Alberta Innovates partners with NSERC to advance research towards commercialization
by CM Staff
New $3.75 million joint program to move high tech discoveries towards the marketplace
EDMONTON — Alberta Innovates and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) are joining together in a partnership to help researchers in Alberta’s universities develop their innovations into commercial emerging technologies.
The NSERC Alliance-Alberta Innovates Advance program provides funding to assist researchers, who have promising discoveries, advance their research into the marketplace. Funding will support work in university labs that can begin as early as the conceptual research stage, right up to testing and validation of prototypes.
The initiative will permit Alberta university researchers who hold an NSERC peer-reviewed grant to develop their ideas in the areas of Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) and Advanced Materials and Manufacturing (AMM). These technologies are crucial for entry into global markets and help provide a foundation for job creation and economic diversification within industries in Alberta.
The program will provide up to $300,000 per project over two years. Alberta Innovates’ contribution of $2.5 million is matched by an investment from NSERC of $1.25 million.
Successful projects developed in this program may be eligible for further support from Alberta Innovates’ Entrepreneurial Investments programs or federal initiatives like NSERC’s Idea to Innovation (I2I) grants.
“This partnership between Alberta Innovates and NSERC will help boost Alberta’s economy by commercializing the ideas of Alberta’s innovators. This will create jobs for Albertans and help to diversify our economy.” said Minister Doug Schweitzer, Jobs, Economy & Innovation.
“Research and Innovation propel Alberta’s economy. Providing opportunities for early funding to researchers with promising discoveries, through the NSERC Alliance-Alberta Innovates Advance program, shortens the path to commercialization. These discoveries can develop into new products or even new industries, and that’s not only good for innovators but for all Albertans.” said Rollie Dykstra, Executive Vice President, Impact, Alberta Innovates.
