ACOA Regional Artificial Intelligence Initiative (RAII) for Atlantic Canada
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Eligibility & Details
What this program funds and who can apply
Program Description
ACOA's Atlantic-wide call for proposals under the federal Regional Artificial Intelligence Initiative funds high-impact AI projects by small and medium-sized businesses in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador, through two streams: AI adoption, and commercialization and scale-up of Canadian-developed AI. Funding is a repayable contribution and the request must be at least $1 million. Not-for-profit organizations cannot apply under this call. Expressions of interest close November 20, 2026; selected applicants are then invited to submit a full application.
Eligibility Requirements
- Atlantic Canadian small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) that meet the existing eligibility requirements of ACOA's Regional Economic Growth through Innovation (REGI) program
- Open to both existing and new ACOA clients
- Stream 1, AI adoption: adopting and integrating AI to improve productivity, competitiveness, growth and resilience
- Stream 2, AI commercialization and scale-up: validating, commercializing, deploying and scaling Canadian-developed AI; AI start-ups may be eligible, and technologies are generally expected to be at technology readiness level 6 or higher
- The funding requested must be at least $1 million and the project must show how AI will deliver measurable business outcomes
- Funding is repayable, so the project must show potential for sustainable business growth and economic returns
- AI must be central to the project's outcomes
- Indigenous-led businesses are eligible and may qualify for enhanced levels of support
- Not-for-profit organizations are not eligible applicants under this call
Quick Assessment
Funding Details
- Amount
- Repayable contributionRepayable contribution. The funding requested from ACOA must be at least $1 million; ACOA publishes no maximum and says funding levels will vary with project scope, applicant circumstances, available funding and program requirements. Repayment provisions are discussed during the application and due diligence process.
- Type
- Loan
- Level
- Federal
- Deadline
- Expressions of interest close November 20, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. ADT
Program Scorecard
Competition, effort, and approval at a glance
Difficult — significant preparation needed
High competition — many applicants
Complex — detailed documentation needed
How to qualify
Insider tips, common pitfalls, and what successful applicants look like
Insider TipTreat the expression of interest as the real competition: it is ranked, and only the top projects are invited to a full application.
Rejection Pitfalls 8
- Applicant is a not-for-profit organization
Success Profile
Evaluation Criteria
Everything you need to secure RAII
Not a marketing summary. The actual checklist, intel, and stack strategy reviewers look for.
- 8 rejection pitfalls reviewers flag — so you catch them first
- 3-document checklist with what each reviewer is actually checking
- Your Application Game Plan — the print-ready PDF the preview below describes
- 5-step application timeline with prep hours per step
- Insider tip from program officers on what separates winners
- Success profile + evaluation criteria — exactly what lenders look for
Application Playbook
Step-by-step process, required documents, and expenses
Application Steps
Required Documents 3
Eligible Expenses 6
Ineligible Expenses 5
Deadline Notes
Ineligible Organizations
- 4 more application steps
- 1 more required document
- 6 eligible expenses
- 5 ineligible expenses
- Deadline notes
- Ineligible organizations
Funding Stack Strategy
Compatible programs, clawback risk, and combined funding potential
Stacking partner data not yet available.
Clawback Risk
Not-applicable RiskHow RAII Compares
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Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the questions founders most often ask about RAII