Open Call: AI Compute Access Fund (Canada)

Objectives 

• The objectives of the AI Compute Access Fund are to:
  • Accelerate AI innovation and commercialization by leading Canadian firms by supporting the costliest component in the AI innovation value chain – compute.
  • Target support to Canadian AI SMEs engaging in R&D/compute projects with a concrete pathway to commercialization.
  • Support use of a diverse range of external compute suppliers so companies can stay competitive in a rapidly changing industry.

Funding Information

• Companies can submit proposals for compute costs between $100,000 and $5,000,000 with a duration until up to March 31, 2028.

Ineligible Funding

• Regardless of whether the costs are incurred responsibly and properly by a Recipient, the following costs are ineligible:
  • Federal and provincial goods and services taxes;
  • Pre-payment for services beyond the duration of the contribution agreement;
  • Interest charges, late fees, fines and penalties;
  • Support or service plans;
  • Data transfer fees;
  • Legal fees.

Eligible Activities

• Eligible Activities are those activities related to assisting Recipients in developing, training, or operating their AI model(s):
  • Training: This may include Recipients using funding to access cloud-based compute services to train and refine their AI model(s) prior to commercial launch.
  • Inference: This may include, for example, Recipients using cloud-based service providers to provide inference services to ensure their customers can use their AI product or service.
  • Other related: This may include, for example, Recipients using cloud-based service providers to modify, improve, or otherwise fine-tune existing AI models.

Eligibility Criteria

• To be eligible for the AI Compute Access Fund, recipients must meet all of the following criteria:
  • Be an active Canadian-registered for-profit company developing AI products or services, or consortiums of organizations where one corporation or LLP is the project lead applicant.
  • Recipients must be a registered corporation or LLP with less than 500 full-time equivalent (FTE) employees.
  • Recipients must have Canada-based R&D teams and be willing to carry out project activities within Canada.
  • Recipients must be revenue-generating and/or able to demonstrate investor interest through a minimum of Series A financing.
  • Recipients must have contracts, invoices, or other documentation for compute services in place or in progress at the time of application. If selected, recipients who indicated their compute service agreement was in progress will need to demonstrate it is in place in advance to the signing of the Contribution Agreement.
• In recognition of the diverse structures and systemic barriers faced by Indigenous businesses, applicants to the AI Compute Access Fund that are not incorporated may still be deemed eligible if they meet the following criteria:
  • The business is a for-profit entity;
  • The business is at least 51% owned and controlled by Indigenous Peoples, groups, or organizations;
  • The business demonstrates a clear and direct benefit to Indigenous communities through economic, social, or cultural outcomes;
  • The business operates as a sole proprietorship, partnership, cooperative, micro-enterprise, or other unincorporated entity.

For more information, visit Government of Canada.