Award
Provincial
Between Intakes
Saskatchewan Innovation Challenge 2026 — Aquatic Invasive Species
Innovation Saskatchewan / Ministry of Environment
Prize
$30,000 grant plus a 16-week residency (minimum)
Between intakes — the Expression of Interest submission date has passed and a...
Difficulty
Easy
Payment
Milestone-Based
Trend
Stable
First-Timers
Friendly ✓
Saskatchewan Innovation Challenge 2026 — Aquatic Invasive Species provides up to $30,000 grant plus a 16-week residency (minimum). Offers a $30,000 grant plus a minimum 16-week residency to Saskatchewan-based researchers, tech companies, students, and entrepreneurs developing early-stage solutions to prevent aquatic invasive species, especially zebra mussels, from entering provincial waters. Between intakes — the Expression of Interest submission date has passed and applications are closed..
Eligibility check
Could you win this award?
Get your instant eligibility verdict plus a head start on the application. Free, no account needed.
We use this program’s real eligibility rules. 4 short questions follow.
Want your full match picture across 850+ programs? Take the 2-minute quiz →
Eligibility & Details
What this program funds and who can apply
Free
Program Description
Offers a $30,000 grant plus a minimum 16-week residency to Saskatchewan-based researchers, tech companies, students, and entrepreneurs developing early-stage solutions to prevent aquatic invasive species, especially zebra mussels, from entering provincial waters.
Eligibility Requirements
- Saskatchewan-based startups
- Students enrolled in a Saskatchewan post-secondary institution
- Researchers or entrepreneurs who are residents of Saskatchewan
- Early-stage ideas are welcome; a fully developed solution is not required
- Location test — either be based in Saskatchewan (Saskatchewan head office, registered to do business in the province, or at least 50 per cent of employees residing in Saskatchewan) OR be a registered student or faculty member at a Saskatchewan post-secondary institution
- Companies and startups must generate less than $2 million in annual recurring revenue
- The solution must be at or approaching a minimum Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 3 and demonstrate clear potential for real-world application
- The team must have the technical expertise and capacity to develop and deliver the proposed solution
- The winner must commit full-time to the 16-week residency period
Provinces
Industries
Business Stage
Quick Assessment
Difficulty
Easy
Competition
Moderate
First-Timer
Friendly
Funding Details
- Amount
- $30,000 grant plus a 16-week residency (minimum)
- Type
- Award
- Level
- Provincial
- Deadline
- Between intakes — the Expression of Interest submission date has passed and applications are closed.
Program Scorecard
Competition, effort, and approval at a glance
Competition
Moderate
Deadline
Between Intakes
Approval
Varies
Accessibility
--/5
Competition
--/5
Approval Rate
--%
Premium
See your real odds on this program — and exactly what it takes to win it.
How to Win
Insider tips, common pitfalls, and what successful applicants look like
Premium
Insider TipAttend a virtual information session (Jul.
Premium
See what trips up most applicants for this program — and how to avoid it.
Evaluation Criteria
Premium
See exactly what reviewers score on — so you know where to focus.
Premium
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 Saskatchewan Innovation Challenge 2026 — A...
Not a marketing summary. The actual checklist, intel, and stack strategy reviewers look for.
- 6-document checklist with what each reviewer is actually checking
- Your Application Game Plan — the print-ready PDF the preview below describes
- 6-step application timeline with prep hours per step
- Insider tip from program officers on what separates winners
- Success profile + evaluation criteria — exactly what reviewers score on
Premium covers every program, plus the workspace that walks you through each application.
Application Playbook
Step-by-step process, required documents, and expenses
Premium
6 steps
6 docs
Application Steps
1
Review the Program Guide and confirm eligibility Read the 2026 Innovation Challenge Program Guide to understand the challenge parameters and check you meet all criteria — Saskatchewan location (or SK post-secondary student/faculty status), under $2M annual recurring revenue, and a solution at or approaching TRL 3.
Required Documents 6
✓ Completed Expression of Interest form (PDF) emailed to [email protected]
✓ Solution Overview — up to 300 words on what the solution is, how it works, where it would be used and the expected impact
Deadline Notes
Ineligible 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
Stacking partner data not yet available.
Combined Funding Potential
See your total funding potential
Premium
See which programs combine with this one — and how much more you could get.
How Saskatchewan Innovation Challenge 2026 — A... Compares
Side-by-side with similar programs
Free
| Program | Amount | Difficulty | Payment | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saskatchewan Innovation Challenge 202... | $30,000 grant plus a 16-week residency | Easy | Milestone-Based | Between intakes — the... |
| Innovative Solutions Canada | up to $150,000 | Hard | Milestone-Based | Challenge-specific — new... |
| Ocean Supercluster | Up to $5 million | Hard | Reimbursement | Continuous intake (Core... |
| Digital Technology Supercluster | Up to $5 million | Hard | Reimbursement | Open — Call for... |
| Ontario Innovation Tax Credit | Up to 8% tax credit | Moderate | Tax Credit Offset | Ongoing |
Related Programs
Other programs you might be eligible for
Free
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the questions founders most often ask about Saskatchewan Innovation Challenge 2026 — A...
Free
When do Expressions of Interest close?
August 14, 2026. Shortlisted candidates are notified in August 2026, the Solution Day pitch competition and winner announcement happen in September 2026, the residency runs in Fall 2026, and the final product demo day is in Winter 2026/27.
Does my technology have to be finished to apply?
No. Submissions do not need to be fully developed or market-ready, but the solution must be at or approaching Technology Readiness Level 3 and show clear potential for real-world application.
Is there a revenue cap?
Yes. Companies and startups must generate less than $2 million in annual recurring revenue. You also need a Saskatchewan head office, registration to do business in the province, or at least 50 per cent of employees residing in Saskatchewan — or be a registered student or faculty member at a Saskatchewan post-secondary institution.
Who owns the intellectual property?
You do. Participants retain ownership of their IP and full commercialization rights. You are responsible for entering into any required agreements with project partners, and confidentiality agreements are signed before data is shared.
What can the $30,000 be spent on?
Salaries for research, development and technical personnel, plus IP, technology transfer and commercialization costs. Equipment purchases, land or buildings, non-technical staff salaries, consultant billable hours, membership fees, business development, and hospitality are all ineligible.
Browse More Funding
Full Playbook: Saskatchewan Innovation Challenge 2026 — A...
6 steps · 6 docs · reviewer insights