APPLICATION DEADLINES: SEE ALBERTA INNOVATES – TECHNOLOGY FUTURES WEBSITE
Please use the following instructions and the attached documents when submitting an Alberta Ingenuity Industry Commercialization Associates application.
PERSONAL DATA FORM
· Submit ORIGINAL with all required signatures.
INDUSTRY COMMERCIALIZATION ASSOCIATES APPLICATION FORM
· Submit one ORIGINAL hard copy and a digital version of the application form (MS Word format) on a clearly labelled CD, CD/DVD or flash drive (memory stick).
· Provide an electronic copy of your company logo on the portable storage in .eps or .ai (vector) format.
· Attach a copy of the candidate’s resume to the original copy of application (two pages maximum plus cover letter if applicable).
· Provide two letters of reference with the original copy of application or have them sent directly to the Alberta Innovates - Technology Futures office. Alberta Innovates - Technology Futures reserves the right to contact any referee at their discretion.
· Provide all other documents requested to support the statements in the application form.
ASSEMBLING THE APPLICATION
Submit your application in the following order - DO NOT STAPLE – DO NOT DOUBLE-SIDE:
o Personal Data Form
o Industry Commercialization Associates Application
o Keep all sections in order. Where applicable, text fields will expand to allow additional pages to be typed, or cut and pasted into the appropriate boxes
o Resume (2 pages + cover maximum)
o Letters of Reference
o Additional documentation where applicable
o Confirmation of Collaboration Letter if applicable (1 page maximum)
Application Submission
/ /Applications are to be submitted through a sponsoring organization and not independently by the candidate. It is the responsibility of the sponsoring company and the candidate to ensure that the application is complete.
Format / All information must be typed using a font size comparable to that embedded in the application form. Handwritten applications will not be accepted. The maximum number of pages allowed is indicated in the appropriate sections of the application form. Pages in excess of the number permitted will be removed. Print on one side of the paper only. Failure to comply with these standards may result in the rejection of a proposal or may put the application at a disadvantage in the review process.Completeness of Application and Submission of Attachments / It is the responsibility of the company and candidate to ensure that the application is complete and received by Alberta Innovates - Technology Futures on or before the deadline. No supplemental information may be provided after the deadline. Incomplete applications (including those lacking any of the required signatures) will not be considered.
Resume and letters of reference can be:
· Included with the candidate’s submission of forms, OR
· Sent/emailed directly to Alberta Innovates - Technology Futures office. However, it remains the candidate’s responsibility to ensure that letters of reference are received by the deadline.
Additional supporting documents must be included with the application.
Résumé/CV / / Candidates must submit a two-page (maximum) copy of their resume. A one-page cover letter (optional) may also be submitted highlighting the candidate’s relevant experience and suitability.
Candidate’s Letters of Reference / Candidates must submit two (two-page maximum) letters of reference. The referees must be independent and free from any relationship to the application.
These letters should be written on company letterhead which includes the contact information of the referee. They should highlight the candidate’s strengths as they relate to suitability for/experience in business commercialization i.e.: demonstrated skills, judgment, critical skills, interpersonal skills, team player, intellectual and motivational capacity, etc. Specific examples of some of these qualities will be helpful for reviewers.
Additional Supporting Documents / As appropriate, additional documents may be requested to support the selected statements in the self-assessment section of the application form. These may include: project schedule (simple bar or Gantt chart), brief commercialization / business plan (with reasonable level of detail), case study, customers’ letter of intent, or expressions of interest. In most cases, these can be copied directly into the forms box.
Review Process / A
The Technology / B
The Candidate / C
The Impact
1 / The Project / Business Experience / Company Growth
2 / Technical Capability / Suitability / Economic Impact
3 / Technology Vision / Letters of Reference / Financial Considerations
4 / Business Acumen Gap
Alberta Innovates - Technology Futures uses an evaluation tool, ProGrid®, in the review of the Industry Associates applications. ProGrid® is an evaluation-modeling methodology that helps the reviewers optimize the evaluation of applications in a consistent manner and enables an appropriate discrimination between ‘outstanding’, ‘excellent’, ‘very good’ and ‘good’ applications. The methodology uses a matrix of performance criteria and a set of calibrated performance levels called Language LaddersTM, or metrics, for each criterion. The ProGrid® Evaluation Matrix is shown above.
Copies of the metrics for each criterion can be accessed on the Alberta Innovates - Technology Futures website.
