Call for proposals – Support for organizations offering incubation and acceleration services

Description

The support program for research and innovation organizations – Support for the operation of organizations (section 1g) aims to ensure access for young innovative technology companies with high growth potential ( startups ) to a range of high-quality specialized services dedicated to their development.

Objective

The objective of this call for proposals is to support the operation, for the next two years, of the most efficient organizations that offer incubation and acceleration services to young innovative technology companies with high growth potential.

Eligibility

Eligible customers

Only non-profit organizations (NPOs) legally constituted under the laws of the Government of Quebec or Canada, and having an establishment in Quebec, may submit an application for financial assistance. They must meet the following two criteria:

1. Their primary mission is to offer incubation and/or acceleration services.
2. Their main clientele consists of young, innovative technology companies with high growth potential.

Eligible proposals

Proposals will be eligible if they demonstrate that the applicant organization:

• contributes to the success of young innovative technology companies with high growth potential that have benefited from its services;
• offers rich and quality services to innovative technology companies;
• has added value in the Quebec innovation ecosystem;
• provides for the implementation of an ambitious three-year plan 2025-2028;
• achieves conclusive results in quantitative performance indicators.

Eligible expenses

Eligible operating expenses are as follows:

• Electricity and heating;
• Rent, except for expenses related to capital leases, within the meaning of the accounting standards applicable to the organization;
• Insurance;
• Supplies;
• Professional and consulting fees, excluding lobbying costs;
• Training and development;
• General laboratory supplies;
• Advertising, promotion and communications;
• Travel expenses, in accordance with current government standards set out in the Collection of Management Policies of the Government of Quebec;
• Salaries, wages and benefits;
• Audit fees;
• Bookkeeping and accounting;

Note: Only non-refundable sales taxes are eligible.

Approach

Read the Application Guide  (PDF 0.94 MB) .

Complete the financial assistance application form  (PDF 1.29 MB) , the service certificate form  (PDF 2.13 MB) and the Excel file “Performance indicators”  (XLSX 28 KB) , then prepare the other documents to attach to your application, in accordance with the Guide.

Send, in a single email, the duly completed and signed forms, as well as the mandatory documents.

Submit a request

 

By Friday, October 17, 2025, at 4:00 p.m.

 

startupquebec@economie.gouv.qc.ca

Selection process

Any request for financial assistance will be analyzed according to the following criteria:

• Quality of the companies supported
• Development and evolution of supported companies
• Corporate Recruitment Strategy
• Quality, excellence and impact of the services offered
• Annual performance
• Quality and scope of partnerships and collaborations
• Specificity, vision and governance
• Need and relevance of financial assistance
• Resilience and value of the business model

Aid granted

The financial contribution from the Government of Quebec is paid to the applicant organization. The support period is a maximum of two years, starting January 1, 2026  .

It cannot exceed:

• $500,000 per year, per organization, up to a maximum of $1,000,000 over 2 years;
• 60% of eligible expenses.

Combined assistance from different levels of government (municipal, provincial and federal), as well as from partners with intervention funds whose financing comes from these levels of government, cannot exceed 80% of total eligible expenses.