Canadian ocean technology partnering mission to the Eureka Global Innovation Summit in Portugal – June 20-24, 2022

1. Request for expression of interest

The National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC IRAP) is pleased to invite Canadian small and medium‑sized enterprises (SMEs) to submit an expression of interest to join a partnering mission to Lisbon, Portugal. This partnering mission will take place from June 20 to 24, 2022, and includes participation at the Eureka Global Innovation Summit (EGIS), site visits to Portuguese marine organizations, and a special 1‑day partnering event with companies and organizations from Portugal and other Eureka member countries focused on ocean observation and sustainable ocean technologies.

2. Application deadlines

3. Mission objective

To connect international innovators with Canadian businesses working to develop and integrate ocean observation technologies in industrial products and processes, leading to future economic benefits and a more sustainable future. Collaborative projects will be able to access the Eureka network process, a proven international public funding platform of which both Canada and Portugal are members, along with 45 other economies.

4. Sectors of focus

• Ocean observation and sustainable ocean technologies

Sub sectors

• Space and satellite applications for ocean observation
• Aerial and drone technologies for ocean observation
• In‑situ sensors and oceanographic instruments
• Marine remote sensing
• Marine and coastal environmental monitoring
• Marine robotics, autonomous surface and underwater vehicles
• Systems for capturing, communicating, and processing ocean data
• Marine vessel monitoring
• Offshore wind energy

5. Canadian delegation profile

Canadian participants should meet the requirements below in order to participate in this initiative:

• Be an incorporated, profit‑oriented small or medium‑sized business in Canada
• Have 500 or fewer full‑time equivalent employees
• Have a differentiated and protectable technology that could become competitive in global markets
• Have sufficient working capital and resources to undertake a multi‑year R&D collaboration and commercialize the results
• Be committed to significant growth through international market expansion

Preference may be given to SME applicants who:

• have a minimum of 10 full‑time equivalent employees
• have commercialized 1 or more products domestically or internationally
• have greater than $500,000 CAD in annual revenue

Note: Canadian SME applicants must be eligible for funding as NRC IRAP clients before they can be considered for funding through this call for proposals. For more information on NRC IRAP eligibility and becoming an NRC IRAP client, please contact NRC IRAP at 1-877-994-4727.

6. Eureka

Eureka is an international network for market‑driven industrial co‑innovation that includes over 45 economies from Europe, Israel, South Korea, Singapore, South Africa, Chile, Argentina and Canada. Through Canada's associate membership in Eureka, Canadian innovators have an advantage in accessing technology, expertise and markets in Europe and beyond. The NRC is the Canadian contact point for Eureka. Projects may be partly funded through national public and private funding mechanisms, including NRC IRAP for Canadian SMEs.

7. Canada at the Eureka Global Innovation Summit

The Eureka Global Innovation Summit is an annual networking event that showcases the Eureka network and provides opportunities for companies to initiate collaborative projects with companies from Europe and beyond.

The theme of this year's Global Innovation Summit is "A journey across the Atlantic by connecting oceans to uncover innovative and collaborative ways to build a more sustainable future", including space‑Earth‑ocean interactions. The event will include insights on business and technology developments within related industries; keynote and business case presentations; support for B2B matchmaking and meetings; an exhibition with examples of past co‑innovation projects; views on the future outlook of European co‑innovation programs; and information sessions about Eureka funding instruments. More than 1,700 participants from Europe and beyond are expected to attend the Eureka Global Innovation Summit.

Preliminary (draft) mission agenda

• Day 1 – Monday, June 20
  • Canadian mission information session and networking reception
• Day 2 – Tuesday, June 21
  • Site visits to Portuguese ocean technology organizations
• Day 3 – Wednesday, June 22
  • Eureka Global Innovation Summit
    • Keynote presentations and panel discussions related to digital transformation; European cooperation in research and innovation; responsible use of AI; entrepreneurship in sustainable development; social sustainability and the economy of trust; digital transformation to a sustainable future; and Eureka Korea.
  • Official Canadian reception
• Day 4 – Thursday, June 23
  • Eureka Global Innovation Summit
    • Keynote presentations and panel discussions related to earth digital twin and impact of climate change; circular economy; fostering a blue economy; space and AI; smart and green mobility; food chain technology; climate change and the threat to ocean industries; collaborative astro‑politics; data‑driven smart industries; creative industries; and Eureka meets the Atlantic.
• Day 5 – Friday, June 24
  • Canada–Portugal Ocean Observation Partnering Event
    • Presentations from Canadian and Portuguese ocean technology organizations
    • Company pitches

8. Financial support to participants

Canadian small and medium‑sized enterprises (SMEs) selected for participation will be invited to apply for up to $3,000 for reimbursement of travel and accommodations costs associated with the mission. Selected participants will be sent instructions and information about this support. Non‑Canadian SME applicants are required to finance their own participation.

9. Registration

Canadian SME participants must be registered NRC IRAP clients. If not already an NRC IRAP client, Canadian SMEs must contact 1-877-994-4727 to determine if they might be eligible for support through NRC IRAP.

To begin the application process, interested Canadian participants must first register online to receive an Expression of Interest form by clicking the Register button.

If there is no Register button visible below this line, it means the call for proposals has closed.