Grant
Federal
Active
Mitacs Business Strategy Internship (BSI)
Mitacs
Maximum Funding
$10,000 Mitacs contribution per internship (standard; company...
Ongoing — rolling applications year-round
Difficulty
Easy
Payment
Advance Payment
Trend
Stable
First-Timers
Friendly ✓
Co-Funding
50%
Mitacs Business Strategy Internship (BSI) provides up to $10,000 Mitacs contribution per internship (standard; company contributes $5,000); or $15,000 model (company contributes $7,500; up to $5,000 for project costs). Pairs businesses with MBA and business graduate interns for 4-6 month strategic projects. The program covers up to 50% of eligible costs. Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis.
Approval odds: ~40% (GrantCompass analysis)
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Eligibility & Details
What this program funds and who can apply
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Program Description
Pairs businesses with MBA and business graduate interns for 4-6 month strategic projects. Mitacs covers 50% of the $10,000-$15,000 intern stipend. Projects focus on market analysis, business development, competitive intelligence, and growth strategy — more business-oriented than Mitacs Accelerate (ID 38).
Eligibility Requirements
- Canadian business, non-profit, or public-sector organization
- Must define a strategic business project for the intern
- Intern must be enrolled in an MBA or business graduate program at a Canadian institution
- Company contributes 50% of intern stipend ($5,000-$7,500)
- The intern cannot own, work for, or influence the daily operations of your organization, and cannot be a close family member or intimate partner of the academic supervisor or one of your employees
- Must be able to pay the $5,000 or $7,500 contribution at submission: Mitacs invoices the partner organization when the proposal is submitted
Provinces
Industries
Business Stage
Quick Assessment
Difficulty
Easy
Competition
Low
First-Timer
Friendly
Funding Details
- Amount
- $10,000 Mitacs contribution per internship (standard; company contributes $5,000); or $15,000 model (company contributes $7,500; up to $5,000 for project costs)
- Type
- Grant
- Level
- Federal
- Co-Funding
- Up to 50% of eligible costs
- Deadline
- Ongoing — rolling applications year-round
Program Scorecard
Competition, effort, and approval at a glance
Competition
Low
Deadline
Ongoing
Approval
Good
Approval Rate
~40%
Accessibility
--/5
Competition
--/5
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How to Win
Insider tips, common pitfalls, and what successful applicants look like
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Insider TipThis is the easiest Mitacs program to access — no academic partner needed (Mitacs handles matching).
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Success Profile
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Evaluation Criteria
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The pitfalls, the checklist and the reviewer notes are in the Playbook below. See what it includes ↓
What's in this Playbook
Everything you need to win BSI
Not a marketing summary. The actual checklist, intel, and stack strategy reviewers look for.
- 4-document checklist with what each reviewer is actually checking
- Your Application Game Plan — the print-ready PDF the preview below describes
- 8-step application timeline with prep hours per step
- Insider tip from program officers on what separates winners
- 3-program stacking strategy to combine with compatible funding
- Success profile + evaluation criteria — exactly what reviewers score on
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Application Playbook
Step-by-step process, required documents, and expenses
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8 steps
4 docs
Application Steps
1
Contact Mitacs Advisor Reach out to your regional Mitacs Business Development team to discuss your business strategy project idea and confirm eligibility.
Required Documents 4
✓ Online application via Mitacs portal
✓ Project description for the intern
Eligible Expenses 5
Ineligible Expenses 5
Intake Periods
Deadline Notes
Ineligible Organizations
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Funding Stack Strategy
Compatible programs, clawback risk, and combined funding potential
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3 partners
Compatible Programs
Combined Funding Potential
See your total funding potential
Clawback Risk
Low Risk
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How BSI Compares
Side-by-side with similar programs
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| Program | Amount | Difficulty | Payment | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mitacs Business Strategy Internship (... | up to $5,000 | Easy | Advance Payment | Ongoing — rolling... |
| NRC IRAP Clean Technology Program | $100,000–$500,000 | Hard | Mixed (Advance + Reimb.) | Ongoing |
| CanExport SMEs | Up to $50,000 | Moderate | Mixed (Advance + Reimb.) | Between intakes — the... |
| Mitacs Accelerate | $15,000 per internship unit | Easy | Advance Payment | Ongoing |
Related Programs
Other programs you might be eligible for
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Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the questions founders most often ask about BSI
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Can sole proprietors apply?
Yes, sole proprietors qualify as long as they define a strategic business project and contribute 50% of the stipend ($5K-$7.5K). No incorporation required.
What's the typical award amount?
$5,000-$7,500 (50% of the $10K-$15K total intern cost). The business pays the other 50% — no additional matching required beyond that.
How long does approval take?
Rolling intake — applications reviewed within 2-4 weeks after submission. Contact your regional Mitacs team for faster processing.
Why do applications get rejected?
Projects described as administrative (e.g., 'help with social media') instead of strategic (e.g., 'develop export strategy for EU market').
Can I stack this with IRAP?
Yes, if the BSI project has an R&D component (e.g., intern analyzing new tech market viability). IRAP covers technical costs while BSI covers business strategy.
Does Mitacs ask about AI use in a BSI proposal?
Yes. The proposal template has a declaration confirming you have read Mitacs' Policy on the Use of Artificial Intelligence in Proposal Development and Review. Read that policy before you submit anything drafted with an AI tool.
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Full Playbook: BSI
8 steps · 4 docs · reviewer insights