Applications are open for Innovate UK's six-month Global Incubation Programme with MaRS Discovery District in Toronto, Canada - one of the world's leading centres for advanced manufacturing.
Canada is ranked among the top four start-up ecosystems globally and although this initiative will be delivered virtually, there will be potential opportunities for a physical presence in Toronto.
Applications are welcome from innovative companies who are developing technologies that enable or improve processes and productivity using industrial internet of things, digital transformation, advanced sensors, robotics, artificial intelligence (AI) and virtual reality (VR) within the advanced manufacturing sectors such as food processing and agri-tech, automotive, aerospace, health and life sciences, clean-tech, fintech and others.
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While participating, businesses will gain market insights and industry contacts, to help prepare for their own strategic growth.
"These competitive programmes require participants to work and achieve," said Tom Kinney, Senior Advisor of Strategy, Innovation & Growth at Innovate UK.
"This is not a trade mission but rather an in-market incubation where businesses from NI can immerse themselves in one of the world’s hotspots for advanced manufacturing."
Belfast-based Senergy Innovations, which specialises in environmental renewable natural resources, is currently participating on Innovate UK's first Global Incubation Programme for the Clean-Tech sector based in New York City, USA.
Recruitment for the Canada programme closes 12:00 on 9 July.
All applications should be made via the Innovate UK EDGE website here.
An offline example application form is available should companies wish to prepare their submissions. All applicants are asked to submit a company pitch-deck to me separately by email. Shortlisted applicants will be invited for a panel interview on 27-28 July. Companies will be informed on 30 July.
To support the recruitment process, Innovate UK will be delivering a briefing event for the programme 15:00-16:00 on 30 June which will involve its incubator partner (MaRS) in Canada. MaRS is North America's largest urban innovation hub. A registered non-profit, it supports high-growth start-ups and scale-ups tackling key issues and in 2019, it supported ventures that generated $1.23bn in revenue, raised $1.93bn in capital, and generated more than 3,000 new positions.
The link to register for this activity is; http://bit.ly/GIPCanada2021-Briefing