Canada-India 2024-25 collaborative industrial research and development call for proposals

1. Introduction

Working together, the governments of Canada and India aim to foster and support collaborative industrial research and development (R&D) projects with a high potential for commercialization. This call for proposals is open to organizations from Canada and India who wish to form project consortia to perform collaborative projects focused on developing innovative products, processes or technology-based services in clean and green technologies, clean energy, digital technologies, health and bio-sciences, food and agriculture technologies, smart infrastructure, advanced manufacturing, and waste management.

2. Application deadlines

Canadian registration deadline: 19 June 2024

Canadian expression of interest deadline: 16 August 2024

International consortium project proposal deadline: 31 October 2024

3. Sectors of focus

Projects must focus on 1 or more of the following themes:

• Advanced manufacturing
  • Smart factory and smart manufacturing
  • Advanced materials
  • Automotive manufacturing
  • Robotics and automation
  • “Industry 4.0” enablers (additive manufacturing, near net shape manufacturing, assistive robotics and process automation, industrial IoT implementation)
• Clean and green technologies
  • Water and waste water management
  • Smart grid and energy storage
  • Battery-related technologies
  • Renewable energy
  • Smart cities
  • Hydrogen technologies
  • Waste management
  • Waste-to-energy
  • Electric vehicles
  • Carbon capture
  • Energy storage
• Digital technologies
  • Artificial intelligence for industry
  • Cyber security
  • Smart vehicle
  • Smart cities
• Health and biosciences
  • Pharmaceuticals
  • Health informatics
  • Digital health
  • Medical devices
  • Mobile health
• Food and agriculture technologies
  • Crop development
  • Food processing
  • Soil irrigation and monitoring
  • Precision agriculture
  • Supply chain optimization
• Smart infrastructure
  • Artificial intelligence (AI)
  • Internet of things (IoT)
  • Geo-information systems
  • Smart mobility
  • Smart grids
  • Quantum technologies

4. Eligible requirements

To be considered for funding, applicants must form a project consortium and develop a collaborative research and development (R&D) project that meets the following criteria:

4.1 Canadian SME applicant

• The Canadian small or medium‑sized enterprise (SME) applicant must:
  • be an incorporated, profit oriented small or medium sized business 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 with commercial potential in global markets
  • have sufficient working capital (e.g. revenue, investment etc.) 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

4.2 Consortium

• The project consortium must include at least:
  • 1 incorporated Canadian SME
  • 1 eligible Indian partner
  • The parties listed above must be unrelated parties (i.e. no direct, indirect, beneficial or constructive ownership interest between these parties)
• The project partners that form the consortium must agree on a plan addressing intellectual property rights and intent to commercialize.

4.3 Project

• The project must focus on co-development, adaptation or validation of an innovative product, process or technology-based service that has:
  • commercial potential and outcomes that can be realized within 2 to 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 1 partner or country)

4.4 Indian eligibility requirements

Please consult the Indian call for proposals announcement for Indian eligibility requirements.

5. Funding

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

Non‑eligible project participants (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.

Additional country-specific funding parameters are outlined below.

5.1 Canadian funding

In Canada, this call for proposals is offered through the Canadian International Innovation Program (CIIP), an international innovation R&D funding program offered by Global Affairs Canada in partnership with the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC IRAP). NRC IRAP is responsible for delivering this call for proposals and for managing any resulting funding agreements.

Canadian SMEs

Eligible Canadian SMEs may receive up to 50% reimbursement of eligible project costs up to a maximum total funding amount of $600,000 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 1 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 1 opportunity or who have ongoing NRC IRAP projects should speak to their NRC IRAP representative for more information.

5.2 Indian funding

In India, this call for proposals is offered through the Technology Development Board (TDB). TDB is responsible for the delivery of this call for proposals and the management of any resulting funding agreements.

Please consult the Indian call for proposals announcement for Indian funding parameters.

6. Application process

Each project partner seeking funding must submit all required documents to their respective national funding body and meet its due diligence process requirements. Failure to do so, at any point or for any reason, 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 has 4 phases:

• Registration
• Expression of interest
• International consortium project proposal
• National funding body proposal and funding agreement

Step 1: Registration phase

Each Canadian SME 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. Qualifying applicants will proceed to the next phase and be invited to submit an expression of interest form.

Step 2: Expression of interest (EOI) phase

During this phase, each Canadian SME applicant seeking funding must submit an expression of interest (EOI) form outlining basic information on the applicant and the collaborative project.

While completing the EOI form, each Canadian SME applicant is encouraged to contact their NRC IRAP representative to discuss their project idea and receive guidance on preparing their submission.

It is recommended that applicants submit the EOI as early as possible. EOIs will be evaluated by the applicant's NRC IRAP representative and the NRC IRAP International Office. Qualifying applicants will be invited to submit the more detailed international consortium project proposal in collaboration with their project partners. The lead Canadian SME applicant will be provided all templates needed to submit an international consortium project proposal (ICPP).

Step 3: International consortium project proposal (ICPP) phase

During this phase, all project partners must work together to complete and submit an ICPP package.

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

1. an International Consortium Project Proposal outlining the:
   • project consortium
   • collaborative project
   • expected outcomes
   • expected project cost and calendar
2. a draft international consortium agreement containing descriptions of the:
   • roles and responsibilities of each consortium member
   • project management framework
   • division of intellectual property rights
   • confidentiality and publication agreements, and liability clauses

Canadian ICPP applications will be evaluated by an NRC IRAP evaluation team including the applicant's NRC IRAP representative and the NRC IRAP International Office. Only Canadian participants of selected project proposals will be invited to proceed to the final national funding body proposal and funding agreement stage.

Step 4: 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 SME applicants will work with their NRC IRAP representative to prepare an NRC IRAP funding proposal and contribution agreement.

6.2 Indian application process

For information related to application stages, requirements, instructions, ICPP application packages and funding agreements, please consult the Indian call for proposals announcement.

7. Contacts

For questions, concerns or for more information, please contact the appropriate call for proposals representative listed below:

7.1 Canadian contact

Neil Kochar
India National Program Coordinator for NRC IRAP
National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program
Neil.Kochar@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca

7.2 Indian contact

Deepak Chaturvedi
Project Coordinator
Technology Development Board (TDB), GOI
indo-canada@tdb.gov.in

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 the NRC IRAP.

To begin the application process, the lead Canadian applicant must register for this opportunity by clicking the Register button.

If there is no  Register button visible below this line, it means the call for proposals has closed. Please email the contact listed or the NRC IRAP International Office at IRAP.International.PARI@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca