Mitacs Business Strategy Internship
Description:
In partnership with Canadian academic institutions, Mitacs is pleased to offer the Business Strategy Internship (BSI). The award provides either $10,000 or $15,000 per intern to allow them to undertake a four-month internship project with a partner organization in Canada.Interns will work with their academic supervisor to co-design a project with their partner organization to work on the organization’s innovation activities, helping them improve their products, processes, or services.
Throughout the internship, Mitacs provides online professional development courses to interns through our e-Campus, EDGE.
Comments on Funding:
The award provides either $10,000 or $15,000 per intern to allow them to undertake a four-month internship project with a partner organization in Canada.
The BSI program will provide an award of $10,000 per intern with the full amount of the award going towards intern stipend. The partner organization will contribute $5,000 towards the award.
Alternatively, partner organizations can select a $15,000 funding model where up to $5,000 of the funds can be used for eligible project costs or to top up an intern stipend. Any combination of funding is allowed as long as the minimum intern stipend is $10,000 and the minimum partner organization contribution is $7,500.
Eligibility:
Academic institutions must:
Interns must:
- they have student status at the academic institution for the duration of the internship;
- they are covered under the institution’s insurance, the same as full-time students;
- the institution can pay the intern a salary or stipend from the Mitacs grant;
- the intern can commit to the project for the appropriate duration (BSI internships are four months and may be spread over up to six months to accommodate other commitments).
Academic supervisors must:
Partner organizations must:
Applications Steps:
Students identify an academic supervisor and an organization supervisor and submits their project proposal to the academic institution.
Academic institutions and Partner organizations (companies, not-for-profits, municipalities, or hospitals) interested in participating in the Business Strategy Internship (BSI) program can connect with their local Business Development representative to discuss joining the BSI program.
Interested parties can apply directly through the Mitacs Registration and Application Portal (RAP):
✔ The proposal template will be provided through the RAP.
✔ Applicants can also download the template here for review prior to submission.
✔ All participants (intern, partner organization, academic supervisor) must create accounts in RAP and sign off on the project within the RAP.
✔ The lead applicant on the proposal will be responsible for collecting the Office of Research Services (ORS) or equivalent signature and uploading the signature page to RAP. Your academic institution must sign off on this proposal once all sections of the RAP are complete and all participants have signed off on the application.Â
BSI interns cannot have a Conflict of Interest (COI); projects with intern COIs will not be approved.
Any COIs involving the academic supervisor and the partner organization must be disclosed to Mitacs during the application process and will be reviewed by the Mitacs COI committee. Please visit the Mitacs Conflict of Interest Policy for more information.
If a COI exists, we suggest that you contact the Business Development representative for your region prior to starting an application to ensure that you are eligible for the program.Â
When applying through the RAP
Please watch the following video for how to apply through the RAP.
The project start date listed in your application should be at least six weeks later than your submission date to allow Mitacs the appropriate time to process your application.
Your project start date will be confirmed in your Outcome Letter once your project has been approved.
 If you start a project before receiving funds from Mitacs, you do so at your own risk. Mitacs will not reimburse for work completed prior to receiving funding.Â
Documentation Needed:
- Applicants must submit the completed and signed BSI proposal template.
- Academic supervisors will be required to submit COI documentation when applying through the RAP.
Other Things to Note:
Due to COVID-19, in-person check-ins with academic supervisors may be difficult to complete. Are virtual check-ins acceptable?
For any Business Strategy Internship occurring over Summer and Fall 2020, virtual interactions are recommended.
When It Ends:
Accepting applications
Deadline:
Not specified