potential. Eligible projects can be in any of the following stages:

  • Applied research and development
  • Product development
  • Proof of concept
  • Prototype development
  • Technology demonstration

Project Evaluation

All applications to the Alberta-Europe Technology Collaboration Fund will be peer-reviewed by a panel of external evaluators. This leads to a ranking of the applications. The final decision-making authority is the GCCIR Steering Committee.

Successful Applications

If your project gets approved for funding by the GCCIR Steering Committee, the Alberta company will be required to submit copies of signed IP and Cooperation agreements with their European partner(s). IP and Cooperation agreements may be contained in the same document. While the GCCIR does not regulate IP or cooperation between partners, we need to see that these agreements are in place before a Grant Agreement for project funding with the GCCIR can be signed.

Please note: Projects on the Alberta-side cannot start before a Grant Agreement with the GCCIR has been signed.

Looking for European Partners?

We organize a matchmaking mission to Europe for Albertan companies every year (usually in late fall). These missions include 4 to 5 stops spanning a variety of European countries (the EU, plus Norway, Switzerland, the UK, and Iceland). Please contact us for more information on our next matchmaking mission.

Application Documents for the Alberta-Europe Technology Collaboration Fund

The GCCIR is able to accept applications to the Alberta-Europe Technology Collaboration Fund on a rolling basis. In order to apply to the Alberta-Europe Technology Collaboration Fund for support, Albertan SMEs must have one or more collaboration partner(s) (at least one partnering European SME) from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or the United Kingdom.

Please coordinate with your partner(s) when you would like to apply for funding. An overview of calls for proposals from corresponding funding agencies in Europe can be found here. Applications for funding should be submitted concurrently by Albertan and European project participants.

For Albertan companies to apply to the Alberta-Europe Technology Collaboration Fund, please complete the following application form and submit it along with supporting documents to info@gccir.ca:

European project participants need to apply to appropriate funding agencies in their respective jurisdictions and refer to those agencies’ websites for information on application requirements and procedures.

Other helpful documents

Program Information

Downloadable Program Overview

Downloadable program overview, containing all the information you need to know about the Alberta-Europe Technology Collaboration Fund.

Application Guidelines

Not sure if your application is ...

Not sure if your application is ready to be submitted and detailed enough, or covers all necessary aspects? Consult our Application Guidelines for help.

Frequently Asked Questions

You are wondering if ...

You are wondering if you are eligible to apply to our program, what our program funds can be used for, or which costs can be considered eligible cash or in-kind contributions by your SME? Consult our Frequently Asked Questions to find the answer to these and many more questions!

GCCIR Project Portfolio

This document covers all ...

This document covers all the past and current projects funded through either the Alberta-Germany Collaboration Fund, the Alberta-Canada-France Collaboration Fund, or the Alberta-Europe Collaboration Fund.

GCCIR Brochure

In our brochure you ...

In our brochure you can find more information about our organization, funding program, IraSME membership, matchmaking missions, and much more, in a simple and fast way.

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