Application Outcome / Information on the outcome of the application will be mailed to the sponsoring organization and candidate at the addresses provided 6 to 8 weeks after the competition deadline. Information on the outcome will not be provided over the telephone or email.
Re-Application Procedure / In the case of an unsuccessful application, a company may reapply with the appropriate changes to the original application no more than one time. A cover letter addressing the changes that have been made to the original application must be attached to the re-application, and the new information within the application must be manually highlighted on the hard copy.
If a second application is still unsuccessful, Alberta Innovates – Technology Futures will not accept further submissions of the same proposal (same project and same candidate). If the company wishes to apply in future competitions, they are required to submit a completely different proposal with a new applicant and/or new project.
Commercialization Associates Application Instructions 2010 - 04 Page 3
Alberta Innovates - Technology Futures is regulated by the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIPP) of Alberta. The information on this application form will be for internal use ONLY and will not be communicated in any way to anyone outside of Alberta Innovates - Technology Futures.
Company NameCandidate Name:
Surname / First Name / Middle Initial(s)
Birthdate: yyyy -mm -dd / Gender: Male Female
Citizen of: / If not citizen of Canada, immigration status in Canada: (check one)
Permanent Resident Work Visa
Complete mailing address: (Application outcome will be sent to this address.) Changes to any of the information below must be sent to .
Office:
Fax: / Res:
Email address:
Candidate’s Manager/Supervisor / Title/Position:
Complete Company mailing address: (Application outcome will be sent to this address.) Changes to any of the information below must be sent to .
Office:
Fax:
Email address:
Financial/Company Contact (if different than above ) / Position:
Complete mailing address (if different than above)
Office:
Fax:
Email address:
Signatures (The undersigned agree to, and accept, the general conditions governing any award made pursuant to the sponsorship of this application, as set out in the Alberta Innovates - Technology Futures Guidelines for Industry Commercialization Associates available at www.albertainnovates.ca.)
Signatures / Printed Name / DateCandidate: / yyyy -mm -dd
Candidate’s Supervisor : / yyyy -mm -dd
Financial/Company Contact: / yyyy -mm -dd
Commercialization Application Personal Data Form 2010-04
PART 1: GENERAL INFORMATION Date of Application: yyyy -mm -dd
Has the candidate ever applied to Alberta Ingenuity Programs before? Yes No
If yes, to what program: How many times?
Has this company applied before? Yes No
How many times?
Has the company applied under a different name? Yes No
If yes, what name?
1-1 / COMPANY NAME1-2 / PROPOSED POSITION TITLE
1-3 / CANDIDATE
Surname / First Name / Middle Initial(s)
Candidate’s degree(s) with completion date & Accredited Institution (field will expand) :
Does the candidate currently hold the described position? Yes No
Start date (actual or proposed) of candidate’s employment yyyy -mm -dd
1-4 / CANDIDATE’S SUPERVISOR/MANAGER
Surname / First Name & Middle Initial(s) / Position
1-5 / APPLICATION OVERVIEW
Provide a brief non-confidential overview of the contents of this application. Include a statement describing the company, its mandate, the products/processes being commercialized, the gap being filled by the candidate, and why the candidate is suitable for the proposed position. (500 characters, approximately ¼ page)
1-6 / GENERAL COMPANY INFORMATION
Company address / Website address
Name all products currently sold and/or services provided. Be specific. (500 characters maximum)
Alberta Ownership % / Incorporation Date
yyyy -mm / Location of Incorporation
Canada Alberta / Number of employees* in Alberta
FTE PTE
*T4 salaried employees
Primary Research Sector (If more than 1 is selected, only the top selection will be accepted)
Information & Communication Technology
Life Sciences (Agriculture, Forestry, Biotech, etc.)
Nanotechnology
Energy
Engineering/Environmental Technology
Other: Define:
Company Size (See Program Guide for definitions of company size): Start Up or SME
Company Type (See Program Guide for definition of company types):
A parent/stand-alone company?
