Call for Proposals: Canada – Germany 2025-26 Collaborative Industrial Research and Development (Canada)

The National Research Council of Canada (NRC) and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) will provide access to public funding for joint projects through the BMWK’s ZIM program (Central Innovation Program for SMEs) in Germany, and through the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC IRAP) in Canada.

Sectors of Focus

• This call for proposals is open to projects in all sectors that are civilian in nature.

Funding Information

• Canadian funding:
  • In Canada, this call for proposals is offered through 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 $500,000 CAD over 12 to 24 months (an extension of 12 months may be considered if sufficiently justified and accepted by both countries).

Eligibility Criteria

• Canadian eligibility requirements:
  • The Canadian applicant must:
    • be an incorporated, profit-oriented small or medium-sized entreprise (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 with commercial potential in global markets
    • have sufficient working capital (e.g. revenue, investment) 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 one or more products domestically or internationally
    • have greater than $500,000 CAD in annual revenue
• Consortium:
  • The project consortium must include at least:
    • 1 eligible Canadian SME, and
    • 1 eligible German R&D performing SME, defined as a for-profit company with less than 500 employees
      • German research and technology organizations (RTOs) may participate as a collaborative partner with an eligible German SME.
    • 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
• 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
    • 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
    • an adequate balance and significance for all project partners, defined as no more than 70% of the project work effort may be contributed by any one organization in a two-partner project, and no more than 50 % of the project work effort may be contributed by one organization in any project with more than two partners.

For more information, visit NRC.