This tool will help you determine your eligibility for the Strategic Innovation Fund.
Learn more about who is eligible to apply (opens in a new tab).
2. How many full-time equivalent (FTE) employees does your business have?
3. Will you be requesting at least $10 million from the Strategic Innovation Fund for a project with costs of at least $20 million?
The total project costs should only include costs that are:
- reasonable
- not in-kind (will have to be incurred and paid by the recipient)
- directly related to the project
Learn more about contribution amounts (opens in a new tab).
4. Are you able to provide financial statements for the past 3 years? If your company has not been in operation for 3 years, are you able to provide financial statements for all the years it has been in operation?
Financial statements must be any of the following:
- audited (preferred)
- review engagement
- notice to reader
- CFO-attested (or CEO-attested if a company does not have a CFO)
Learn more about financial information request (opens in a new tab).
5. Do you currently, or will you plan to hold all of the necessary Intellectual Property (IP) rights for the successful execution of your project?
For the Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF), the recipient must:
- have secured the rights to the IP required for the project (if applicable)
- have the potential to develop an IP on new technology
- have the ability to commercialize their formally-protected IP portfolio in Canada with strong public benefits
Learn more about the basics of intellectual property, and the SIF intellectual property consideration (opens in a new tab).
6. Is your company willing to enter a long-term Contribution Agreement with the Government of Canada for the benefit of Canadians?
A long-term Contribution Agreement is a contract between the recipient of funding and the Government of Canada. For a company incorporated in Canada or a partnership carrying on business in Canada, a contribution agreement may span 20 years or more.
This agreement outlines the:
- reporting requirements
- schedule of any repayments
- consequences should the agreement not be met
- obligations of both the recipient and the Government of Canada
- terms and conditions that come with the funding, including the benefits that the project will generate for Canadians such as:
- job creation in Canada
- research and development (R&D)
- capital investments
- reductions of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions
- gender and diversity equity
- maintaining IP ownership in Canada
Learn more about benefits assessment (opens in a new tab).
7. Have you secured, or do you intend to secure within the next 6 months, a significant portion of the funds required to support the launch of your project?
8. Is your project related to critical minerals?
Learn more about critical minerals (opens in a new tab).
9. Is your project related to Biomanufacturing and Life Sciences?
Learn more about Biomanufacturing: Advancing life sciences industry in Canada (opens in a new tab).
10. Will you be requesting a total contribution amount of $100 million or more from the Strategic Innovation Fund?
Contribution amount means the financial total (in Canadian dollars) that you're asking the Strategic Innovation Fund to invest in your project.
Learn more about contribution amounts (opens in a new tab).
2. What type of institution is the lead applicant?
3. Will you be requesting at least $10 million from the Strategic Innovation Fund for a project with costs of at least $20 million?
The total project costs should only include costs that are:
- reasonable
- not in-kind (will have to be incurred and paid by the recipient)
- directly related to the project
Learn more about contribution amounts (opens in a new tab).
4. What kind of capital expenditures (CapEX) will your network have?
A capital expenditure is money spent to buy, build or upgrade assets (such as buildings, structures, machinery, equipment, and intellectual property) that will benefit a company or network over an extended period of time.
5. Will your network involve a significant distribution of funds for partners to conduct collaborative research and development (R&D) projects with the goal of commercialization?
Networks should support the development of new technology-driven products, processes or services at early-stage technology readiness levels and large-scale technology demonstration. This includes the advancement and development of new technologies into product-specific applications at mid-to-late stage technology readiness levels.
Learn more about the Technology Readiness Level Scale (opens in a new tab).
6. Will the work phase of the network be at least 5 years in length?
7. How many confirmed partners does your network have?
8. Do the partnerships of your project span multiple organization types? (This includes large businesses, SMEs, start-ups, not-for-profit organizations, academic institutions, etc.)
Large businesses are those with 500 or more full-time, paid employees.
Small and medium sized businesses are those with up to 499 full-time, paid employees.
9. How many provinces or territories are represented among your network's partners and members?
10. Will the lead applicant commit to benefitting Canadians by entering a long-term Contribution Agreement with the Government of Canada?
This agreement outlines:
- reporting requirements
- schedule of any repayments
- consequences should the agreement not be met
- obligations of both the recipient and the Government of Canada
- terms and conditions that come with the funding, including the benefits that the project will generate for Canadians such as:
- job creation in Canada
- research and development (R&D)
- capital investments
- reductions of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions
- gender and diversity equity
- maintaining IP ownership in Canada
Learn more about benefits assessment (opens in a new tab).
Your project appears to meet the eligibility requirements for the Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF) and requires a mandatory pre-application consultation with SIF officials.
Learn more about the program.
Your project appears to meet the eligibility requirements for the Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF) and requires a mandatory pre-application consultation with SIF officials.
Learn more about the program.
Your project is not eligible for the Strategic Innovation Fund.
- Learn more about the program.
- Use the Business Benefits Finder to search for other government funding.
Your project may not be ready for funding from the Strategic Innovation fund.
- Learn more about the program.
- Contact us for support: sifinfo-infofsi@ised-isde.gc.ca
- Use the Business Benefits Finder to search for other government funding.