This program is currently between intakes. Annual, typically December–January. 2026 cohort: December 1, 2025–January 12, 2026.
Updated May 2026 · Verified against IVADO (Institut de valorisation des données) — Montreal, co-funded with Mitacs guidelines
✓ First-Timer Friendly In Kind Est. 2022
Program Provincial Between Intakes

IVADO Scientist in Action — AI Intern Subsidy for Startups

IVADO (Institut de valorisation des données) — Montreal, co-funded with Mitacs
Maximum Funding
$3,750 startup cost for 4-month intern...
Between intakes — 2026 cohort closed January 12, 2026; next call expected Q4 ...
Visit Official Program →
Difficulty
Easy
Payment
In Kind
Trend
Stable
First-Timers
Friendly ✓
Co-Funding
75%
IVADO Scientist in Action — AI Intern Subsidy for Startups provides up to $3,750 startup cost for 4-month intern (valued at $15,000); $11,250 for 6-month intern (valued at $30,000). IVADO and Mitacs co-fund master's-level AI interns placed at Quebec-based startups, reducing the startup's cost to $3,750 for a 4-month intern (valued at $15,000) or $11,250 for a 6-month intern (valued at $30,000). The program covers up to 75% of eligible costs. Between intakes — 2026 cohort closed January 12, 2026; next call expected Q4 2026 or Q1 2027. (As of May 2026, verified against IVADO (Institut de valorisation des données) — Montreal, co-funded with Mitacs program guidelines)

Eligibility & Details

What this program funds and who can apply

Free

Program Description

IVADO and Mitacs co-fund master's-level AI interns placed at Quebec-based startups, reducing the startup's cost to $3,750 for a 4-month intern (valued at $15,000) or $11,250 for a 6-month intern (valued at $30,000). Startups must have fewer than 20 employees, belong to a recognized accelerator or incubator, and propose an AI-focused applied research project.

Eligibility Requirements

  • Quebec-based startup at any stage (no revenue minimum stated)
  • Fewer than 20 employees
  • Must be part of or have completed a program from a recognized entrepreneurship support organization (accelerator or incubator) — OR demonstrate equivalent entrepreneurial maturity
  • Must define a qualified AI-focused applied research project for the intern (machine learning, deep learning, NLP, computer vision, generative AI, data science, business intelligence)
  • Must have qualified supervision capacity for the master's-level intern
  • Must be able to pay the invoice upon receipt before the internship starts
  • Project must require a full-time master's-level AI intern for the duration chosen
Provinces
Quebec
Industries
Technology Artificial Intelligence Healthcare Manufacturing Financial Services
Business Stage
Startup Growth

Quick Assessment

Difficulty
Easy
Competition
High
Est. Hours
6h
First-Timer
Friendly

Funding Details

Amount
$3,750 startup cost for 4-month intern (valued at $15,000); $11,250 for 6-month intern (valued at $30,000)
Type
Program
Level
Provincial
Co-Funding
Up to 75% of eligible costs
Deadline
Between intakes — 2026 cohort closed January 12, 2026; next call expected Q4 2026 or Q1 2027

Program Scorecard

Competition, effort, and approval at a glance

Hybrid
Competition
High
Effort
~6 hours
Approval
Varies
Accessibility
--/5
Competition
--/5
Approval Rate
--%
Premium See how this program compares on approval odds, difficulty, and competition — so you know if it’s worth your time.
Know your real odds before investing 40+ hours
Approval likelihood, realistic amounts, competition level, and what winners look like
Consultants charge $500–$2,000 per program. This Playbook is $19.
Unlock this Playbook — $19 One-time · Yours forever · Instant access
or subscribe for $29/mo · 30-day money-back
What's in this Playbook

Everything you need to win IVADO Scientist in Action — AI Intern Subs... — $19

Not a marketing summary. The actual checklist, intel, and stack strategy reviewers look for.

