Deadline Date: April 07, 2026
The Canada-Italy Innovation Award is seeking proposals to foster collaborations between Canadian and Italian experts to deliver innovations with tangible impact.
The Award focuses on developing new partnerships and strengthening existing collaborations to produce real-world applications in technology transfer, applied technology development, creative products and applications, institutional linkages, joint publications and projects, student and researcher exchange programs, sharing of equipment, materials, and facilities, and the exchange of skills and techniques. Thematic priorities include clean energy and low-carbon technologies, critical minerals, innovative and diversified agriculture, quantum technology, artificial intelligence for health, and space technology.
The funding supports Italian awardees’ travel to Canada with a maximum value of €4,000, covering economy airfare, accommodation, local transportation, and a €75 per diem. Insurance is not eligible for reimbursement.
The Award is open to Italian individuals who are responsible for identifying and securing their Canadian research counterpart. Initial outcomes are expected within six to twelve months after project completion, ideally resulting in applications that can be incubated or scaled. Projects are designed to strengthen networks between Italy and Canada and to solve problems in new ways with measurable results.
In clean energy and low-carbon technologies, the focus is on advancing the production and use of clean hydrogen to decarbonize heavy industry, transportation, and power generation, as well as improving carbon capture, utilization, and storage to reduce CO2 emissions. Critical minerals initiatives aim to enhance supply chain resilience, develop environmentally friendly extraction methods, and explore alternative sources while promoting a circular economy. Innovative agriculture projects accelerate research on plant-based protein sources, sustainable agri-food processing, and waste reduction to build resilient and climate-smart food systems. Quantum technology efforts target quantum computing, simulation, and secure communication applications, while artificial intelligence for health supports data-driven early risk detection, health monitoring, and lifestyle optimization. Space technology projects enhance cooperation between Canadian and Italian space ecosystems and address global sustainability and resilience challenges through collaborative efforts between industry, research, and public sectors.
Eligible applicants include start-ups, researchers, scientists, innovation experts, and professionals from creative industries, and private/public partnerships are encouraged. Funding covers expenses for the Italian participant only, and recipients must submit a report immediately after the travel and provide brief updates on follow-up activities and outcomes six and twelve months post-project.
For more information, visit Government of Canada.
