$150,000 to help Groupe Graham International Inc. and Formi 3DP Inc. develop innovative solutions to a government challenge
OTTAWA, March 12, 2019 /CNW/ - As the single largest purchaser of Canadian goods and services, the Government of Canada is helping small businesses innovate and bring their innovations to market. That is why it has created Innovative Solutions Canada, a program that invites Canadian small businesses to develop innovative solutions to address government challenges.
Today, the Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development, and the Honourable Mary Ng, Minister of Small Business and Export Promotion, announced that Groupe Graham International Inc., based in Lachine, Quebec, and Formi 3DP Inc., based in London, Ontario, will each receive a $150,000 investment through this program.
The companies have proposed a way to incorporate frequency-selective engineered surfaces in the research and development of new building materials, construction products and design tools. The companies are proposing solutions to address issues of interference with Wi-Fi and radio frequencies.
With this challenge, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada is looking to create a strong Canadian industry with expertise in the design of frequency-selective engineered surfaces and their application in connected vehicles.
The funding will support the companies' research and development activities. If their concepts are selected to continue to the next stage, the companies could receive up to $1 million over two years to refine their prototype.
Twenty federal departments and agencies are looking for solutions to a range of challenges related to, for example, the environment, the military or remote communities.
Innovative Solutions Canada is a key component of the government's Innovation and Skills Plan, a multi-year strategy to create well-paying middle-class jobs.
Quotes
"Our government is leveraging its enormous purchasing power to ensure Canadian small businesses can grow and innovate. We're turning to Canadians for their best ideas to solve government challenges. With this challenge, we're looking to improve wireless connectivity in connected vehicles and reduce Wi-Fi connectivity issues."
– The Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development
"Small businesses are the backbone of our economy and employ over 8 million hard-working Canadians. That's why our government is committed to helping small businesses start up, scale up and access new markets. Innovative Solutions Canada is a fantastic program that uses government procurement to help small businesses innovate and then commercialize their innovations. Congratulations to these businesses. I can't wait to see the innovative solutions they come up with."
– The Honourable Mary Ng, Minister of Small Business and Export Promotion
Quick facts
- With the frequency-selective engineered surfaces challenge, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada is looking for solutions to help address issues of interference with Wi-Fi and radio frequencies in the design of this technology and its application in connected vehicles.
- Program funding comes from the 20 departments and agencies participating in Innovative Solutions Canada. Each department will set aside funding for this initiative that amounts to one percent of its 2015–16 combined procurement and internal research and development expenditures. Together, the funding from the departments and agencies represents an annual $100-million investment over the course of five years.
- Innovative Solutions Canada encourages submissions from businesses owned and led by women, Indigenous peoples, youth and other traditionally under-represented groups by ensuring those groups are included in the program's outreach plans and activities.
- There are hundreds of programs and services that offer everything from funding to expert advice to help businesses innovate, create jobs and grow Canada's economy. Using a simple, story-based user interface, the Innovation Canada platform can match businesses with the most fitting programs and services in about two minutes.
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SOURCE Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada
Dani Keenan, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development, 343-291-1710; Media Relations, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, 343-291-1777, [email protected]
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