R&D Support
CICG’s work with SMEs supports non-dilutive (grant) Research and Development (R&D) funding and short- and long-term strategic planning, especially in the context of challenging market cycles. We assist clients in integrating their vision and mission by offering support in working with and applying to the innovation system. We develop application documents, create business plans, perform market assessments, and other related outputs for and with companies. CICG is qualified as a Service Provider under Alberta Innovates' MicroVoucher program.
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R&D funding strategy, options, and application support
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Business plans
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Market plans
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Market assessments (customized and targeted directly to your needs)
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Intellectual property advising
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Small-business HR and capacity building
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Reviews of financial, accounting, and scientific documents
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Pitch decks and presentations
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Trade show preparation and coaching
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Literature reviews as background and corroboration for research design.
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Research and research instrument design.
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Qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis.
Case Study
CICG was contacted by a manufacturing business that needed to pivot to take advantage of increasing client expectation, and achieve efficiencies to stay competitive. Together, we strategized about alternatives and identified both productivity and best fit R&D supports. We met with R&D funders, agreed on a course of action, planned the project, and applied for productivity and new product development funding. When the funding was approved, we helped post for and screen engineers for the resulting new positions, setting our client up for success.
Small Business Growth and Support
CICG can improve your organization’s performance through providing the capacity you need to grow your operations. Our expertise in process design, organizational structure, activity costing, human resources, and implementing change can improve the efficiency and profitability of your business.
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Strategic planning in support of key objectives
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Entrepreneur and management coaching and mentoring
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Client development
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Operations planning
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Investment coaching and matchmaking to venture capital firms
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Change management
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Process renewal and productivity improvements
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Business development
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Project management
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Small-business HR and capacity building
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HR policies and procedure manuals
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Managerial accounting support
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Digital strategy planning and execution
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IT planning, project and operational management
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IT assessments, website refresh, and IT project support
Case Study
One of CICG’s small business clients has been caught in the current economic downturn in Alberta, and the CEO found himself at the head of an uncertain team with a number of challenges. CICG helped establish and mentor a management team from among key staff to provide stability, and improve leadership through the difficult decisions that needed to be made. The client had to add to their team to support a new project, while implementing lay-offs in other areas. CICG helped them with their staff transition, helped the sales team plan their new strategy, and refreshed their website to reflect that.
Education
CICG supports public sector K-12 and post-secondary clients seeking realistic opportunities to help take things to the next level. Whether it’s a new partnership with government or industry, providing First Nations liaison, or high level planning and funding exploration, CICG pursues support by making beneficial network connections, with the aim of finding and implementing solutions to meet the needs and visions of its clients. CICG is a pre-qualified vendor on various Government of Alberta Ministries’ resource lists (e.g., Education, Human Services, Jobs, Skills, Labour and Training).
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Post-secondary, industry, government, and First Nations liaison
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Digital strategy
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IT strategy and operations
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Leadership development
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Strategic planning
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Organizational reviews
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Online learning
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Research and best practice models
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Education technologies (EdTech)
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Distance education
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Upgrading and adult education
Case Study
One of CICG’s education clients wanted to offer more job-focused programming. CICG introduced them to an EdTech company with the software they needed, found another education partner who could help develop the program, bridged to an industry partner with subject matter expertise, applied for and secured government funding to operate the program, and helped bridge the resulting course to First Nations schools in their jurisdiction.
First Nations and Non-Profits
CICG’s experience with the non-profit sector as well as in First Nations entrepreneurship and education support puts CICG in a unique position to offer First Nations, First Nations and Metis organizations, and non-profits a broad range view and help make meaningful connections that create new opportunities, strategies, and perspectives. CICG doesn’t just offer a “new view”; it is able to implement this view to meet the ever-evolving challenges of its clients.
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Strategic planning in support of key objectives
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Support to understand and identify prospective funders and partners
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Key meeting preparation and support
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Bridging to related organizations
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Grant development
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Budget development and reviews
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Process development (capacity building)
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First Nations liaison
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First Nations cultural advising (provided by a specialist on our team)
Case Study
CICG has worked with and supported several FNMI entrepreneurs who sought to launch their business idea. Together we explored loan and funding opportunities, set up bookkeeping and other business practices, sought and met with prospective clients, prepared business presentations, and liaised with prospective private sector and government partners.
Intellectual Property Consulting Services - Trevor Prentice
With nearly a decade of experience advising on intellectual property (patents, copyright, trademark, trade secret, etc.) within many industries, Trevor would love to help you gain a deep understanding of your IP and help you extract value from it!
