Learnsphere – Commercialization Consulting and Mentoring

The Commercialization Consulting and Mentoring (CCM) Program provides funds to assist Atlantic Canadian businesses and institutions in the final stages of commercialization. Businesses or institutions may use the funds to hire consultants or mentors to help them get a new and innovative product, technology or process to market. CCM funds can also be used to cover the cost of group learning activities for businesses on the verge of commercialization.

Learnsphere – E-tools for Exporting

LearnSphere’s E-tools for Exporting (E for E) provides financial assistance to help you develop and integrate electronic tools that can help you do business more effectively and get your products and services to international markets more efficiently. If you’ve been working on a recent marketing or business strategy that includes updating or improving your potential to export outside of Canada, you may be eligible for financial assistance. This program can help to hire a consultant or agency for activities such as:

Website development, re-design or rebranding
Responsive web design conversion (ensuring mobile-friendly design)
Integration of e-commerce functionality
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Paid advertising (PayPerClick, Google Adwords, etc.)
Social media strategy or integration
Videos, online catalogues and other online customized tools
Translation of website
Creation/design of language toggle
Training on any of the above

Learnsphere – Export Market Access Program

LearnSphere’s Export Market Access Program (EMAP) provides financial assistance to help you market yourself more effectively, increase your exports and grow your business. If you’re working to enhance the way you market and sell your exports outside of Canada, you may be eligible for financial assistance through EMAP to help hire a consultant, mentor or agency for activities such as:

Market research or strategy development
Export plan development
Mentoring / coaching to improve export market research and planning
Lead generation
Sales
Development of promotional materials (brochures, catalogues, trade booth designs, etc.)

The maximum EMAP contribution is 65% of project costs, up to a maximum of $15,000 per year. Total project costs must be more than $5,000 to apply.

LSI – Innovate to Opportunity Hiring Incentive

Apply for a wage subsidy to help cover part of the cost of hiring a full-time recent Masters or PhD graduate for 3 years to work on export growth innovations for your business. Eligible work includes:   Applied research Product and/or service development Process development or improvement Market analysis for a new product or activity Technical feasibility studies and pilots for market launches Improvement of product quality, customer services, business efficiencies   This program is available to small and medium-sized businesses with up to 500 full-time employees operating in Nova Scotia. To be eligible for the program, employers must create a new full-time position that:   is based in Nova Scotia is focused on innovation pays at least $60,000 a year   The new hire must have successfully completed a master’s or PhD program at a recognized university within a year of the date the employer’s application is received.

LSI – Workplace Innovation and Productivity Skills Incentive

WIPSI supplements employer contributions to train full-time staff (permanently located in Nova Scotia) to: Improve productivity and profitability Increase innovation Adapt to new technology, machinery and equipment, or work processes Increase inter-provincial and international competitiveness Foster workplace diversity If you are a small business in Nova Scotia with less than 50 employees, you may be eligible for up to 100% of your training costs to be covered up to $10,000. For larger businesses, WIPSI provides up to 50% of direct training costs. WIPSI may also cover other expenses such as travel, books for participants and accommodation costs for persons with disabilities.

LSI – Graduate to Opportunity Program

If you hire a recent post-graduate student for at least 2 years, and for a minimum pay of $35,000, you could receive a contribution covering up to 25% of their first year salary (35% for members of a designated diversity group), and 12.5% in the second year. The program is open to:   Businesses with less than 100 full-time employees Businesses incorporated in the last 2 years Social enterprises, not-for-profits, and registered charities with recognized standing

Mentoring

Gain valuable business advice, learn from the experience of a seasoned professional, enhance your business network and gain confidence from having someone in your corner.

Mitacs Accelerate Program

Learn how your business could receive specialized expertise by recruiting a graduate student or postdoctoral fellow to research your technology project for 4 or more months.   Why apply? Expand your R&D program for an investment of $7,500 Recruit highly-skilled future employees Drive your own research projects Start an internship at any time

Music Nova Scotia – Artist Development

The Artist Development component offers up to a 75% level of investment to a $4,000 maximum per applicant per deadline toward one year of artist development activities including sound recording, touring and showcasing, video production, marketing and promotion. These activities must be detailed in an Artist Development Plan, which will be submitted to Music Nova Scotia as a required element of the application. At the end of the Artist Development year, successful applicants are required to deliver to Music Nova Scotia one new, previously unreleased, professional quality sound recording, called the Delivery Track.

Music Nova Scotia – Business Development

The Business Development component provides up to a 50% level of investment to a $5,000 maximum per applicant per deadline for corporate development projects and other initiatives geared toward the marketing and promotion of the applicant company and its services.