Need Help Commercialising Your Product or Service? Check out the Canadian Innovation Commercialisation Program (CICP)

By Andrea Wahbe on Jun 27, 2012 / Categories: CDMN News, Featured

Earlier this week, Business Insider reported that the Federal Government of Canada has created the Canadian Innovation Commercialisation Program (CICP), which “will help support Canadian businesses in commercialising their innovative products and services.” According to Bernadeen McLeod from Mentor Works, Ltd., “this is a new government procurement program for business initiative[s] and was launched to promote Canada’s economic growth. This Canadian government funding initiative is an acquisitions program where the government purchases innovative goods or services.”

The program targets four areas of specialisation including: Health, Environment, Safety and Security and Enabling Technologies. Canadian innovators in those four key areas can “sell their pre-commercialised goods and services to the Federal Government of Canada, connect with potential clients in federal government departments and get feedback on their proposal.” The great news is that all suppliers who apply will be treated equally – not just startups and SMEs.

CICP will help to increase innovation in Canada’s business sector and assist companies looking to commercialise their goods and services via the following channels:

• Giving innovators an opportunity to enter the marketplace with a successful application of their new goods and services;
• Providing information on how to do business with the Government of Canada;
• Awarding contracts to entrepreneurs with pre-commercial innovations through an open, transparent, fair and competitive procurement process; and
• Testing and providing feedback to these entrepreneurs on the performance of their goods or services.

How to Apply for CICP

The Business Insider article explains that businesses can only submit one proposal for each innovation for a maximum of $500,000 in funding per proposal. However, the funding will not cover commercialisation expenses. Mentor Works, Ltd. offers help with the application process. You can contact one of their Canadian Government Funding Experts or sign-up for a Free 60-Minute Government Funding Workshop. Further details about CICP and how you can apply can be found by visiting buyandsell.gc.ca.