Consultants charge $2,000–$5,000 per program. This Playbook is $19. Yours forever.
Unlock this Playbook — $19 or subscribe for $29/mo · 30-day money-back →

Applying for IVADO Scientist in Action? Our Financial Projections Model ($29) covers the cost-share, matching-fund, and cash-flow math reviewers want to see. Or get all 4 templates in the Founder Pack ($59 · saves $27) →

How to Win

Insider tips, common pitfalls, and what successful applicants look like

Premium
Insider Tip

The project description is the application. IVADO evaluates on the quality and specificity of the AI project — generic proposals like 'apply machine learning to our product' will be rejected. Articulate a concrete technical challenge (e.g., 'fine-tune a transformer model on our clinical notes dataset to extract diagnostic codes') and explain why a master's student in ML is the right resource. Accelerator affiliation is a signal of startup maturity that reviewers weight positively.

Premium See what trips up most applicants for this program — and how to avoid it.

Rejection Pitfalls 6

  • More than 20 employees — startup is too large for this program
  • No accelerator or incubator affiliation and cannot demonstrate equivalent entrepreneurial maturity
  • AI project too vague or does not require master's-level expertise
+3 more pitfalls
Premium See the most common reasons applications get rejected — before you submit yours.

Success Profile

A Quebec startup with 5-15 employees, affiliated with a Quebec accelerator, building an AI-first product (any sector) that has a specific machine learning or data science challenge that would benefit from a dedicated master's-level researcher for 4-6 months. The startup has a technical lead who can meaningfully supervise an AI graduate student.

Premium See what successful applicants for this program actually look like.

Evaluation Criteria

IVADO evaluates applications on: (1) compliance with eligibility criteria — startup size, accelerator affiliation, payment capacity; (2) quality of the proposed AI internship project — specificity, technical depth, and match with the intern's academic training; (3) project impact — potential for the AI work to meaningfully advance the startup's product or research; (4) supervision quality — credibility of the proposed technical mentor.

Premium See exactly what reviewers score on — so you know where to focus.
Don’t waste 6 hours on a preventable rejection
6 reasons applications get rejected, what winners look like, and exactly what reviewers score on
Paid grant writers quote $2,000–$5,000 per program. Start with the $19 Playbook first.
Unlock this Playbook — $19 One-time · Yours forever · Instant access
or subscribe for $29/mo · 30-day money-back

Application Playbook

Step-by-step process, required documents, and expenses

Premium 6 steps 4 docs

Application Steps

1 Subscribe to IVADO newsletter Sign up at ivado.ca to be notified when the next call for projects opens — the window is typically only 6 weeks.
2 Define AI project Articulate a specific applied research challenge suitable for a master's student in ML, NLP, computer vision, or data science.
3 Confirm accelerator affiliation Ensure your startup is enrolled in or has completed a recognized Quebec accelerator or incubator program, or can demonstrate equivalent maturity.
4 Submit application during open window Complete the online application during the call-for-projects window with project description, team profile, supervision plan, and payment confirmation.
5 University review and student matching IVADO shares selected projects with partner universities (Polytechnique, HEC, McGill, Université de Montréal, Université Laval); universities identify matching master's students.
6 Pay invoice and begin internship Once a student is matched, IVADO issues the invoice; startup pays promptly and the internship begins (typically May of the application year).

Required Documents 4

✓ Project description — AI focus area, specific research question or product challenge the intern will address
✓ Startup profile — stage, team, accelerator/incubator affiliation
✓ Supervision plan — who will supervise the intern and their relevant technical background
✓ Confirmation of payment capacity at invoice

Eligible Expenses 1

  • Master's-level AI intern placement (the program IS the funded expense — startup pays only the co-payment portion)

Ineligible Expenses 4

  • Undergraduate or PhD interns (program is master's level only)
  • Interns from universities not partnered with IVADO/Mitacs
  • Projects not in artificial intelligence or related data science disciplines
  • Remote interns based outside Quebec for internships requiring on-site presence

Intake Periods

Annual, typically December–January. 2026 cohort: December 1, 2025–January 12, 2026. Next call expected Q4 2026 or Q1 2027.

