Canada–Brazil 2021-22 collaborative industrial research and development call for proposals

1. Introduction

Working together, the Government of Canada and the Government of Brazil 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 Brazil who wish to form project consortia to perform collaborative projects focussed on developing innovative products, processes, or technology-based services in all technological and application areas which have strong market potential

2. Application deadlines

3. Sectors of focus

Although this call invites proposals related to any technological or market area, priority is being given to artificial intelligence (AI), advanced manufacturing (AM) and Internet of Things (IoT) projects in the following sectors:

• Agriculture
• Forestry
• Health
• Mining

4. Eligibility 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:

1. The project consortium must include at least:
   • 1 incorporated Canadian small or medium-sized enterprise (SME), defined as a for-profit company with 500 or fewer full-time equivalent employees
   • 1 eligible Brazilian company of any size, which is based and operating in Brazil,and
   • 1 Brazilian research centre accredited as an Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa e Inovação Industrial (EMBRAPII) Unit (please visit the EMBRAPII website for more information on EMBRAPII Units)
2. The project partners that form the consortium must:
   • be capable of implementing the project including funding their respective share
   • agree in advance on intellectual property rights and a commercialization strategy, and
   • not be related in terms of corporate ownership
3. The project must focus on co-developing a product, process, or technology-based service that:
   • is highly innovative
   • has significant commercial potential
   • has outcomes that can be realized within 2 years of completion of the project
   • does not involve R&D related to products, processes, or technology-based services with military or non-peaceful applications, and
   • aligns with the expertise of one of the EMBRAPII Units (please visit the EMBRAPII website for more information on EMBRAPII Units)
4. The project must demonstrate:
   • the unique scientific and technological contribution that each organization brings to the project
   • an obvious advantage and added value for each project partner resulting from the collaboration, such as an increased knowledge base, an access to R&D infrastructure or new fields of application or a solutions for commercial needs, and
   • an adequate balance and significance for all project partners, defined as no more than 70% of the project budget contributed by any one organization or country

In addition to the above eligibility requirements, each applicant must meet their country-specific requirements, outlined below:

• 4.1 Canadian eligibility requirements

  Canadian applicant(s) must also meet the following criteria:

  1. The Canadian SME must have a technology that is:
     • competitive in global markets, differentiated and protectable, such as a unique or novel patentable technology that may alter the industry or market
  2. The Canadian SME must be committed to:
     • pursuing growth and profit by developing and commercializing innovative, technology-driven new or improved products, processes or technologyl-based services, and
     • aggressive growth through global market expansion
  3. The Canadian SME must be ready, and have the resources to:
     • make a serious new market entry push, typically having more than 10 full-time equivalent employees and $1 million CAD in annual revenue, and
     • complete a collaborative project with international partners

• 4.2 Brazilian eligibility requirements

  Brazilian applicants must meet the criteria outlined in the EMBRAPII call for proposals announcement. For any questions related to this information, please contact EMBRAPII.

  Additional Brazilian project eligibility requirements are as follows:

  • Must address research from experimental proof of concept to technology demonstrated in relevant environment (Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 3-6)
  • Exceptionally, for Covid-19-related projects, research may be done within TRL 3 to 9.
  • The project must lead to the development of products or technical processes which are considerably differentiated from the ones existing in the market in terms of their functions or other features and provide an added economic, societal or environmental value
  • The project must be negotiated directly with the EMBRAPII Unit that will develop the project
  • The Brazilian part of the project must be developed/managed by an EMBRAPII Unit
  • The Brazilian part of the project must address an industrial demand and involve one or more industrial partners
  • The non-reimbursable resources are available exclusively in the EMBRAPII Units (and cannot be transferred to the company)
  • IP is discussed and negotiated directly among partners

  Brazilian applicant(s) must also meet the following requirements:

  • Brazilian companies of all sizes are eligible, including start-ups, operating in Brazil
  • Brazilian firms must have a CNAE (Cadastro Nacional de Atividade Empresarial) registration number

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.

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.

Note: One country and/or project partner cannot represent more than 70% of the total project budget.

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.

  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 24 months (an extension of 12 months may be considered if sufficiently justified and accepted by both countries).

  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 Brazilian funding

  In Brazil, this call for proposals is offered through Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa e Inovação Industrial (or in English the Brazilian Company for Research and Industrial Innovation)(EMBRAPII). EMBRAPII is responsible for the delivery of this call for proposals.

  Funding information received from EMBRAPII is as follows. For any questions related to this information, please contact EMBRAPII.

  Brazilian project funding follows the EMBRAPII funding model:

  • EMBRAPII finances up to 1/3 of Brazilian project costs with non-reimbursable funding
  • The Brazilian industrial partner must financially contribute, in cash, with at least 1/3 of the project costs
  • The remaining costs must be negotiated directly with the EMBRAPII Unit
  • EMBRAPII Unit costs are in-kind contributions
  • Start-up companies or SMEs may take advantage of additional grants such as SEBRAE grant (Brazilian Micro and Small Business Support Service), Rota 2030 or PPI-IoT
  • Additional grants may be available through the EMBRAPII Unit

  Brazilian applicants should consult the funding parameters outlined in the EMBRAPII call for proposals announcement.

6. Application process

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 applications received, a final joint project selection will be performed.

Each applicant 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

Information on respective application processes follows below:

• 6.1 Canadian application process

  The Canadian application process 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

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

  Step 2: Expression of interest

  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

  During the international consortium project proposal (ICPP) phase, all project partners work together to complete and submit an application package to each implicated national funding body. The contents of the ICPP package are unique to each national funding body.

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

  1. an international consortium project proposal / joint application form outlining the:
     • project consortium
     • collaborative project
     • expected outcomes
     • funding request
  2. a draft international consortium agreement describing:
     • roles and responsibilities of each consortium member
     • project management framework
     • financial plan
     • division of intellectual property rights
     • confidentiality and publication agreements
     • 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. Next, the amalgamated evaluation results will be shared between both implicated national funding bodies to jointly select the collaborative projects that 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 Brazilian application process

  The Brazilian application process follows the EMBRAPII´s operational model. The EMBRAPII Unit included in the project is responsible for the development and management of the Brazilian project. The EMBRAPII Unit will negotiate all aspects of the project with the Brazilian partners and enter the agreed-upon terms into EMBRAPII's SRINFO system.

  The Brazilian partners must participate in the completion of the International Consortium Project Proposal and Consortium Agreement as described in Step 3 of the Canadian application process section.

  For more information related to application stages, requirements, instructions, ICPP application packages, and national funding body proposals and funding agreements, please consult the EMBRAPII call for proposals announcement (in Portuguese only).

7. Contacts

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

Canada

Ronda Gosselin
Brazil National Program Coordinator for NRC IRAP
National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program
Ronda.Gosselin@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca

Brazil

Denise Neddermeyer
EMPBRAPII Program Officer
Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa e Inovação Industrial
Denise@embrapii.org.br

8. Registration

To begin the application process, all interested Canadian applicants must register for this opportunity by clicking the Register button below: