Mitacs and Innovate BC are partnering to fast-track solutions to COVID-19 while mitigating the pandemic’s adverse economic impacts to business.
The partnership support comes in the form of 100 Mitacs internships for COVID-19-specific projects, funded by a $375,000 investment from Innovate BC.
The funding infusion from Innovate BC coupled with Mitacs’s leveraged funds offsets the standard company-partner contribution towards the intern’s stipend and increases access to research during this pandemic.
This funding will be distributed through the Mitacs Accelerate program and will provide eligible projects with $15,000 in total funding to support the intern’s stipend.
“As we navigate our way through this pandemic, initiatives that directly benefit industry and academia are vital to supporting our provincial tech sector. This partnership with Mitacs will help companies access high-quality talent at a reduced rate, while making it easier for students to get on-the-job experience and immediately contribute to one of the province’s fastest growing industries. Simply put, it’s a win-win for everyone involved,” Innovate BC President and CEO Raghwa Gopal said today of the announcement.
To be eligible for Innovate BC funding, B.C.-based small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) must have their projects approved by Mitacs through the Accelerate program and hire a graduate student for a technology-based, research internship.
The collaboration is another example of how both Mitacs and Innovate BC are leveraging strategic partnerships across the country to support COVID-19 relief efforts.
Over the last month, Mitacs has announced collaborations with national organizations such as NSERC and AGE-WELL, while Innovate BC continues to provide direct support to the local tech sector through its programs and network of
accelerator partners across the province.