Deadline Notes

The 2026 cohort application window ran December 1, 2025–January 12, 2026. Internships started May 2026. Next call expected Q4 2026 or Q1 2027. Subscribe to IVADO newsletter at ivado.ca to be notified. Only 15 startup spots are available per cohort (including 5 Squarepoint Capital slots).

Open Application Portal →

Ineligible Organizations

  • Startups with 20 or more employees
  • Startups not based in Quebec
  • Startups with no accelerator/incubator affiliation and no demonstrated entrepreneurial maturity
  • Established businesses and SMEs that are not startups
  • Non-profit organizations
Premium Get the step-by-step application guide — documents, timeline, and what to prepare.

Funding Stack Strategy

Compatible programs, clawback risk, and combined funding potential

Premium 3 partners

Compatible Programs

Mitacs Accelerate IRAP Youth Employment Program Scale AI Clusters Initiative
Combined Funding Potential See your total funding potential

Clawback Risk

None Risk

No clawback — the startup pays a fixed co-payment up front and there is no repayment obligation regardless of project outcome. The program does not impose post-internship performance conditions on the startup.

Premium See which programs combine with this one — and how much more you could get.
See your total funding potential across 3 programs
Stacking amounts, clawback details, government stacking limits, and tax implications
One avoided clawback typically outweighs the $19 Playbook cost by 50–100×.
Unlock this Playbook — $19 One-time · Yours forever · Instant access
or subscribe for $29/mo · 30-day money-back

How IVADO Scientist in Action — AI Intern Subs... Compares

Side-by-side with similar programs

Free
Program Amount Difficulty Payment Deadline
IVADO Scientist in Action — AI Intern... $3,750 startup cost for 4-month intern Easy In Kind Between intakes — 2026...
Strategic Response Fund (formerly Str... Up to $50 million Hard Mixed (Advance + Reimb.) Ongoing — continuous...
CanExport SMEs Up to $50,000 Moderate Mixed (Advance + Reimb.) Next deadline: May 29,...
Innovative Solutions Canada up to $150,000 Hard Milestone-Based Challenge-specific — new...
Ocean Supercluster Up to $5 million Hard Reimbursement Call-specific — no open...

Related Programs

Other programs you might be eligible for

Free
Program

Digital Technology Supercluster

Up to $5 million · Federal
 Tax Credit

Ontario Innovation Tax Credit

Up to 8% tax credit · Provincial
 Tax Credit

Interactive Digital Media Tax Credit

25% of eligible BC salaries and wages (effective September... · Provincial

Frequently Asked Questions

Quick answers to the questions founders most often ask about IVADO Scientist in Action — AI Intern Subs...

Free
How many startups are selected per cohort?
Only 15 startups are selected per annual cohort — 10 funded by IVADO/Mitacs and 5 additional spots funded by Squarepoint Capital. This is a highly competitive, limited-seat program.
Does my startup need to be incorporated?
Yes — you must be an operating Quebec-based startup, which typically implies incorporation. Unincorporated sole proprietors are not eligible for this program.
What if my startup has no accelerator affiliation?
You must demonstrate 'equivalent entrepreneurial maturity' — IVADO assesses this on a case-by-case basis. Having completed a well-known program (e.g., Founder Institute, Startup Weekend, a university-linked program) or having institutional backing may suffice. Contact IVADO before applying if uncertain.
Which universities does the intern come from?
Interns are master's students from IVADO-affiliated universities: Polytechnique, HEC Montréal, McGill (4-month option), Université de Montréal, or Université Laval (6-month option). You cannot bring an external candidate — the university matches a student to your project.
Can a startup in any industry apply?
Yes, any sector — including healthcare, manufacturing, finance, or retail — as long as the AI project itself is technically substantive (ML, NLP, computer vision, GenAI, data science) and requires master's-level expertise.

Browse More Funding

Quebec Grants Explore All Programs Take the Quiz