Alberta Small Business Innovation and Research Initiative

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Demand-pull innovation and funding in Alberta

The Alberta Small Business Innovation and Research Initiative (ASBIRI) is a program that gives small businesses funding opportunities to solve major industry challenges.

By responding to industry demand (demand-pull innovation) we increase the success of government investment and industry R&D spending.

Funding opportunities

The ASBIRI program is now fully subscribed and will not be issuing any challenges until further notice. Please watch our social channels and this website.

Previous industry challenges

Raytheon Cyber Challenge

The Raytheon Cyber Challenge is a competition designed to inspire and support development of new and novel cyber security technologies to help protect and defend our critical infrastructure as well as Unmanned Aerial Systems from cyberattacks.

See challenge details

How the program works 

Funding

Funding comes in the form of Challenges once one has been identified with partners.

We identify industry challenges

We develop relationships with industry partners to identify challenges in their operations that, if addressed, would give them an edge in the global marketplace.

You compete to solve an operational challenge

Alberta Innovates and our industry partners jointly invite Alberta’s small and medium sized businesses (SMEs) to leverage their ingenuity and compete for the opportunity to develop a technology-based solution for the well-defined operational challenge.

Outcomes and real-world impact

The result is a focused, industry-government partnership and a project built on the principles of demand-pull innovation. Resources are allocated to a clear existing industry need, ensuring a targeted research and innovation investment. Demand-pull innovation helps Alberta’s SMEs, enterprises, and industry to be globally competitive.

Resources

The documents below are provided to current awardees: