Canadian AI solutions for health technologies (aging tech) co-innovation mission to Japan - December 2 to 5, 2024

1. Mission objective

This TCS CTA/NRC IRAP initiative is focused on supporting Canadian SMEs with an AI Aging Tech solution in their exploration and development of the Japan market. This includes through collaborative research and development (R&D) and strategic partnerships.

Through the TCS CTA/NRC IRAP initiative, Canadian businesses will be better equipped to strategize their market entry into Japan, build their innovation capacity, adapt their technology for the Japan market, and become more competitive in the global marketplace.

2. Key dates

• Deadline to register: August 14, 2024
• Deadline to submit expression of interest: August 21, 2024
• Notification of results: September 4, 2024

3. Sector of focus

AI-based solutions for health tech, in particular in the context of an aging population, including but not limited to the following:

• Health and safety monitoring that will lead to predictions of adverse events
• Frailty detection and prediction
• Elderly mobility (e.g., last mile solutions, door-to-door transportation)
• Assistive technologies to reduce burden on health professionals (including hardware and robotics solutions)

4. Canadian delegation profile

To participate in this initiative, Canadian participants should meet the following requirements:

• 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 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

5. Innovation Leaders Summit

The main event at the annual Innovation Leaders Summit (ILS) is Power Matching, a series of one-on-one innovation meetings between major Japanese companies and SMEs. Meetings will be pre-arranged based on online profiles that will be uploaded by SMEs.

The Innovation Leaders Summit was established in 2014 with major support from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan (METI). In December 2023 over 21,800 participants attended the event including representatives from more than 100 major corporations, more than 800 SMEs and boasted more than September-November 2024

• Biweekly virtual coaching sessions and workshops. Each session is approximately one-hour in length.

Monday, December 2:

• Preparatory session and pitch event at the Canadian Embassy in Tokyo, Japan

Tuesday, December 3 to Thursday, December 5:

• Participation in Innovation Leaders Summit
• Site visits to Japanese organizations
• Company pitches at ILS
• Networking sessions
• B2B meetings

6. Financial support

Canadian SMEs selected for participation may be invited to apply for up to $5,000 for reimbursement of 75% of travel and accommodations costs associated with the mission. Selected participants will be sent instructions and information about this support.

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.

7. Contact

For more information, contact the NRC IRAP International Office at IRAP.International.PARI@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca or Harvey Lam, NRC IRAP Japan National Program Coordinator at Harvey.Lam@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca.

8. How to apply

Interested Canadian applicants must register using the register button at the bottom of this page.

An Expression of Interest form will be provided to potentially eligible applicants. The expression of interest application form will request additional information about the applicant, organization, technology and co‑innovation opportunities of interest.

9. Registration

Canadian SME participants must be 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 that registration for this partnering mission has closed. Please contact the NRC IRAP International Office at IRAP.International.PARI@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca for more information.