If you are developing a health or life sciences innovation in Alberta, proving safety and clinical value is often the biggest challenge to adoption. Many promising technologies cannot advance until there is solid evidence of their safety and effectiveness. The Accelerating Innovations into CarE (AICE) Alberta program aims to help by funding the preclinical and clinical evidence needed to support adoption in care settings. Alberta Innovates delivers AICE, supporting Alberta-based small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with technologies that can improve health outcomes. If you are searching for health innovation grants, GrantHub can help you compare funding options and stay updated on program changes.
The Accelerating Innovations into CarE (AICE) program is a funding initiative from Alberta Innovates. It helps healthcare innovations advance from development to clinical use. The program focuses on supporting projects that need strong preclinical, safety, or clinical evidence.
Key details:
AICE is not a commercialization or scale-up program. It is designed for projects that cannot be adopted without proof of safety or clinical value. If your innovation needs evidence before it can be used in healthcare, AICE is aimed at you.
To apply for AICE Alberta, your business and project must meet all eligibility criteria.
You must be:
If your startup is based outside Alberta, you may still qualify if you can prove a strong Alberta presence and long-term benefits for the province.
Your project must involve:
Examples include medical devices, diagnostics, digital health tools, and therapies that cannot advance without clinical or safety evidence.
If you need help confirming your eligibility or want to see how AICE compares to other options, GrantHub offers resources to help Alberta innovators find the right grants.
AICE does not set a fixed maximum funding amount. Instead, funding is determined case by case. Amounts depend on:
This flexible approach lets Alberta Innovates support both early validation and more advanced projects. If you want to compare AICE with other Alberta health innovation programs that have set funding limits, tools like GrantHub can help.
AICE funding supports costs directly related to generating evidence. Eligible expenses often include:
General business costs or late-stage commercialization expenses are usually not covered under this program.
Every project is unique, but most AICE applications follow these steps:
Check eligibility
Make sure your company and project meet Alberta’s requirements for location and health impact.
Define your evidence gap
Explain what clinical or preclinical evidence is missing and why it matters for adoption in care settings.
Prepare your application
Include your technical plan, expected health outcomes, and details showing Alberta-based benefits.
Submit to Alberta Innovates
Applications are accepted at any time, but well-prepared proposals are reviewed more quickly.
Because intake is ongoing, it helps to have a clear, complete application that matches Alberta’s healthcare goals.
Show the Alberta benefit clearly
Prove that jobs, operations, and results will stay in Alberta.
Apply at the right stage
AICE is not for early ideas. You need a defined innovation and a plan for generating evidence.
Highlight clinical relevance
Explain how your project will improve patient care, not just the technology.
Align your budget
Focus on costs for evidence generation. Avoid including marketing or commercialization expenses.
Q: Who can apply for the Accelerating Innovations into CarE (AICE) program?
Alberta-based for-profit SMEs with a strong operational presence in Alberta are eligible. The project must offer measurable health benefits and require clinical or preclinical evidence.
Q: What types of innovations does AICE support?
AICE funds health technologies that need clinical validation, such as medical devices, diagnostics, and digital health tools.
Q: Is AICE a grant or a loan?
AICE provides non-repayable funding to eligible projects. You do not have to pay the funds back, as long as you meet all program requirements.
Q: How much funding is available from AICE?
There is no fixed cap. The amount you receive depends on your project’s scope, the evidence needed, and the review by Alberta Innovates.
Q: When is the deadline to apply for AICE Alberta?
There is no set deadline. Applications are accepted on a continuous basis, but being prepared helps your chances.
If you think AICE Alberta fits your clinical validation needs, consider how it compares to other health innovation funding in Alberta and across Canada. GrantHub tracks active grant programs, including Alberta Innovates funding, and can help you find the best fit for your business before you start your application.
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