The Government of Canada offers a rich amount of resources to support the abundant sector of small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). It offers so many programs, in fact, that it can become overwhelming and tricky to navigate.
Guest blogging for SBA is Erik Kaas, our local British Columbia advisor for the National Research Council Canada to introduce the Concierge Service to our readers.
New National Research Council service gives companies free and valuable advice on Government programs to fund innovation
Are you investing in an innovative product or service?
Do you know about programs such as SR&ED, IRAP, WINN, BCIP and NSERC, but don’t have the time to figure out the details?
Would you like someone to give you advice on which Government programs could offer you funding or expertise to accelerate your innovations?
If so, then you should book an appointment with a Concierge Advisor. They are located across Canada and provide one-on-one personalized assistance to Canadian small and medium enterprises. Advisors use their industry experience and network connections to help guide you to the most relevant innovation programs and resources available from the government and industry partners to help meet your innovation needs. Best of all, this advice is completely free, and usually doesn’t take more than a 30 minute phone call.
The Government of Canada’s new Concierge Service is delivered by the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC-IRAP) in collaboration with over 40 federal and provincial partners, as well as industry organizations.
How to Contact the Concierge Service
You can visit the Concierge Service website (www.concierge.portal.gc.ca) to search for and access relevant programs and resources.
For more customized assistance, businesses are encouraged to contact the Concierge Service Client Contact Centre at 1-855-53-GUIDE.
If you are a small business in BC investing in innovation, you can also contact me directly at Erik.Kaas@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca.
Erik Kaas
Erik is an experienced technology executive who has worked in a variety of product management, marketing and business development roles at a number of high tech companies in Vancouver, including Sage, NGRAIN, Pivotal and PMC-Sierra. Erik has a track record of commercializing technology innovations as well as accelerating growth for established products.
Erik is currently and Advisor with the National Research Council of Canada, where he provides guidance to small and medium businesses in Canada who seek to grow through innovation.
Look for more guest blogs in the future from Erik on how Concierge Service can assist you in your innovative SME endeavor!
PHOTO CREDIT: Concierge Services Logo used with permission from Concierge Services. Shared on June 5, 2014.