Ask all the questions you can’t afford to ask your lawyer: Trevor demystifies intellectual property (including patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, and others) and helps you gain a clear understanding of the patent process. Book a one on one meeting or a presentation for your whole team.
Get ahead of your competition: Trevor can optimize your strategy for protecting ideas and inventions, helping prevent your competitors from copying your technology.
Gain confidence that you aren’t wasting your money on patents or other IP: Trevor can assess the patentability of your invention from the perspective of novelty, usefulness, obviousness, potential claim strength, and the risks, costs, and benefits from a business perspective. This assessment also helps inform how to best approach your patent application.
Save on your legal bills: Trevor can review and adjust your invention description, based on prior art found, to improve its likelihood of issuing, bring value to your business, and ensure it clearly contains everything your lawyers need to file a patent application efficiently.
Bring in extra revenue: Trevor can market IP to potential licensees, research comparable deal terms, and help negotiate the necessary legal agreements to help you monetize your IP through licensing.
Worry less about getting sued: Trevor can review competitive products and patents from an infringement perspective.
Don’t risk missing or misunderstanding a deadline: Trevor can track and manage the fees and deadlines associated with your IP portfolio while advising on, summarizing, and translating your lawyer’s notices into clearer and more relevant information and advising on them.
Please note Trevor is not a lawyer or patent agent and doesn’t provide legal advice.
Trevor Prentice • Intellectual Property Strategist • (780) 695-2109 • trevor@theiplink.com
Corporate Communications Services
Does your website need work? Don’t have a website to begin with? Don’t know where to start when it comes to creating or updating brochures, flyers, or other printed materials? Do you struggle with making an effective presentation or PowerPoint deck?
We can help. CICG has staff with years of experience in effective corporate and organizational communications who live and breathe this stuff. Our team excels at devising suitable strategies for public relations, investor relations, IT strategy, onlien engagement, surveying, and effective organizational communication. We aren’t a capital “M” marketing firm so if you need brand development, high-level marketing strategy, or company-wide implementation, we’re happy to refer you to appropriate Marketing experts from our network. But if you need more affordable brochures, websites, and other materials right away – we’re here to help.
Some of our Communications services include:
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Help organizing your communications strategy
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Development, improvement, and cleanup of websites
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Creating and updating brochures, flyers, and other printed content
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Creation of presentation and other re-usable templates
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Development of effective presentations such as pitch decks, corporate presentations, and PowerPoint business plans
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Newsletter development
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Development of organizational IT strategy and framework
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Development of online engagement strategies and online stakeholder engagement
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Development of digital data acquisition, data management tools, and data strategies
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Integration of email and intra-company communications systems
Quality Assurance Services
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Development of quality assurance policies and processes.
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Ongoing management of quality assurance processes.
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Training and coaching in the development and maintenance of quality assurance.
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Review and fine tuning of existing quality assurance processes.
The CICG ‘Improve Your Business Decision Making’ Service
CICG helps senior leaders by offering expert analysis to help them improve the way they make their most important business decisions.
If you’re a CEO, CFO, Senior Account, Business Officer or Board Member who wants high quality analysis to help validate your go-to-market ideas, then CICG can help with:
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Financial Analysis – Identifying and comparing key financial benchmarks and KPIs to industry standards
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Financial Forecasting – Building pro forma financial statements to evaluate new product and service opportunities
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Data Analysis – Using data collected in systems software such as manufacturing, evaluate and report on operational efficiencies/deficiencies
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Business Intelligence – Within regions of interest, identify and rank by key competitors or partnership opportunities
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Market Intelligence – Report on market aspects including marketshare, trends, competitors
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Lead Development – Generate a list of leads for the sales pipeline
How it Works
We meet with you and your team to learn about your project goals. Then we submit a detailed proposal that you can review. Once you approve the proposal then we work with you directly, and in the background to provide the business analysis you need as quickly as possible.
Example
We worked with a CFO who led a 50+ million-dollar business. He was asked by the board to provide recommendations about setting up a new location in a different part of the country. With that in mind, CICG was able to provide competitive analysis, location analysis and summarized information. The CFO was then able to confidently speak with the Board about the merits of this potential investment.
IT Consulting Services
IT Consulting
CICG provides IT expertise and guidance to assist organizations with developing and executing IT strategy and with planning and improving IT operations. Our services include:
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IT strategy development: helping clients develop a comprehensive IT strategy that aligns with their corporate mission and business goals.
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IT project management: providing project management services to help clients plan and execute complex IT projects.
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IT solution and vendor selection: assisting organisations identify and select optimal solutions and vendors for IT software, and services based on their specific needs and budget.
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IT assessments: We perform assessments of clients' IT infrastructure and systems to identify areas for improvement and recommend solutions.