Mitacs and NSERC partnering to rapidly fund innovation for COVID-19 solutions

Vancouver, BC — Mitacs is partnering with NSERC, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, to advance COVID-19-related solutions. In response to the pandemic, the partner organizations will provide additional funding and connect with the unparalleled expertise of researchers across Canada.

NSERC recently launched two new grants: NSERC Alliance COVID-19 grants, research funding for universities of up to $50,000 for one-year projects that address challenges caused by the pandemic; and the tri-agency college grants, Applied Research Rapid Response to COVID-19, that will provide support for up to $75,000 for colleges and polytechnics to work with their partners to address this unprecedented crisis.

Mitacs recently launched an initiative to expedite the approval process and leverage funding for COVID-19-related research projects. As one part of that initiative and for a limited time, small- and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) responding to COVID-19 can incorporate an Accelerate internship with a reduced contribution of $3,750 to the $15,000 award. 

The new collaboration between Mitacs and NSERC aligns both organizations and their offerings to rapidly drive the development of solutions to the COVID-19 pandemic between industry and not-for-profit partners and academic researchers.

Once an NSERC Alliance or college COVID-19 project is funded, qualifying partner organizations and projects can add Mitacs-funded internships to augment the research collaboration.

Quotes:

John Hepburn, CEO and Scientific Director, Mitacs

“As a nation, we are working together to combat COVID-19. Mitacs is pleased to partner with NSERC to accelerate the flow and exchange of research expertise between academic institutions, business, and not-for-profit partners. Through partnerships like this one, and the resulting collaborations, will we develop innovative solutions to the COVID-19 pandemic for our near- and long-term future.”

Alejandro Adem, President, NSERC

“NSERC is pleased to leverage Mitacs programs to add resources to the recently launched Alliance and College COVID-19 grants. Our programs, which connect partners with experts in the natural sciences and engineering, will benefit from Mitacs’s on-the-ground business development staff across the country. Together we will solve pandemic-related challenges for Canadians.”

Quick facts:

• Mitacs is a not-for-profit organization that fosters growth and innovation in Canada by solving business challenges with research solutions from academic institutions.
• Mitacs is funded by the Government of Canada, the Government of Alberta, the Government of British Columbia, Research Manitoba, the Government of New Brunswick, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, the Government of Nova Scotia, the Government of Ontario, Innovation PEI, the Government of Quebec, and the Government of Saskatchewan.

For Mitacs news including the following COVID-19-related releases:

• Getting research talent to companies faster: new industrial postdoctoral funding to address COVID-19
• Mitacs and AGE-WELL collaborate to fund innovation supporting seniors during COVID-19
• College interns primed to accelerate Mitacs COVID-19 research projects
• Mitacs links companies, organizations, networks, researchers for COVID-19 solutions

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