Call for Proposals in Technology Leadership

THIS CALL IS CURRENTLY CLOSED

Cross Canada

Driving towards a net-zero future and building a healthier Canada.

DIGITAL’s Technology Leadership Program provides continued support for the research and development of new and novel digital technology solutions. This Call for Proposals expands our support to include the early stages of commercialization and adoption to help Canadian tech companies strengthen their intellectual property and data management strategies, refine their commercial plans and product development roadmaps, and address adoption and procurement requirements in their target markets in and outside of Canada.

DIGITAL will co-invest $65M of funds from the federal Global Innovation Clusters program, alongside industry, that will result in more than $200M of new investment in innovative digital technology solutions. By co-investing in 10-15 bold and ambitious projects that address challenges facing the health and natural resources sectors globally, Canadian companies will create new technology solutions and services and scale-up by seizing new commercial opportunities and gaining market adoption within Canada and in international markets.

6
Selected Projects

($65M Co-Investment Committed)

0
Full Project Proposals in Development

($0M Co-Investment Ask)

0
Expressions of Interest in Development

($0M Co-Investment Ask)

Progress as of June 5, 2024

$131M
Total Investment Committed
$65M
Digital Co-Investment Committed
$65M
Total Digital Co-Investment

DIGITAL’s co-investment competitively distributed across projects that demonstrate high potential and evaluation against the goals of our programs.

our programs landing

Health

We are seeking projects that support the resiliency and sustainability of health care systems and advance health care in ways that support healthy living, accessibility and delivering positive outcomes. Areas of Interest:

  1. Better access to health care: enable people to confidently manage their health and wellness at home in their communities, and improves access for citizens who are marginalized, live in remote and rural settings or, because of health or other conditions, have a difficult time accessing the care they need.  
  2. Improved outcomes: support patients, families and caregivers and clinicians, by using digital technologies to quickly deliver diagnostic results, adhere to high-quality standards of care, and facilitate the best treatment and care plans.   
  3. Achieving more sustainable healthcare systems: leverage digital solutions to reduce administrative burden, decrease costs and eliminate duplication, and improve data sharing and interoperability to facilitate integrated and coordinated patient-centered care – ensuring individuals receive the right care, in the right place, at the right time. 
Connectivity Network

Natural Resources

We are looking to co-invest in projects that advance environmental health, and strengthen the natural resources sector to succeed in a prosperous, low carbon economy. Areas of Interest:

  1. Sustainable, low impact mining: reduce the generation of waste and large tailings, identify and address environmental impacts, lower investment costs, and improve the identification, extraction and processing of critical minerals. 
  2. Regenerative agriculture supply chains: advance food security, improve yield and optimize logistics while promoting plant vigor, biological diversity, pest and disease control, and soil as an asset for the natural sequestration of carbon dioxide.  
  3. Resilient forestry: effectively manage and optimize forestry assets, supply chain operations, and the ecological health of forests, including its critical role in carbon sequestration. 

Proposed projects are to:

  • Aim to develop and commercialize novel technology solutions that address well-defined problems in the Areas of Interest described above.  
  • Have a minimum total cost of $20M and be completed before December 31, 2027.
  • Have a committed consortium that demonstrates high potential for scaling growth of Canadian companies (including SMEs), bringing a proven commercial track-record and a strong understanding of their target markets with a compelling commercial strategy and go-to-market plan.  
  • Drive the creation of new intellectual property that is owned by Canadian entities that have substantial operations in Canada.   
  • Meet the other eligibility requirements and have a high scoring against the Evaluation Criteria cited in the Program Guide below.  

Technology Leadership Program & Co-Investment Guidelines

PROGRAM GUIDE
DOWNLOAD THE CYCLE 6 PROGRAM GUIDE
CO-INVESTMENT GUIDELINES
DOWNLOAD THE CYCLE 6 CO-INVESTMENT GUIDELINES

We emphasize a collaborative approach to innovation where groups of complementary organizations work together to build strong and impactful solutions to big problems. As such, proposed projects are expected to have solid alignment with our Areas of Interest and the right mix of organizational capabilities to meet our program objectives of innovation, commercialization and benefits to Canada.  

After reviewing the above co-investment and program guidelines, you may submit your project concept through the link to the right. Only qualified applicants will be invited to submit an Expression of Interest (EOI). 

This program is currently closed for proposal submissions.

cfp webinar technologymc banner

Technology Leadership Information Webinar

DIGITAL held an information webinar to discuss aspects of our Call for Proposals in Technology Leadership. You can download the presentation deck discussed in this webinar for more information and reference.

DOWNLOAD PRESENTATION

Upon request, we are available to help potential applicants further understand the objectives of this call for proposals and the eligibility criteria for a proposed project. Please email our team at proposal-support@digitalsupercluster.ca

PROJECT SELECTION COMMITTEE

Alan Winter was British Columbia’s first Innovation Commissioner from 2018-2020. He has wide experience at senior levels in the technology sector and in government. Alan has been a director of over 30 organizations and companies.

Brenda Irwin is the Founder and Managing Partner of the Relentless Venture Fund. Relentless is a health technology venture capital fund that invests in preventative health and chronic disease management solutions that address the needs of our aging population. . Prior to launching Relentless, Brenda was a Partner for the Healthcare Venture Capital team for the Business Development Bank of Canada. She is an associate for Creative Destruction Labs (‘CDL’) and an EIR for the Life Sciences BC ‘Investor Readiness Program’.

Cameron Burke is an experienced VC, operator and advisor. Cam is a versatile operator with a strong track record in accelerating growth and scaling companies from concept to exit. Over the past 15 years he has co-founded and exited two tech companies and scaled another to IPO.

Natascha Kiernan (J.D., ICD.D) is an experienced corporate director, lawyer, and strategic advisor. Ms. Kiernan is the founder and principal of Bellevue Strategic Advisory and currently serves as Vice Chair of the BC Energy Regulator. Ms. Kiernan is also a strong advocate for increasing diversity across organizations and serves as a mentor for both Women Get On Board and Dress for Success.

Neil MacLean is a seasoned healthcare leader and consultant with over two decades of experience driving growth, integration, and sustainability in the dynamic healthcare landscape. His prowess in securing funding for digital health transformations and forging innovative partnerships positions him as an influential figure driving positive change and innovation in healthcare.

Norine Primeau-Menzies is a Registered Nurse and Health Care Executive who has extensive experience having held several senior positions within healthcare organizations locally, provincially, and nationally. Norine’s goal has always been to contribute in a meaningful way to improve healthcare in Canada.

With over 25 years of senior management experience in the Electrical/Electronics Manufacturing, IT Services and Telecom sectors Mike was most recently the CEO of Resson Aerospace.  While working at Resson he led the effort to find a new future for the team, and the Intellectual Property, focused on Artificial Intelligence for Agriculture. Prior to this, Mike was Chief Operating Officer at Nautel where he oversaw the company’s broadcasting equipment and navigation-aid businesses, playing a key role in the development and execution of strategies to grow the business into new sectors. He has also held leadership roles at Seaforth Energy, Cobham Tracking & Locating, Aliant, and Andersen Consulting.

Over the years, Mike has been involved in a number of not-for-profit and charitable organizations including Board of Directors membership at the IWK Health Centre, Mermaid Theatre, The Maritimes Energy Association, and Sail Nova Scotia. Mike holds a Master of Business Administration from Dalhousie University and a Bachelor of Electrical Engineering from the Technical University of Nova Scotia.