REGI — Regional Innovation Ecosystems (ACOA)

Insider Tip

The REGI RIE stream is explicitly designed for ecosystem enablers — not the individual businesses they support. Your application must demonstrate how your organization builds the broader Atlantic innovation ecosystem, not how it grows your own operations. Lead with measurable ecosystem outputs: number of startups supported, companies scaled, mentorship hours delivered, jobs created or retained. Pre-consult with your regional ACOA office before applying — officers can confirm your project fits the RIE (not BSP) stream and flag any gaps before formal submission.

Rejection Pitfalls 7

• Applicant is a for-profit company (not eligible under the RIE stream)
• Project primarily benefits the applicant's own operations rather than the broader ecosystem
• Weak or unquantified performance measurement framework

Success Profile

An established Atlantic Canadian not-for-profit — a recognized accelerator, incubator, or industry cluster organization — with a track record of delivering business-support programming, strong governance, and a clear project that measurably expands regional innovation capacity. Organizations with multi-year programming plans and demonstrated ecosystem impact are most competitive.

Evaluation Criteria

ACOA evaluates RIE applications on: (1) alignment with REGI program priorities (ecosystem capacity, underrepresented entrepreneurs, regional competitiveness); (2) organizational capacity and governance; (3) project quality, feasibility, and defined outcomes; (4) value for money and leveraging of other resources; (5) sustainability and legacy beyond the funding period. No formal scoring rubric is published — each application is assessed by a project officer in consultation with the ACOA regional office.

Application Steps

Required Documents 8

Eligible Expenses 8

• Salaries, wages, and benefits for project staff directly engaged in funded activities
• Contracted services from arm's-length third-party providers
• Travel and accommodation costs related to project activities
• Capital assets required to deliver the project (subject to ACOA approval)
• Marketing and communications costs for ecosystem programming
• Event and programming delivery costs (workshops, pitch competitions, mentorship sessions)
• Technology and software tools directly supporting program delivery
• Non-rebatable HST

Ineligible Expenses 7

• Costs incurred before ACOA approval of the contribution agreement
• Core operational overhead not directly attributable to the funded project
• Fundraising or political activities
• For-profit business expansion activities
• Land acquisition or construction of buildings
• Repayable debt financing costs
• Activities that duplicate services already funded in the region

Intake Periods

Continuous intake — no formal intake windows. Applications accepted year-round. Contact ACOA to confirm budget availability before applying.

Deadline Notes

Continuous intake under ACOA's REGI program. No set intake windows — applications reviewed on a rolling basis. Contact your nearest ACOA office to discuss eligibility and timing before submitting. Budget is demand-driven and may be limited in a given fiscal year.

Open Application Portal →

Ineligible Organizations

• For-profit companies (must use REGI Business Scale-up & Productivity stream)
• Federal government departments and agencies
• Individuals
• Organizations without legal NPO status in Canada

Compatible Programs

Clawback Risk

Medium Risk

Standard federal contribution agreement clawback provisions apply. Risk triggers: project not completed as approved, eligible expenses not supported by documentation, misuse of funds, project cancellation, or failure to meet reporting obligations. ACOA may require repayment of advances for unspent amounts or unverified claims.