Regional Artificial Intelligence Initiative in B.C. - Who can apply

2. Who can apply

Incorporated businesses

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

• have operated as an incorporated business in B.C. for at least 1 year
• operate staffed facilities in B.C.
• employ between 3 and 500 full time equivalent employees

Not-for-profit organizations

The following legally incorporated organizations can apply for non-repayable funding:

• Not-for-profits including industry associations and post-secondary institutions
• Indigenous organizations including Indigenous-led not-for-profit organizations, Indigenous governments, Indigenous Development Corporations and Indigenous-controlled businesses proposing projects that will benefit their communities
• B.C. municipalities, municipal-type organizations, provincial organizations or Crown corporations as long as funding is not used for capital or ongoing organizational requirements

Projects

To qualify for funding, your project must:

• demonstrate that it will result in broad benefits for British Columbians
• last a maximum of 3 years
• achieve program objectives and significant economic benefits
• be led by an organization with the capacity to execute the project, including financial capacity, and if applicable, repay funding
• if applicable, clearly define the market size and show business potential
• demonstrate data readiness, data security and good governance
• include a strategy for responsible AI development and deployment and comply with current and anticipated AI regulation in Canada and target markets
• focus on one or more of the following:
  • Commercialization of AI technology: developing late-stage products and demonstrating technology (applies to all applicants)
  • Advancement of the AI ecosystem in B.C.: building strategic partnerships to advance AI commercialization or adoption in specific industries, providing AI services to multiple businesses and connecting AI providers with potential AI adopters to solve business challenges (applies to not-for-profits)
  • Adoption of AI technology: integrating AI into business processes or products to improve productivity or competitiveness (applies to not-for-profits and, in exceptional cases, businesses)

Expected economic benefits

All applicants must explain the expected economic benefits of their proposals, including:

• number of full-time equivalent (FTE) jobs created
• revenue growth

Other indicators of economic benefits could include:

• number of technologies to market
• incremental private sector investment attracted
• value of expenditures in research and development
• productivity gains
• number of highly qualified personnel (HQP) trained

Successful applicants will be required to report periodically on the impact of their projects.

Priority areas

PacifiCan may prioritize projects that focus on the following departmental priorities:

• Quality jobs: helping job creators, and the organizations that support them, create quality, well-paying jobs for British Columbians
• Competitive industry clusters: supporting local business clusters that collaborate to create products and services
• Globally successful businesses: helping businesses grow and enter new markets
• Inclusive growth: increasing the economic participation of under-represented British Columbians

Inclusivity

We aim to improve the economic participation of Indigenous people, women and youth. We encourage you to share your efforts to support inclusivity in line with the Government of Canada’s Inclusive Innovation Agenda.