The New Brunswick Innovation Foundation said Thursday it is teaming up with the New Brunswick government to provide $1 million to hire technical staff for research at the province’s universities and research institutions.

NBIF, an independent, not-for-profit corporation, and the Department of Post-secondary Education, Training and Labour will provide money to hire the technicians and assistants who undertake applied research with the potential for commercialization.

Of the total funding, $650,000 will fully fund more than 75 undergraduate and graduate students to train and work in labs for one year.

The remaining $350,000 will be used to partially fund at least five research technicians (usually PhDs) over three years. To qualify, institutions must match the contribution dollar for dollar and demonstrate how the position will be sustained after the third year.

“To build New Brunswick’s innovation capacity, we need to recruit, train and retain top talent,” said NBIF Chair Robert Hatheway in a statement.