Grow your company with a funded intern
Bring on a skilled student or recent graduate for an R&D or innovation project. Mitacs matches your contribution, and we help you find the right intern.
No commitment until your proposal is approved.
How the money works
Per 4-month internship unit
You contribute
$7,500
Mitacs award
$15,000
- $5,000 in research funds
- Intern paid through their school, not your payroll
100
internship units available
4 months
per unit, extendable
No
payroll for you to run
Program overview
Get the capacity to move an important project forward
There is always more to build than an early-stage company has time or capacity for.
Maybe you need someone to help develop a new product or feature. Maybe there is research you have been putting off, a process that needs improving, data that needs analyzing or a new idea your team needs the capacity to test.
This program helps founders bring skilled talent into their companies for focused four-month R&D and innovation projects while reducing the cost of doing it.
Through Mitacs funding, your contribution is matched to create a larger project award. WorkSource Alliance then helps you find an eligible candidate and supports you through the proposal process, while Mitacs arranges an academic supervisor with the university.
How it works
From idea to funded intern in four steps
- 1YouApplyTell us about your company and the project you have in mind.
- 2Tribe NetworkEligibility checkTribe confirms you’re eligible for the program.
- 3WorkSource AllianceMatch & proposalWe find your intern and help you write the Mitacs proposal. Mitacs arranges the academic supervisor with the university.
- 4MitacsDecision & startMitacs reviews the proposal, invoices your contribution, and your intern starts.
Project ideas
What could an intern work on?
Projects should have a meaningful research, development or innovation component. Depending on your company, that could include:
Product & Technology
- Product development
- Software or technical development
- Prototyping and testing
- AI and data projects
- Technical research
- Product improvement
Business & Market Innovation
- Market research
- Customer or industry research
- Marketing innovation
- New business models
- Commercialization research
- New market exploration
Operations & Process Innovation
- Process optimization
- Organizational innovation
- Data analysis
- Workflow improvement
- Internal systems
- Research that supports a strategic business decision
You do not need to arrive with a perfectly defined research proposal.
If there is an important project you want to move forward, start there. The team can help determine whether it fits and how to structure it.
Apply NowWho can apply?
Your company should:
- Be a member of Tribe Network (or ready to join)
- Be incorporated provincially or federally
- Be located in Atlantic Canada
- Be either for-profit or not-for-profit
- Have an R&D or innovation project that could benefit from additional talent
You do not need to already have an intern identified before applying.
Funding options
Mitacs doubles what you put in
Amounts are per 4-month internship unit.
Standard — with research funds
You contribute
$7,500
- Total award
- $15,000
- Minimum intern stipend
- $10,000
Includes $5,000 in research funds for the project.
Standard — stipend only
You contribute
$5,000
- Total award
- $10,000
- Minimum intern stipend
- $10,000
Covers the intern stipend with no extra research funds.
Postdoctoral fellow
You contribute
$10,000
- Total award
- $20,000
- Minimum intern stipend
- $15,000
New. Includes $5,000 in research funds.
Frequently asked questions
Is the intern on my payroll?
No. Mitacs invoices your company for its contribution and sends the full award to the intern’s school, which pays the intern. You don’t run payroll for them.
What kind of projects qualify?
Research & development, or innovation work such as product development, process optimization, marketing innovation or organizational innovation. If you’re not sure, apply anyway — we’ll help you shape it.
How long does an internship last?
Internships run in 4-month units. You can extend in 4-month steps depending on what the project needs and your budget.
Can I take on more than one intern?
Yes. A project can have one or more interns with different skills or levels of study.
Who finds the intern and the academic supervisor?
WorkSource Alliance connects you with an eligible student or recent graduate. The academic supervisor is arranged by Mitacs in coordination with the university.
Talk to a person
Ready to add capacity to your company?
Tell us what you’re building, what you need help moving forward and what kind of project you have in mind.
You don’t need to have the internship fully figured out.
Start with the business problem or opportunity.
We’ll help you determine what comes next.