NSERC Alliance – Alberta Innovates Advance Program

For Alberta companies looking to collaborate with university researchers on cutting-edge innovation, the NSERC Alliance – Alberta Innovates Advance Program can be a powerful pathway to move early-stage discoveries closer to real-world impact. This initiative supports research projects that advance emerging technologies with the potential to drive economic diversification, environmental solutions, and health and life sciences breakthroughs in Alberta. While funding flows through Alberta-based universities, the outcomes are often highly relevant to businesses seeking new technologies, data-driven solutions, or applied research partnerships.

Delivered through a partnership between Alberta Innovates and NSERC, the program is designed to accelerate research excellence while building capacity in priority technology areas aligned with Alberta’s innovation strategy. Projects may receive up to roughly $150,000 per year for a limited duration, combining provincial support with federal matching funds. This level of non-repayable funding helps research teams deepen R&D efforts, create highly qualified talent, and move promising technologies toward commercialization and industry adoption. For businesses, this can translate into access to novel IP, pilot-ready technologies, and academic expertise that would be difficult to develop independently.

The Advance Program is currently active and supports a range of emerging technology themes with broad commercial potential. For Alberta businesses interested in partnering with universities or tracking innovations that could shape future markets, learning more about how this program operates can open the door to valuable collaboration opportunities.