MEDTEQ+ AVISÉ Program

Program Description

MEDTEQ+ AVISÉ offers non-repayable contributions of up to $500,000 for a single evaluation setting or up to $700,000 for multiple evaluation settings to Quebec/Canada-incorporated for-profit medtech, digital health and AI businesses for pre-commercialization projects.

Eligibility Requirements

• Applicant must be a for-profit business or group of businesses operating in medical technology or digital health technology, including technologies using artificial intelligence, legally incorporated under the laws of the Government of Quebec or Canada.
• A social economy enterprise within the meaning of Quebec's Social Economy Act (RLRQ, chapter E-1.1.1) is also eligible — the program is not restricted to for-profit businesses.
• The company must own the intellectual property rights to its product or innovation.
• The company must be run by a founder or team of founders, at least one of whom is dedicated to it full-time (35 hours or more per week).
• The company must be registered in Quebec regardless of its governing law, have an establishment there, and actively carry on business there.
• The project must involve a technological innovation — product, process or technology, new or a significant improvement of an existing one — that required or requires research and development effort and shows a determinant advantage over existing solutions nationally or internationally.
• The technology must be in the pre-commercialization phase at TRL 7-9. Any technology that has already won a tender or contract, or that is commercialized, is not eligible.
• The project must carry a technological and/or business risk or uncertainty, and demonstrate commercial potential.
• Maximum project duration is 18 months, including a maximum of 12 months of technology evaluation from the date the required authorizations are obtained.
• The project must be developed in collaboration with one of the RÉIS expert evaluation teams, or with an MSSS-designated HUB (in which case the MSSS Bureau de l'Innovation must first validate the innovation's relevance and prioritization).
• Projects requiring integration of the technology into IT systems will be tested first in private healthcare settings.
• The project must comply with the requirements of Quebec's Law 25 (privacy).
• MEDTEQ+'s contribution cannot exceed 50% of the total eligible project cost, and the private contribution must represent a minimum of 25% of total eligible expenses.
• Combined aid from all levels of government (municipal, provincial, federal) cannot exceed 75% of total eligible expenses.
• MEDTEQ+'s contribution cannot be combined with financial aid from another Ministère de l'Économie, de l'Innovation et de l'Énergie program, including Fonds du développement économique programs such as Impulsion PME and the Innovation program.
• Expenses incurred before the final submission deadline are not eligible.
• Accompaniment by a MEDTEQ+ innovation integration officer is required for an application to be accepted.
• Technologies meeting one of the four published priority needs are prioritized: access to primary care; the patient's journey from admission to home follow-up; automation of tasks, processes and image analysis; robotic surgery.