Regional Quantum Initiative in British Columbia

Who can apply

Incorporated businesses

Incorporated businesses can apply for repayable funding from the Regional Quantum Initiative if they:

1. are a for-profit company that is incorporated to conduct business in Canada
2. operate staffed facilities in B.C.

Incorporated businesses include:

1. start-ups
2. early revenue firms that are commercializing or adopting quantum technologies or quantum-based solutions

Preference may be given to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with less than 500 full-time employees.

Not-for-profit organizations

The following organizations can apply for funding:

1. Not-for-profits that are legal entities capable of entering into legally binding agreements
2. Organizations that support quantum businesses, innovators and entrepreneurs for start-up, growth, productivity, technology, commercialization, technology adoption, export and investment attraction including:

• post-secondary educational institutions
• business accelerators and incubators
• angel networks
• Indigenous organizations, including Indigenous-owned businesses and Indigenous-led not-for-profit organizations
• groups of eligible recipients such as industry associations or consortiums

Projects

To qualify for funding, your project must focus on one or more of the following:

1. Productivity improvement

• acquiring, adapting and adopting new technologies and processes
• re-engineering processes
• improving manufacturing capacity

2. Business scale-up

• developing or expanding markets
• adopting best management practices, processes and systems
• developing business opportunities

3. Technology commercialization

• growing and diversifying markets through late-stage product development
• showcasing and demonstrating technology (Technology Readiness Levels 7-9)

4. Ecosystem capacity building

• developing strategic business alliances within a specific sector or cluster
• identifying barriers to scale-up and productivity enhancement within the sector or cluster through research and analysis
• developing a strategy to address these barriers

5. Business acceleration and incubation

• helping entrepreneurs create and grow their start-up companies by providing advice on how to:
• create a business plan
• determine a marketing strategy
• hire employees, experts or mentors
• advance technology to Technology Readiness Level 7-9
• deploy specialized equipment