Eureka Network lightweighting call for proposals

1. Introduction

Eureka has launched a multilateral call for proposals for joint research and development (R&D) projects in the field of lightweighting. Participating countries include Canada, Austria, Belgium (Flanders & Wallonia), France, Luxembourg, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.

This call for proposals is open to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) from Canada who wish to form project consortia to perform collaborative projects focused on developing innovative products, processes, or technology-based services.

2. Application deadlines

• Canadian registration deadline: March 31, 2023
• International consortium project proposal deadline: April 25, 2023

3. Sectors of focus

This call invites proposals related to all technological or market areas with a need for lightweighting technologies. Effects typically targeted by lightweighting technologies include:

• Energy and resource efficiency
• Creation of sustainable value circles
• Bolster lightweight integration in more areas

Please consult the scope section in the Eureka call for lightweighting projects for more information.

4. Eligibility requirements

Applicants must form a project consortium and develop a collaborative R&D project that meets the following criteria:

4.1 Consortium

• The project consortium must include at least:
  • 1 eligible Canadian SME, and
  • 1 eligible foreign partner from one of the participating countries/regions listed for this call
  • The parties above must be unrelated parties (i.e. no direct, indirect, beneficial or constructive ownership interest between these parties)
• Participation of Canadian research institutes/universities, large enterprises and other companies are welcome as additional participants on a self-funding basis or as subcontractors.
• The project partners that form the consortium must agree on a plan addressing intellectual property rights and intent to commercialize.

4.2 Project

• The project must focus on co-development, adaptation, and/or validation of an innovative product, process, or technology-based service that has:
  • substantial commercial potential and outcomes that can be realized within 2-3 years of completion of the project
  • a civilian (non-military) purpose
• The project must demonstrate:
  • a complementary technological contribution from each partner
  • an obvious advantage and added value resulting from the cooperation between the participants
  • a balanced contribution between project partners and countries (i.e. no more than 70% of the effort contributed by any one partner or country)

4.3 Canadian funding eligibility requirements

• To be considered for funding, the Canadian applicant must:
  • be an incorporated, profit-oriented SME in Canada
  • have 500 or fewer full-time equivalent employees
  • pursue growth and profit by developing and commercializing innovative, technology-driven new or improved products, services or processes in Canada
  • 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 15 full-time equivalent employees
  • have commercialized 1 or more products domestically or internationally
  • have greater than $500,000 CAD in annual revenue

4.4 Foreign partner eligibility requirements

Non-Canadian applicants must contact their country's National Funding Body to discuss possibilities of funding and/or self-funding as well as to obtain country-specific criteria. 

Please consult the Eureka call for proposals announcement for foreign partner eligibility requirements.

5. Funding

Eligible project participants in collaborative projects selected through this call for proposals may receive funding from their respective national funding body. Funds will be provided in accordance with the applicable laws, regulations, rules, and procedures established by the relevant national funding body, country, jurisdiction and/or program. 

Project participants not eligible for funding from the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC IRAP) or their National Funding Body (e.g. universities, research institutes, etc., and participants from other countries) are welcome to participate on a self-funded basis or as sub-contractors to funded participants, according to each country's funding regulations.

Self-funded participants will be required to provide a "self-funding declaration" for which a template will be provided.

Additional country-specific funding parameters are outlined on the Eureka Network website.

5.1 Canadian funding

In Canada, this call for proposals is offered through NRC IRAP, who is responsible for delivering this call for proposals and for managing any resulting funding agreements.

Eligible Canadian SMEs may receive up to 50% reimbursement of eligible project costs up to a maximum total funding amount of $500,000 CAD over 12 to 36 months.

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.

Note: Canadian SME applicants may apply to more than one NRC IRAP call for proposals simultaneously. However, NRC IRAP may limit the number of funded projects per applicant. Canadian SME applicants who are applying to more than one opportunity or who have ongoing NRC IRAP projects should speak to their NRC IRAP representative for more information.

5.2 Foreign partner funding

Funding will only be provided to labelled projects that are positively evaluated by all participating funding bodies. Funding of project partners is subjected to budgetary availability and national funding conditions stipulated by each funding body. Please consult the Eureka call for proposals announcement for more information.

6. Application process

This call for proposals is being hosted by the Eureka Network. Each project consortium must complete and submit a Eureka project online application form. Please consult the Eureka project application form webpage for instructions on how to complete and submit the form.

In addition to the project consortium submitting a Eureka project application form, each project partner seeking funding must submit all required documents to, and meet the due diligence process of, their respective national funding body. Failure at any point or for any reason to do so may cause the entire collaborative project application to be considered incomplete or ineligible and render the entire project consortium ineligible for funding through this call for proposals.

Application processes and evaluations will be performed independently by each national funding body in accordance with their national and institutional laws and regulations. Once each national funding body has evaluated the submitted applications, a final joint project selection will be performed.

Information on respective application processes follows below:

6.1 Canadian application process

The Canadian application process for this call for proposals has 3 phases:

1. Registration
2. Application - International consortium project proposal
3. National funding body proposal and funding agreement

Step 1: Registration phase

Each Canadian applicant must register using the register button at the bottom of this page. Basic information about the applicant and the organization will be required upon registration.

NRC IRAP will review registrations for this call for proposals and contact applicants if more information is required. Qualified applicants will be invited to submit the more detailed international consortium project proposal (ICPP) in collaboration with their project partners. The NRC IRAP Canadian Annex form, as well as a template/guidance document for the draft international project consortium agreement, will be provided along with the invitation to ICPP.

Each Canadian applicant is encouraged to contact their NRC IRAP representative to discuss their project idea and receive guidance on preparing their submission.

Step 2: International consortium project proposal phase

During the international consortium project proposal (ICPP) phase, all project partners work together to complete and submit an ICPP package.

In this call for proposals, the Canadian ICPP application package consists of:

1. a Eureka project application form, outlining the:
   • project consortium
   • collaborative project
   • expected outcomes
   • expected project costs and calendar, and
2. an NRC IRAP Canadian Annex form containing additional information required for the NRC IRAP assessment of the project including:
   • information about the Canadian SME,
   • information about make up of the project consortium,
   • information related to the structure of the project; and
3. a draft international project consortium agreement containing descriptions of the following:
   • roles and responsibilities of each consortium member,
   • project management framework,
   • division of intellectual property rights,
   • confidentiality and publication agreements, and liability clauses.

Step 3: National funding body proposal and funding agreement phase

During the national funding body proposal and funding agreement phase, all eligible project partners work independently to complete funding proposals and sign legally binding funding agreements with their respective national funding body. Canadian applicants will work with their NRC IRAP representative to prepare an NRC IRAP funding proposal and contribution agreement.

6.2 Foreign partner application process

For information related to country-specific application stages, requirements, instructions, ICPP application package, and national funding applications and funding agreements, please consult your country's contact available on the Eureka Network website.   

7. Contacts

For questions or for more information, Canadian organizations can contact:

7.1 Canada

Eric Holdrinet
Eureka Deputy National Project Coordinator – Canada
National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program
Eric.Holdrinet@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca

8. 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, the Canadian applicant must register for this opportunity by clicking the register button:

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