Small Business Innvatin Challenge Prgram Ministry f Ecnmic Develpment and Grwth Ministry f Research, Innvatin and Science
Small Business Innvatin Challenge (SBIC) Overview On March 1, MEDG launched the SBIC in partnership with the Ontari Centres f Excellence t supprt the grwth f high-ptential, technlgy-driven small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The SBIC is an integral cmpnent f Ontari s ecnmic plan the Business Grwth Initiative under the theme f grwing Ontari SMEs int larger-scale firms that are glbally cmpetitive. The SBIC uses public sectr business challenges as a platfrm fr SMEs t develp and test innvative technlgy slutins t a real-wrld prblem facing bth private and public sectrs. The $28.8 millin prgram prvides direct funding t Ontari SMEs t take an innvative idea and develp a wrking prttype that addresses the challenge issued by Ontari Ministries. Mdelled after internatinal best practices and successful U.S. and U.K. prgrams, it was designed t: Engage Ontari s start-ups and SMEs in slving pressing public sectr challenges; Increase cmmercializatin pprtunities fr SMEs thrugh direct funding supprt and applied demnstratin pprtunities t prve the value f their innvatins t dmestic and glbal markets; Prvide a strnger fting fr Ontari SMEs t cmpete dmestically and abrad. 2
Champin Ministry (e.g., MTO) actively engaged thrughut pilt Identify a Prblem r Issue Develp Prblem Statement Prblem Statement Publicly Psted Champin Ministry identifies a prblem fr which a slutin is needed Example: MTO is seeking existing and emerging technlgy slutins that wuld supprt the implementatin f High-Occupancy Tll (HOT) lanes in Ontari. Champin Ministry wrks with MEDG and OCE t develp a Prblem Statement Example: As HOT lanes are implemented in Ontari and abrad, there is a grwing need fr the develpment f an enfrceable means t determine if a vehicle in a specific lane shuld be billed/fined based n the number f ccupants. This slutin culd be implemented in HOT lanes in Ontari/ther jurisdictins and has ther in applicatins (e.g., ccupancy at brder crssings). SMEs submit prpsals t OCE that respnd t the Prblem Statements Assessment and Evaluatin Prpsals assessed against prgram criteria. Review panel evaluates prpsals and funding decisins are made. Phase at which applicants enter prgram is cnfirmed Example: Evaluatin Funding Decisin Prpsals submitted Prpsals meet criteria Funding awarded Tw pints f entry (based n readiness level f applicant) Phase 1: Feasibility Phase 2: Develpment & Demnstratin Prttype Prcurement (Optinal Phase) 3 SMEs develp feasibility study/ business case t establish technical merit, feasibility, and cmmercial ptential f prduct Up t 5 SMEs per challenge Up t $100,000 per SME Up t 6 mnths SMEs develp, test and demnstrate prttype Up t 3 SMEs per challenge Up t $1 millin per SME Up t 2 years Demnstratin and testing under real wrld cnditins 50-50 cst-share between Champin Ministry and MEDG Example: MTO tests prttype at HOT lanes pilt site Cmmercializatin Cmmercial develpment and sale f prduct N SBIC pilt funding OPS Prcurement Directive applies
SBIC Launch: Initial Challenges The SBIC launched March 1, 2017 with tw initial challenges: Service Ontari Challenge MTO Challenge Allwing peple t prve wh they are when they interact with gvernment via a cmmn, secure, and user-friendly methd, s peple can easily and privately cnnect t a wide range f gvernment prgrams and services Develping an autmated way t detect hw many peple are in vehicles using high ccupancy tll (HOT) lanes t ensure that vehicles with mre than ne ccupant are nt mistakenly billed r fined MEDG/MRIS is develping a pipeline f ptential challenges fr future funding runds. 4
Des yur Ministry have any challenges yu d like t discuss with ur team? Challenges can cme frm any Ministry and any Department within the OPS. There are tw key features that make a challenge ideal fr the SBIC: N Existing Suitable Slutin The prgram aims t supprt cmpanies in the creatin f new prducts r services with the ptential fr IP creatin. Innvatin f Value Beynd OPS Innvatin shuld be f interest t multiple buyers and ideally frm multiple jurisdictins. The prgram aims t help SMEs grw int glbally cmpetitive cmpanies. 5