Program Status: Closed for Applications

The Technology Development (SME) Program partners Ontario-based small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with ENCQOR 5G Anchor Firms on 5G technology development projects. Areas of technology interest are defined in Challenge Statements submitted to OCI by the ENCQOR 5G Anchor Firms and posted to the OCI website on a rolling basis.  

Best suited for:

Applicant: 

• The applicant company must be an Ontario-based for-profit company (more than 50% of employees based in Ontario) 
• The applicant company must be SME scale (less than 500 employees in Ontario) 
• Additional eligibility criteria may be applied by Challenge Statement 

Project Partner: 

• Partners are defined in the posted Challenge Statement 
• Applicants must partner with an ENCQOR 5G Anchor Firm (Ciena, Ericsson, Thales) 
• The ENCQOR 5G anchor firm must use the results of the project for the economic, environmental or social benefit of Ontario. 

Project: 

• Projects must be developed in response to the posted Challenge Statement 
• Areas of technology interest and expected project outcomes will be defined in posted Challenge Statements  
• Projects must drive the development, integration, testing or validation of pre-commercial technologies that form the Integration Platform as a Service (iPaaS) testbed and must be within TRL level 1-7 
• Projects must show the potential for commercial impact for the applicant, ENCQOR 5G Anchor Firm and economic benefit for Ontario 

Intern (Optional): 

• Applicants may select to apply for funding to support an intern as part of the project. 
• Full detail about OCE’s TalentEdge Program and Intern Eligibility can be found in the program guidelines 

Reference Documents:

• Expression of Interest (EOI) template
• Eligible Expenses
• Sample OCI/Innovation ENCQOR trilateral funding agreement (for reference only)