2008-09 Program Summary
The Productivity and Innovation Voucher Pilot Program provided small and medium-sized businesses with vouchers, worth up to $15,000, to work collaboratively with publicly-funded institutions, such as universities and colleges.
A productivity and innovation voucher is a credit note that small and medium-sized enterprises can use to get the direct assistance they need to help make their businesses more innovative and productive. Businesses used the vouchers to get assistance in a number of areas, including applied research, engineering services, prototyping and field testing.
The voucher pilot program was the core initiative for utilizing the $1 million of 2008-09 provincial budget funding allocated to the Department of Economic and Rural Development, to boost private sector productivity and innovation.
A key objective of the program was to build stronger links between small- and medium-sized enterprises and publicly-funded institutions. Universities and colleges have the capacity, the programs and the highly qualified personnel that firms can use to enhance their operations.
The department enlisted all Nova Scotia universities and colleges to participate as program service providers. In addition, the Business Development Bank of Canada was included because of their expertise in delivering LEAN manufacturing and SR&ED tax credit advice.
Last year, the department received and reviewed 183 applications with input from program service provider organizations. Applications were received from across the province and were evenly split between businesses from rural and urban areas.
A total of 50 vouchers were awarded to firms from a variety of business sectors.The majority of the businesses that applied were involved in manufacturing. High-tech companies involving aerospace, ICT, biotechnology and bioinformatics, as well as more traditional industries such as farming, forestry and fishing were also represented.
The firms that received vouchers ranged in size from micro-businesses with less than five employees to medium-sized enterprises with 50 to 100 employees.
Some companies were at the early stage of developing a high-value added product and required services such as feasibility studies, market validation, applied research, intellectual property management or assistance in preparing applications for the scientific research & experimental development tax (SR&ED) credit program.
Companies further along in the innovation process were seeking services such as prototyping, proof-of-concept, and field testing. These companies were looking for assistance to improve the efficiency of their existing operations and required services and advice on areas including process engineering, lean manufacturing, quality audits and e-business.
