Eureka Network Canada call for proposals #4 (Summer-Fall 2024)

1. Introduction

The National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC IRAP) aims 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 Canadian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and organizations from Eureka member countries who wish to form project consortia to perform collaborative projects focused on developing innovative products, processes, or technology-based services with a civilian (non-military) purpose in any technological and market area.

2. Application deadlines

• Canadian registration deadline: August 16, 2024
• Canadian expression of interest deadline: September 16, 2024
• International consortium project proposal deadline: October 31, 2024

3. Sectors of focus

This call invites proposals related to any civilian (non-military) technological or market areas.

4. Eligibility requirements

Applicants must form a project consortium and develop a collaborative research and development (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 organization from a Eureka member country
• The parties listed 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; and
  • 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; and
  • a balanced contribution between project partners and countries
    • In particular, no single organization or country can be responsible for more than 70% of the project budget.

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; and
  • 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; and
  • 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.

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, and participants from other countries) are welcome to participate on a self-funded basis or as subcontractors 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 Eureka Network's 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 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 Foreign partner funding

Although this call for proposals is launched by Canada, each country is responsible for the assessment of its national applicants, funding/self-funding criteria and agreements as well as management of any resulting funding agreements.

Financial support may be provided to eligible companies by their national funding bodies in support of industrial research and/or technological development activities. Applicants should consult the funding parameters of their country’s National Funding Body.

6. Application process

This call for proposals is being hosted by the Eureka Network program. 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 Eureka project application 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 4 phases:

1. Registration
2. Expression of interest
3. International consortium project proposal
4. National funding body proposal and funding agreement

Step 1: Registration phase

Each Canadian applicant must register using the Register button at the bottom of the call’s webpage. 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 phase

During this phase, each Canadian 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 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.

Step 3: International consortium project proposal phas

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

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. NRC IRAP will work with the partner countries for joint review and labelling. Only collaborative projects that are labelled 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 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 Eureka Network’s Website.

7. Contacts

For questions or for more information, please refer to the Eureka Networks Call for Proposals Webpage for your country’s contact person. Canadian organizations can contact:

7.1 Canada

Eric Holdrinet
NRC IRAP
Eureka National Project Coordinator – Canada
Eric.Holdrinet@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca

8. Registration

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

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.