Welcome to OCIP for Businesses

The Ontario Collaborative Innovation Platform (OCIP) connects Ontario companies with expert researchers at Ontario’s postsecondary institutions to help businesses innovate and get to market more quickly and confidently.

Register Your Business

Generating Value for Businesses

eCampusOntario understands the importance of an educated workforce, innovation, time to market and stable funding partnerships to business and organization success. OCIP helps businesses and organizations bring new innovations and products to market by linking to academic researchers with relevant expertise. Businesses and organizations also receive access to direct funding opportunities and tax credits.

Any business and organization operating in Ontario with a current business number may apply to participate in OCIP. Other organizations such as municipalities, non-profits or other entities that are not strictly businesses may also be eligible.

The OCIP platform approach:

Reduces the risk of innovation for businesses and organizations.
Provides businesses and organizations with a low-cost feasibility and scope assessment of their proposed development.
Opens access to non-repayable grants.
Speeds time to market.
Protects intellectual property.
Helps open access to the research and development expertise in Ontario’s colleges, universities and Indigenous Institutes.

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OCIP and SMEs: Leveling the R&D playing field

Small and medium-sized enterprises, or SMEs, (those with fewer than 500 employees) account for the vast majority of Ontario’s businesses and organizations. Yet, a 2023 Statistics Canada study found that only 2% of Canadian businesses invest in R&D. Canadian businesses face challenges with accessing research expertise, understanding the resources needed and having the financial ability to investment in innovation.

OCIP helps level the playing field, providing SMEs economic opportunities through a platform that links them to the expertise, resources and funding they need to evolve and grow.

How OCIP Works

START

Business/Organization

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Register on OCIP

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Submit an Innovation Challenge

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Get matched with a research expert

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Submit fees*

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Get matched with funding programs

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Explore potential collaboration on the full project with HEI

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From start to finish, OCIP provides support for both business/organization and HEI

Higher Education Institution (HEI)

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Submit HEI registration form

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Work with your affiliated institution to complete expert profile

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Get matched with an Innovation Challenge

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Provide a Scope of Work (SoW) for Innovation Challenge

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Your affiliated institution receives the scoping fee*

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Explore potential collaboration on the full project with business

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Start the project

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Complete the project

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Protect your intellectual property (IP), If applicable

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Apply for SR&ED tax credits, If applicable

END

*Scoping fee of $2500 (plus applicable HST + $250 admin fees)

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Example: H.G. Electric’s OCIP Journey:

H.G Electric is an Ontario business specializing in the manufacture of modular electric vehicle chassis, drivetrains and components. They are looking to retool their lithium battery production line to use a superior chemical technology. H.G Electric has in-house capacity to manufacture at scale, but requires expertise in battery chemistry, electrical engineering and environmental testing. They are also looking for funding to help underwrite the research investment needed.

H.G Electric registers on the OCIP platform and creates a business profile.
H.G submits an Innovation Challenge – think of it as a project proposal – that outlines their needs.
OCIP matches the Innovation Challenge to researchers and facility leads at an Ontario university with expertise in battery chemistry and electrical engineering.
The university’s researchers in battery chemistry and electrical engineering assess the Innovation Challenge submitted and provide their perspective on the feasibility and the work required, including budget, time and resources. The cost of this full scope and assessment to H.G Electric is $2500 (plus HST and admin fees).
Based on the scope outcomes, the H.G. Electric and the research team apply to the Electric Vehicle Research Grant, a funding program that can provide financial support for the proposed work.
With a feasible plan and funding in place, the Innovation Challenge becomes a project, and research and development (R&D) can begin.
When the project is complete, H.G Electric has the new manufacturing process that they require to produce higher performance batteries at a lower cost, significantly increasing their global competitiveness.

*All organizational or institutional names are fictitious. No identification with actual businesses or academic institutions is intended or should be inferred.

OCIP and eCampusOntario

OCIP is a product of eCampusOntario, a provincially-funded non-profit organization that supports Ontario’s higher education institutions. We support digital transformation and encourage innovation, collaboration and education partnerships to connect Ontario’s campuses to the future of learning and innovation. 

eCampusOntario is a not-for-profit centre of excellence and global leader in the evolution of teaching and learning through technology.

OCIP is made possible with funding from the Ontario Ministry of Colleges and Universities.

Register on OCIP

If you are an Ontario business/organization, you can register for OCIP at no cost. Note that you must provide a valid CRA Business Number (BN) to register.

Submit an Innovation Challenge

Once you have successfully completed your registration, you can submit an Innovation Challenge.

What is an Innovation Challenge?

An Innovation Challenge is a comprehensive project proposal issued by a business/organization, outlining the scope of the challenge they are currently facing. You will be asked to provide details about project costs, timelines, resources, and business value.

Get matched with a research expert

Once you receive approval for your Innovation Challenge, OCIP will work to identify relevant HEI experts/researchers willing to scope it. The more comprehensive your Innovation Challenge is, the higher the quality matches for HEI experts/researchers.

Submit fees*

The HEI expert/researcher will begin preparing the Scope of Work (SoW) and will have a maximum of 30 calendar days to complete this work.

What is the SoW?

The SoW provides the HEI expert/researcher’s perspective on the resources required to undertake the full project.

*Please note: A fee of $2500 (plus applicable HST and a $250 admin fee) is required for an identified HEI expert/researcher to complete the SoW. Additionally, please be aware that certain programs or initiatives may impact the cost of service.

Get matched with funding programs

Once the SoW is successfully completed, the OCIP team will create a Project Proposal that best matches your organization’s criteria for scaling and undertaking the full project. 

What is a Project Proposal?

A Project Proposal encompassess the full Scope of Work, along with the recommended facilities and funding programs that best align with your specific Innovation Challenge needs.

Explore potential collaboration on the full project with HEI

At this stage, your business/organization, and HEI can collectively decide whether you both wish to move forward together and formally initiate the full project.

Submit HEI user registration form

If you are from a HEI, you can register on the platform at no cost. To register, please complete the  HEI User Registration Form. Please note that if you register as a HEI expert/researcher, you will need to provide at least one primary SR&ED code that best reflects your expertise. Learn more about SR&ED.

Work with your affiliated Institution to complete expert profile

If you are a HEI expert/researcher, you will collaborate with your assigned HEI administrator to complete your expert profile.

Get matched with an Innovation Challenge

The more comprehensive your HEI expert/researcher profile is, the higher the quality matches you will receive for Innovation Challenges.

What is an Innovation Challenge?

An Innovation Challenge is a comprehensive project proposal issued by a business/organization, outlining the specific scope of the challenge they are currently facing.

Provide a Scope of Work (SoW) for Innovation Challenge

What is the SoW?

The SoW outlines your (expert/researcher) perspective on the resources needed to undertake the entire project for an Innovation Challenge submitted by a business/organization.

Once you have been matched and awarded the SoW, you can commence preparing the SoW and will have a maximum of 30 calendar days to complete this task.

Affiliated Institution receives the scoping fee*

Upon successful completion of the SoW, payment for your work will be issued to your affiliated institution.

*Please note: A fee of $2500 (plus applicable HST and a $250 admin fee) is required for an identified HEI expert/researcher to complete the SoW. Additionally, please be aware that certain programs or initiatives may impact the cost of service. The allocation of payments is at the discretion of your HEI.

Explore potential collaboration on the full project with business/organization

At this stage, you as the HEI expert/researcher and the business/organization can collectively decide whether you both wish to move forward together and formally initiate the full project.