Multimedia Experimentation Fund

A joint initiative between Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions (CED) and the Alliance numériQC, this program offers pre-startup support for entrepreneurs with multimedia projects including financial assistance, networking, access to computer and telecommunications equipment, coaching and assistance in developing a business plan.

Eligibility Criteria

Projects eligible for the Multimedia Experimentation Fund must:

• be produced in Québec with the intention of being implemented in Québec;
• be viable - their potentials for autonomy, for continuity and for reasonable mid- and long-term profits must be demonstrated;
• incorporate technological innovation - this means that they must:
  • be produced within an experimental framework of development and include research and development activities
  • contribute to the promotion of the multimedia industry by proposing an innovative technological concept
  • demonstrate added value for the multimedia industry
• exceed local or regional limits and seek to acquire over the medium or long term clients situated outside of Québec;
• be capable of being produced within 12 months;
• be financed through private funding (investment by the backer or some other party, through sponsorship, through commercial revenues or through partnerships).

The project backer and his or her team must also demonstrate that they are capable of carrying out the project's pre-startup effort and of subsequently running the business. They must, in other words, be able to establish their business skills and their abilities to add on the necessary technological and administrative resources.

Eligible Area

Quebec

Eligible Activities

Examples of eligible projects

• development of leading-edge technologies that will contribute to the growth of the multimedia industry;
• development of multimedia projects (that include technological innovation) - a multimedia project is defined as one that:
  • incorporates different kinds of media (such as sound, image, text and video)
  • permits interactivity between users and applications
  • are disseminated on physical (optical disks) or virtual (Internet) media.

To be eligible, a project must pertain to the field of multimedia and include new electronic media associated with telecommunications and the e-business in whatever sector they apply, such as healthcare, entertainment or education.

The following kinds of projects are not eligible:

• those that are solely promotional in nature (corporate CD-ROMs or Web sites);
• content-based projects that do not include any element of technological innovation;
• projects based on the use of existing technologies;
• projects that directly compete with an existing product or service offered by a Québec-based company.

Summary

The Multimedia Experimentation Fund provides pre-startup support to technologically innovative projects in the multimedia field.

Multimedia Experimentation Fund assistance takes many forms:

• non-repayable financial assistance to cover a portion of a project's pre-startup costs (feasibility study, market study, business plan, prototype, search for funding, etc);
• repayable financial assistance covering the cost of coaching and support advisory services;
• networking with members of the multimedia industry in view of finding partners;
• management support in project planning, formulation of a financial plan and the search for funding.

Terms of funding and eligible costs

Assistance to technological innovation

The Multimedia Experimentation Fund can usually make a contribution of up to $50 000, or 50% of the project's pre-startup costs, whichever is less. Such assistance is provided on a one-time, non-recurring basis.

Eligible pre-startup costs may include such items as:

• salaries of team members essential to carrying out the pre-feasibility project;
• expenditures for equipment and fees associated with the design of a prototype, a demo or a model;
• expenditures associated with the acquisition of a patent, or a license or of rights;
• legal, accounting, notarial and other professional fees required to carry out the pre-startup project.

Other fees that the selection committee may deem to be eligible, reasonable and necessary to carrying out the project.

Coaching and support

Repayable financial assistance may be awarded as needed to cover the cost of coaching and support critical to a project's pre-startup phase. Such assistance may not exceed $25 000.

Total government assistance from all sources and including that provided by the Multimedia Experimentation Fund may not in any event exceed 75% of eligible costs.

The program favours projects resulting in the creation of new businesses, but also includes pre-startup projects for new products or services presented by existing SMEs. Companies must in all cases demonstrate that the requested financial assistance is necessary to carrying out the project.

For more information and how to apply contact Alliance numériQC or visit the Web site.

Quebec Contact(s):
Ms. Susan Harvey
Pre-startup Advisor
Alliance numériQC
Suite 300
Bell MediaSphere
335 de Maisonneuve Boulevard East
Montréal, Quebec  H2X 1K1
Telephone: 514-848-7177
Fax: 514-848-7133
E-mail: predemarrage@numeriqc.ca

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National Contact(s):
Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions
Suite 3800
800 Victoria Square
Tour de la Bourse
P.O. Box 247
Montréal, Quebec  H4Z 1E8
Telephone: 514-283-6412
Fax: 514-283-3302
Toll-free (information): 1-866-385-6412
Web site: http://www.dec-ced.gc.ca/asp/Apropos/BureauxAffaires.asp?LANG=EN