Many companies in Canada have been waiting the for 5 Superclusters to open. NGen is now accepting applications for membership. The focus of this Supercluster is on advanced manufacturing.

Membership to NGen is free. Once you become a member, you can access information on the Supercluster including information on how to apply for funding. Currently, the Supercluster has $190 million of funding.

There are extensive eligibility criteria on the NGen website. However here are a few key requirements:

• The project must be undertaken by an industry-led consortium of partners that are incorporated in Canada
• The consortium must have manufacturing and technology capabilities
• Minimum participation of 3 private sector organizations is required
• One private sector organization should serve as the lead partner, the contact delegate, complete the digital forms, and upload the required documentation on behalf of the consortium

Projects must be strategically aligned with NGEN’s goal of positioning Canada as a world-class leader in Advanced Manufacturing. They also have to drive transformation of the Canadian Manufacturing ecosystem, involve in late-stage technology and manufacturing, have the potential to yield a 20x ROI on the ISED investment, drive collaboration across the ecosystem members, and create enduring ecosystem assets (i.e. IP, human-machine collaborative workforce, tools/test beds, new manufacturing leadership mind set).

They should also support the application of technologies in manufacturing or the scale-up of technologies for manufacturing in Canada. Demonstrate significant short-term commercial opportunities for industry partners.

NGen will reimburse up to 44.4% of a project’s eligible costs that are incurred following the signing of Project Agreement. The reimbursement of 44.4% is set at a project level and not at partner level. Therefore, project partners can negotiate within the consortium the levels of funding. No single partner can receive more than 70% reimbursement.

As funding is limited, not everyone that applies can receive funding. To evaluate how your submission ranks, pit yourself against the “ideal applicant” that NGen is looking for. If you are merely seeking funding to develop a new product in the manufacturing, you will not qualify.

Everything is about collaboration and developing technologies that make manufacturing sectors in Canada world leading innovators and manufacturing leaders.

An example of an eligible project might be where three Canadian companies come together to develop a monitoring and control system for autonomous cars. One company is a SME, one is a large software/AI  and another is a medium-sized auto parts company.  This consortium can work with a University and involve automotive companies for feedback. Apart from the consortium, this project can provide the automotive sector in Canada with transformative and  leading-edge technology, with the goal of being a world leader in the auto industry.

To find out more about your eligibility and potential opportunities in NGen, contact our government funding consultants at: [email protected]
416-368-9341

Brian Cookson is President and Managing Director of RDP Associates.