The Laval Smart Mobility Incubator and Accelerator (CIAMIL), a non-profit organization based out of Laval, QC, has received a $100,000 investment from the federal government.
The funding was provided through the Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions (CED) and the government said these funds will help the CIAMIL carry out its incubator mandate.
“Funding for initiatives such as CIAMIL is excellent news in terms of speeding up the development of new innovative transport technologies.”
CIAMIL works to create a network of strategic and technological partners to help accelerate the mobility of people and goods. More specifically, the CIAMIL will use the CED’s investment to acquire physical and cloud computing infrastructure it will need to develop smart mobility solutions. The investment will also help the CIAMIL set up a program to speed up the validation of new concepts and technological applications, by allowing for real-conditions testing of new innovations.
“Funding for initiatives such as CIAMIL is excellent news in terms of speeding up the development of new innovative transport technologies, and the results will benefit the entire industry,” said Guy Picard, director general of the Société de transport de Laval. “It is essential that we support local entrepreneurs who want to invest in this strategic sector and bring together strengths and expertise in order to maximize their chances of success.”
The CIAMIL was created in August 2017 to provide access to technological resources and databases dedicated to new and existing businesses. The organization’s goal is to help implement urban mobility innovations that help improve travel quality. The CIAMIL also looks to take advantage of emerging technology for its solutions, such as Big Data analytics and manipulation, IoT, and artificial intelligence. Through the CIAMIL, businesses and entrepreneurs can also use various assistance and facilitation services provided by a network of specialized professionals and experienced mentors.
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“The CIAMIL is an organization that will actively contribute to the economic vitality of the Greater Montréal region,” said Minister of National Revenue Diane Lebouthillier. “Entrepreneurial spirit must be supported, especially when the resourcefulness and know-how of our entrepreneurs leads directly to the development of facilitating solutions for Canadians and Canadian businesses.”
The CED is a Regional Development Agency (RDA), a regionally-tailored program that provides services and expertise to businesses and innovators in the region. Federal government funding for incubators and accelerators that comes through RDAs was previously done through the Canada Accelerator and Incubator Program (CAIP).
“The funding announced today for CIAMIL is in line with Canada’s competitive advantages generated through the organization’s innovative project, and will boost economic growth and position Laval as a major player in the smart mobility sector,” said Minister of ISED Navdeep Bains.
The CED is currently calling for proposals for its new Incubators and Accelerators Driven by Excellence (IADE) initiative, which will award $12 million in financial assistance over four years to Quebec business incubators and accelerators that stand out for their excellence. Although today’s announcement and the $12 million investment fall under the CED’s Regional Economic Growth through Innovation (REGI) program, a government spokesperson confirmed to BetaKit that the IADE and funding for the CIAMIL are not related.
The call for proposal for the IADE initiative is currently underway and will remain open until June 7. The spokesperson for the CED stated that IADE funding is not likely to be announced before July.
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