Canada-Germany 3+2 Collaborative Call for Proposals on Battery Material Discovery and Processing

Working together, the governments of Canada and Germany aim to foster and support collaborative industrial research and development (R&D) projects with a high potential for commercialization.

Sectors of Focus

• Projects must focus on innovative technologies that enable development and commercialization that address the electric vehicle (EV) lithium-ion battery materials mid-stream supply chain in Canada and Germany.
• Projects must focus on one or more of the following themes:
  • Next-generation battery materials
    • Discovery and development of new electrode and electrolyte materials, specifically cathode materials and solid-state electrolytes for EV lithium-ion batteries
    • Techniques for artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), sensing and robotics for materials discovery aimed at improvement of battery properties such as capacity retention, cyclic stability, specific capacity and current density, safety and rate performance
    • Material simulation or modelling as a supplement to experimental investigations
    • Top-down approach—material development specifically according to EV application requirements
  • Battery materials processing and recycling
    • Mineral processing and recycling processes aimed at increased efficiency and lower carbon intensity for the production of battery precursors
    • Lifecycle analysis (LCA), technoeconomic analysis or modelling to support decision making and experimental investigations
    • Techniques for AI and ML, sensing and robotics for mineral and recycling process optimization aimed at improvement of efficiency, reduction of environmental impact including carbon intensity and reduction in cost
    • Top-down approach—mineral and recycling process development specifically according to EV application requirements
• Note: Projects on supercapacitors or fuel cells will not be funded.

Funding

• Eligible Canadian SMEs may receive up to 50% reimbursement of eligible project costs up to a maximum total funding amount of $600,000 CAD.
• Eligible Canadian research institutions may receive funding of up to 100% of eligible costs up to a maximum of $100,000 CAD per year per consortium.
• NRC researchers may request up to $50,000 CAD per year to cover incremental operating costs.
• NRC research centres will be expected to provide in-kind contributions that match or exceed the amount of funding received through this call for proposals, i.e. if $50,000 CAD per year funding is awarded for the project, the research centre must provide at least $50,000 CAD per year worth of in-kind contribution for a total minimum project contribution value of $100,000 CAD per year.
• One country or project partner cannot represent more than 70% of the total project budget and the project duration must be between 24 and 36 months.

Eligibility Requirements

• To be considered for funding, applicants must form a project consortium and develop a collaborative R&D project that meets the following criteria:
  • Consortium
    • The project consortium must include a minimum of 5 participants (3 Canadian and 2 German participants) who will be undertaking project research activities through the NRC’s Critical Battery Materials Initiative (CBMI).
    • Canadian participants:
      • 1 incorporated Canadian small or medium-sized enterprise (SME), defined as a for-profit company with 500 or fewer full-time equivalent employees
      • 1 researcher from the National Research Council of Canada (NRC)
      • 1 Canadian research institution (e.g., post-secondary institution, research and technology organization)
    • German participants:
      • 1 eligible German commercial enterprise, in particular small or medium-size companies
      • 1 German research institution
    • The project partners that form the consortium must agree on a plan addressing intellectual property rights and intent to commercialize
    • For each project partner, their respective applicable national laws, regulations and policies, as well as terms and conditions of the respective funding agreements, will apply to their part of the collaboration project
  • Canadian eligibility requirements
    • The Canadian SME applicant must:
      • 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 with commercial potential in global markets
      • have sufficient working capital (e.g. revenue, investment etc.) 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 1 or more products domestically or internationally
      • have greater than $500,000 CAD in annual revenue
  • Canadian research institutions
    • Eligible recipients are Canadian research institutions (e.g., post-secondary institutions, research and technology organizations)
    • Eligible institutions must perform collaborative research and development, or prototype development which supports research, development, adoption or adaptation of innovative or technology-driven products, services or processes
    • Project-related work must support the advancement of the NRC’s Critical Battery Materials Initiative (CBMI)

For more information, visit Government of Canada.