NGen Capacity Building Stream: Cluster Building & Feasibility Study Projects

Next Generation Manufacturing Canada (NGen) is an industry-led, non-profit organization dedicated to building next generation manufacturing capabilities. It is one of five “superclusters” created from Canada’s Innovation Superclusters Initiative and maintains a pool of funding to award to competitive member-based projects. This pool of funding created the NGen Manufacturing Program, which seeks competitive proposals for collaborative manufacturing technology projects.

NGen is leveraging a portion of its Supercluster funding to Capacity Building projects targeted at Canadian SMEs before the end of March 2023. Several streams will be available under this initiative, including Pilot Projects, Feasibility Study, and Cluster Building. This article will dive deeper into the Feasibility Study and Cluster Building Streams.

Successful applicants may receive non-repayable funding up to 50% of eligible project expenses to a maximum of $25,000 -$100,000 between the two project streams.

Each stream has an upcoming deadline of April 15, 2020.

NGen Manufacturing Program – Cluster Building Projects

The NGen Manufacturing Cluster Building Stream aims to bring together SMEs in collaborative innovation and ecosystem development projects.

Applicants may receive up to 50% of eligible project expenses to a maximum of $75,000.

Applicant Eligibility

Cluster Building applications may be made by:

• Existing clusters that are taking on new or expanded work-scope involving advanced manufacturing that would otherwise not be undertaken; or
• A newly activated business cluster with at least five SME members and a total membership that is comprised of a minimum of 70% SMEs.

All project contributors must be NGen members. Membership is free.

Project Eligibility

Project costs must be between $75,000 and $150,000 and must be competed by March 2023.    To be considered for NGen Manufacturing Program Cluster Building funding, projects should align under the following criteria:

• Must be transformational in scale or impact for its participants;
• Must accelerate the implementation, scale-up, and commercialization of advanced technologies for manufacturing in Canada;
• Must have a wider benefit to Canada’s advanced manufacturing ecosystem;
• Project must include the following:
  • Short-term commercial benefits;
  • Extensive SME engagement; and
  • The development of tools, testbeds, training, IP and supportive services for SMEs in the ecosystem.

Eligible Expenses

• Legal costs
• Staffing costs
• Office costs
• Travel costs
• Cost of industry reports and studies

NGen Manufacturing Program – Feasibility Study Projects

The NGen Manufacturing Feasibility Studies Stream assists Canadian firms in de-risking their advanced manufacturing, business planning, and technology implementation strategies using feasibility studies.

Applicants may receive non-repayable funding up to 50% to $25,000 – $100,000 per project.

Applicant Eligibility

Feasibility Study applicants should align with the following criteria:

• Have at least one Canadian SME and a partner organization;
• Partnering organizations can be subcontractors to the SME. This may include academic and not-for-profit organizations as well as large companies; and
• SMEs must have less than 500 full-time employees.

All project contributors must be NGen members. Membership is free.

Project Eligibility

Project costs must be between $50,000 and $200,000 and must be competed by within nine months of initiation. Types of studies that may be undertaken include, but are not limited to:

• Initial design or technical work to define and characterize the manufacturing principles involved;
• Developing a refined understanding of the manufacturing innovation under consideration and an analysis of the expected impact of the implementation;
• A verification of the potential benefits of a new technology or process innovation enough to drive a decision to continue development thereof;
• An economic analysis assessing the potential impact of the innovation;
• A risk assessment and a strategy to minimize the risk of development of the innovation;
• A market study defining the potential impact of the innovation on the revenues, market share, and profitability of the partner organizations and potential impact on GDP and employment in Canadian manufacturing;
• A proposal for the development of the exploitable ideas from the innovation, a detailed development plan to produce a prototype or demonstrator; and
• An improved business process enabled by an advanced manufacturing technology or process.

Eligible Expenses

• Salaries and Wages
• Sub-Contracts and consultancy fees
• Materials and Supplies

How to Apply for NGen Canadian R&D Grants

Collaborative partnerships need to first submit an “Initial Application” for consideration. Applications are reviewed after that submission and those meeting basic program criteria will advance to a second “Full Application” screening. Any costs incurred before signing a Contribution Agreement are ineligible.

All streams: Pilot Project, Cluster Building, and Feasibility Study have an upcoming deadline of April 15, 2020.

To learn more about the program and discuss your businesses’ upcoming project, please contact Mentor Works.