Technology and AI programs for researchers and research institutions

Ranked programs

11 open, ongoing or intake-based programs, best score first.

1. Mitacs Accelerate

   Mitacs

   Matches partner contributions to fund research internships connecting businesses and organizations with university researchers and trainees.

   OngoingFederalGrants
   41

   Strong

2. Mitacs AI Advantage (ADOPT and AI+X)

   Mitacs

   Non-competitive Mitacs offerings supporting organizations to adopt and innovate with AI through trainee-led projects: ADOPT (AI readiness to implementation) and AI+X...

   OpenFederalGrantsUp to $25K
   39

   Strong

3. NSERC Alliance grants and Ontario Centre of Innovation Collaborate 2 Commercialize (C2C)

   NSERC and Ontario Centre of Innovation (OCI)

   A joint streamlined funding stream that matches an Ontario company with an Ontario university researcher for a short research collaboration, combining NSERC Alliance...

   OngoingFederalGrantsUp to $50K
   31

   Worth a look

4. Innovation for Defence Excellence and Security (IDEaS)

   Department of National Defence

   DND's IDEaS program funds innovators, from individuals to large firms, to solve defence and security challenges through five elements: Competitive Projects, Innovation...

   Intake-basedFederalGrantsUp to $6.8M
   27

   Worth a look

5. Canadian Space Agency - CubeSat Initiative in Canada for STEM (CUBICS) 2026

   Canadian Space Agency

   Grants to Canadian post-secondary institutions to design, build and operate CubeSats aligned with Space Strategy for Canada priorities.

   OpenFederalGrantsUp to $650K
   20

   Long shot

6. NSERC Alliance Advantage grants

   Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC)

   Funds university-led collaborative research projects with private, public or not-for-profit partners, with a training component.

   OngoingFederalGrantsUp to $1M
   20

   Long shot

7. CanExport Innovation

   Trade Commissioner Service (Global Affairs Canada)

   Covers costs of pursuing and signing collaborative R&D agreements with international partners.

   Intake-basedFederalGrantsUp to $38K
   19

   Long shot

8. Innovation Partnership Program (Trade Commissioner Service)

   Trade Commissioner Service (Global Affairs Canada)

   Support and funding for Canadian innovators to join international innovation missions and build co-innovation partnerships.

   Intake-basedFederalGrants
   19

   Long shot

9. NSERC Idea to Innovation (I2I) grants

   NSERC

   Moves college and university research toward commercialization via Phase I (reduction to practice) and Phase II (technology enhancement with partners).

   Intake-basedFederalGrantsUp to $350K
   13

   Long shot

10. Canada's Ocean Supercluster - Technology Leadership and Innovation Ecosystem projects

    Canada's Ocean Supercluster (Global Innovation Cluster)

    Co-invests in industry-led ocean technology consortium projects and ecosystem-building activities. Open to Ontario firms that join consortia.

    OngoingFederalGrants
    12

    Long shot

11. OCI Ready 4 Market (R4M) Fund

    Ontario Centre of Innovation (OCI)

    Pre-seed co-investment fund for early-stage Ontario technology companies commercializing academic IP.

    Intake-basedOntarioOther incentivesUp to $250K
    9

    Long shot

Questions

How many technology and ai programs for researchers and research institutions are open right now?

Of the 19 technology and ai programs for researchers and research institutions in our database, 6 are open or ongoing and 5 take applications only in intake windows. The rest are closed, paused or of unknown status, so they are not ranked on this page. Counts reflect our last check on Oct 11, 2026; programs can change without notice.

What is the largest published amount among these programs?

NSERC Alliance Advantage grants publishes the largest figure on this page, shown as "Up to $1M". Published figures are program maximums, caps or limits, not what an applicant should expect to receive; many programs pay a share of eligible costs and amounts depend on your project and eligibility.

Which technology and ai programs for researchers and research institutions rank highest?

Right now the top three by our score are Mitacs Accelerate (41, Strong), Mitacs AI Advantage (39, Strong), NSERC Alliance grants and Ontario Centre of Innovation Collaborate 2 Commercialize (31, Worth a look). The score combines the size of the published amount, how much work an application takes, how likely an eligible applicant is to succeed and how many people qualify.

Do I have to pay this money back?

It depends on the program. Grants and incentives are generally not repaid, loans always are, and some contribution agreements are partly or fully repayable, so read the terms of each program. Among the 6 open or ongoing programs here, 6 are in our Grants category, 0 are loans and 0 are other incentives such as tax credits and rebates.

Are these federal or Ontario programs?

6 of the 6 open or ongoing programs here come from the federal government and 0 from the Ontario government. Both levels can usually be combined, but many programs have stacking rules that cap total government funding for the same costs, so check them before you apply.

Is this an official government website?

No. Grants & Loans Finder is an independent research tool. Each program page links to the official source, and applications are always made with the government agency or lender that runs the program.