PARTENAR-IA — INNOVÉÉ — Industry Grant Brief ### 📋 Eligible Entities - Private businesses (corporations, partnerships, sole proprietorships) - Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) preferred - Large enterprises may be eligible as consortium members - Research centers/institutions (required as mandatory partners) - Utilities and energy sector companies - Must be established in Quebec - Must be in good standing with tax authorities - Applicants cannot have received similar funding for the same project from other government programs ### 💰 Funding Details - Grant Size: Up to $1.5 million per project - Non-refundable: No repayment required - Co-financing Rate: Grant covers up to 50% of eligible project expenses - Applicant Contribution: Minimum 50% of total project costs must be funded by applicants or other sources - Funding Format: Direct non-repayable grant (no loan structure) - Multiple Tranches: Funds typically disbursed upon milestone completion ### 🛠️ Approved Expenses - Personnel costs (salaries for researchers, engineers, technicians directly involved in AI development) - Research and development (R&D) activities specific to artificial intelligence applications - Technology acquisition and software licenses for AI tools - Equipment purchases directly related to project execution - Subcontracting costs for specialized AI expertise (within limits) - Materials and supplies for testing and prototyping - Consulting services (limited percentage of total budget) - Intellectual property protection (patents, trademarks filing) - Project expenses must directly support AI development for electricity industry and smart grid applications ### ⚠️ Conditions & Milestones - Mandatory Partnership: At minimum, must partner with: - One other business entity (SME or large enterprise), AND - One research center/academic institution - Project Focus: AI application must relate to: - Electricity industry operations - Smart grid technology and optimization - Related energy infrastructure applications - Project Timeline: Multi-year project with