A subsidiary of? (Specify)
A University spin-off? University name
1-7 / Source of Support Table (Past and Present)
Category / Cash Sources / Sub Total
Gov’t funding / $
Shareholder’s investment / $
Angel and/or venture capital investment / $
Total Cash Sources / $ 0
Total annual sales:
Previous Year: $
Current Year: $ / Net income: (Total Sales less cost of goods sold & operating costs)
Previous Year: $
Current Year: $
1-8 / CASH SOURCES (Including Sales)
List all funding at all levels; (federal, provincial, private, etc.). Describe type, amount, and period of support for each. Include amounts from sales to date and describe the product/process sold. (2000 characters maximum, approximately ½ page)
1-9 / RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES
Does your organization have an R&D department? Yes No
If not, does it undertake R&D within the organization’s premises? Yes No
Number of R&D staff* in Alberta (Full-time employees)
Total: / Ph.D.’s: / Master’s: / Bachelor’s:
Number of R&D staff* in Alberta (Part-time employees/contract personnel)
Total: / Ph.D.’s: / Master’s: / Bachelor’s:
*T4 salaried employees
Annual R&D expenditures
Previous Year $ / Current Year $ / Next Year $
1-10 / COMPANY BUSINESS MODEL
Briefly discuss the company business model. Include a description of the facilities, funding sources (i.e. research grants, angel investments, shareholders, etc.) and affiliations with research development networks and business networks/partnerships. (4000 characters, approximately 1 page)
PART 2 - APPLICATION
A: THE TECHNOLOGY
A-1 / THE PROJECTPlease check the statement with which the project completely complies.
The project is what the candidate will be working on for the duration of the award and includes a description and the status of the technology to be commercialized. The technology should be ready to go within a reasonable period of time based on the sector. Please specify this time frame and provide justification below.
A) Prospective customers, partners or investors have not been contacted/prototype or comparable technology embodiment does not exist.
B) The prototype has gone to several potential customers, partners or investors with mixed reviews.
C) Potential customers, partners or investors have shown interest in the prototype but have not committed.
D) Firm orders have been received from several customers.
Please write a paragraph justifying the statement you selected. If answering B, C, or D, name the potential/existing customers. (1000 characters, approximately ¼ page)
MILESTONES Clearly identify milestones, starting dates and planned completion dates. These should be the candidate’s milestones as they relate to the technology being commercialized.
Milestones / Starting Date / Completion Date
yyyy -mm -dd / yyyy -mm -dd
yyyy -mm -dd / yyyy -mm -dd
yyyy -mm -dd / yyyy -mm -dd
yyyy -mm -dd / yyyy -mm -dd
yyyy -mm -dd / yyyy -mm -dd
yyyy -mm -dd / yyyy -mm -dd
yyyy -mm -dd / yyyy -mm -dd
yyyy -mm -dd / yyyy -mm -dd
yyyy -mm -dd / yyyy -mm -dd
A-2 / THE TECHNICAL CAPABILITY
Please check the statement that best describes the r&D capacity/technical portfolio of the company, its people and facilities. The company:
A) has the innovative capacity to develop a technology product.
B) has developed a technology product…
C) …AND has brought a technology product to market.
D) has demonstrated the sustainable delivery of other technology product(s) to the market.
Please write a paragraph justifying the statement you selected. (4000 characters, approximately 1 page)
If C or D is chosen, it is essential that examples of the technology product(s) delivered to market be listed.
A-3 / THE TECHNOLOGY VISION
Please check the statement that best describes where the company sees the technology going into the market place, the market sector and the plan to commercialize. The company:
A) Has not developed a commercialization plan
B) Has a preliminary commercialization plan
C) Has a clear vision for the technology product and the market segment and size …
D) ... AND a viable commercialization/business plan to deliver the technology product to the market
Please write a paragraph justifying the statement you selected.
If C is chosen, provide a written summary that clearly demonstrates an understanding of the market.
If D is chosen, it is essential that an executive summary of the commercialization or business plan be provided. (12,000 characters maximum, approximately 3 pages)
A-4 / BUSINESS ACUMEN
Please check the statement that best describes the company’s business gaps and business strengths and weaknesses, including management capacity, marketing, sales, business development, risk management, communications, customer relations, global connectivity and market entry capacity. The company:
A) Has a successful track record of bringing technology product(s) to market
B) Has demonstrated gaps in one of the above listed attributes
C) Has a significant gap in more than one of the above listed attributes
D) Does not have staff with a business track record
Please write a paragraph justifying the statement you selected.
For C or D statement: If the gap was established from a SWOT (Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) analysis, business plan development or assistance by a third party, please provide supporting material. (12,000 characters maximum, approximately 3 pages)
B: THE CANDIDATE