Accelerating Innovations into CarE (AICE) – Concepts

The AICE Concepts program is designed to accelerate the conversion of research into innovation by applying digital and data-enabled solutions.

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Program at a Glance

Program Status: Active
Strategic Initiative: Digital Health
Business Area: Health Innovation
Priority Area(s): Designed to accelerate the conversion of research into innovation by applying digital and data-enabled solutions.

Eligibility

Program Status: Active
Alberta-based: Yes
Organization Type: Academic Institutions & Researchers
Government or Public Entity
Small to Medium Enterprise

Overview

The AICE – Concepts Program serves to accelerate early-stage health research and innovation that demonstrates high commercial potential towards proof of concept.

AICE – Concepts enables innovators to advance their client journey (infographic below) across four commercialization domains for health innovation:

  • Product Development,
  • Business Readiness,
  • Product-Market Fit, and
  • Regulatory Compliance.

Funding Available: Up to $200,000 for Alberta-based SMEs and up to $600,000 for researchers at post-secondary institutes in Alberta.

Term: Up to 24 months for Alberta-based SMEs and up to 36 months for researchers at post-secondary institutes in Alberta.

The success of this program will be measured in aggregate across the portfolio of projects. While individual project outcomes are expected, all projects should align with the Program Objectives and contribute to the Indicators of Success as outlined below.

*New* – Tech for Healthy Aging priority call for Nov 2024 application cycle

A special opportunity is available for applications submitted by November 8, 2024 that relate to improving health for older adults and their caregivers through our partnership with AGE-WELL. See the AICE – Tech for Healthy Aging website for more information and supplementary application requirements.

Objectives:

  • Accelerate knowledge creation and translation.
  • Mobilize knowledge on digital health research in Alberta and beyond.
  • Accelerate the conversion of research into innovation by applying digital and data-enabled solutions.

Outcomes:

  • Increase the amount of research-based evidence for digitally-enabled or data-informed health technologies that address an urgent and unmet health need
  • Increase the number of digitally-enabled or data-informed health technologies that successfully progress across the four domains of commercialization for health innovation
  • Contribute to Alberta’s growing and globally competitive digital health economy

Indicators of Success

  • ($) invested in research and innovation to advance digital health
  • (#) of peer-reviewed publications
  • (#) of research and innovation clients in Alberta to advance digital health
  • (#) of invention disclosures
  • (#) of patents filed
  • ($) in follow-up investment attracted
  • (#) of trainees supported to enhance the knowledge workforce with a focus on digital skills
  • ($) attracted to Alberta from external sources
  • (%) of AICE-Concepts projects demonstrating progress across four commercialization domains for health innovation
  • (#) of projects leveraging digital health technologies to maximize economic and health impacts

Eligibility

Projects must:

  • Be led by an Alberta-based post-secondary institution, government health authority or SME.
  • Apply a computational technology or technique relevant to the priority area(s) of this call, if the application is led by a post-secondary institution.
  • Address at least two health innovation domains within the health innovation cycle, one of which must be product development.

Consult the program guide for full details.

How To Apply

We use a digital application portal to manage all incoming funding requests. There are two important steps to complete: If you’re new to SmartSimple, our application portal, you must first create a user account (i.e., account registration). Then, follow up by registering your application.

For Alberta-based post-secondary institution applicants:

  1. Application registration – Register intent to apply by completing the non-confidential summary tab of the AICE – Concepts application and saving a draft via SmartSimple, our online application portal. Important: Any drafts without a completed non-confidential summary section by the registration deadline will be removed and ineligible to apply.
  2. Full application – Complete the application via SmartSimple, our online application portal.

For Alberta-based small-medium sized enterprise applicants:

  1. Intake form submission – Submit the AICE Intake Form via SmartSimple, our online application portal. Important: AICE Intake Form must be submitted at least 4 weeks in advance of the application deadline
  2. Intake meeting – Held with the Applicant, Alberta Innovates and any relevant project partners to ensure program fit.
  3. Full application – Complete the application via SmartSimple, our online application portal.

Application Deadlines

PSI application deadline: Opening early April, 2024

Applicants must register intent to apply by completing the non-confidential summary tab of the AICE – Concepts application and saving a draft via SmartSimple, our online application portal.

  • Registration window: Opening early April, 2024
  • Registration deadline: May 10, 2024
  • Full application deadline: July 12, 2024

SME application deadlines:

Applicants must submit Intake Forms at least 4 weeks in advance of the posted application deadline to be considered, and must submit their applications by 4 p.m. MT on the following submission dates:

  • April 19, 2024
  • August 16, 2024
  • November 8, 2024

Evaluation Process

All applications are reviewed and evaluated to determine fit with the AICE – Concepts Program objectives and intended outcomes. Alberta Innovates employees and external expert reviewers evaluate applications.

We evaluate submitted applications based on the strength of the innovation opportunity, market opportunity, commercialization pathway, project plan, team, and potential economic as well as health impacts.

Alberta Innovates retains the sole right to determine the evaluation process and assessment criteria and does not disclose the names of reviewers to ensure their objectivity and impartiality. Internal and external parties involved in the evaluation are subject to confidentiality and conflict-of-interest policies set by Alberta Innovates. All investment decisions are at the sole discretion of Alberta Innovates.

Support Resources

Contact

Sunil Rajput, PhD

Director, Research - Health Innovation


Markian Bahniuk, PhD

Senior Business Partner, Research - Health Innovation


Closed Intakes

AICE Concepts - Intake

The AICE Concepts program is designed to accelerate the conversion of research into innovation by applying digital and data-enabled solutions.

Closed

Registration closed: November 8, 2024 4:00 pm

Concepts 3.0 - 2023 program call

Closed

Registration closed: January 31, 2023 12:00 am

Concepts 2.0 - 2022 program call

Closed

Registration closed: January 28, 2022 12:00 am

MCannabis.Realworld - 2021

Closed

Registration closed: February 25, 2021 12:00 am

Concepts 1.0 - 2021 program call

Closed

Registration closed: January 29, 2021 12:00 am

MCannabis - 2021

Closed

Registration closed: February 27, 2020 12:00 am

Funded Projects

View All Projects

AICE Concepts - 2025 Recipients

September 2024 - October 2025

AICE Concepts - 2024 Recipients

February 2024 - January 2027

AICE Concepts - 2022 Recipients

8 projects

February 2022 to January 2025

AICE Concepts - 2023 Recipients

6 projects

February 2023 to January 2026

AICE Concepts - 2021 Recipients

11 projects

March 2021 to June 2024

Discover More

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