Canadian small and medium-sized enterprises (for-profit) seeking industrial R&D collaboration
Services
Canadian International Innovation Program (CIIP)
Global Affairs Canada program, delivered by the Trade Commissioner Service in collaboration with NRC IRAP, that funds Canadian SMEs to pursue collaborative industrial research and development projects with commercialization potential together with partners in countries where Canada has Science, Technology and Innovation (ST&I) agreements: Brazil, China, India, Israel and South Korea. Supports partnership development activities (PDAs) and full co-innovation R&D collaborations, including networking and matchmaking.
Overview
Global Affairs Canada program, delivered by the Trade Commissioner Service in collaboration with NRC IRAP, that funds Canadian SMEs to pursue collaborative industrial research and development projects with commercialization potential together with partners in countries where Canada has Science, Technology and Innovation (ST&I) agreements: Brazil, China, India, Israel and South Korea. Supports partnership development activities (PDAs) and full co-innovation R&D collaborations, including networking and matchmaking.
Key numbers
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Instrument | grant / contribution |
| Level | federal |
| Region | Canada |
| Administrator | Global Affairs Canada (Trade Commissioner Service), delivered in collaboration with NRC IRAP |
| Intake status | Open - periodic calls for proposals (CFPs) and Partnership Development Activities (PDAs); demand typically exceeds available funding |
| Non-US bias | Strong non-US bias: eligible partner countries are Brazil, China, India, Israel and South Korea; the US is not a CIIP target |
| Target markets | 5 |
Eligibility
Must identify an international partner in a CIIP target country (Brazil, China, India, Israel, South Korea)
Project must have high potential for commercialization
Academic and non-profit participation is supported in the broader CIIP ecosystem
What it covers
Collaborative industrial R&D projects to adapt, validate or co-create technologies, services or processes with commercialization potential
Partnership Development Activities (PDAs)
travel and engagement to build partnerships with foreign counterparts
Bilateral science and technology networking and matchmaking to accelerate commercialization
R&D activities with partners in the five ST&I-agreement countries
Market and diversification rules
Target markets restricted to Brazil, China, India, Israel and South Korea (the five countries with which Canada has ST&I agreements)
Program links to Global Affairs results framework 2.2
Canadian exporters and innovators succeed in international business development
How to apply
Register with the Trade Commissioner Service and contact a trade commissioner to confirm fit
Respond to the current CIIP call for proposals or PDA call through the TCS/GAC process
Identify and secure a partner in a CIIP target country
Submit the application with the proposed R&D collaboration and budget; signed funding agreements are legally binding
Stacking notes
No published stacking cap; disclose other government funding sources
CIIP sits alongside CanExport Innovation (for R&D partnership funding) and CanExport SMEs (for export marketing)
Notes
Funding levels have remained small and unchanged since 2005 per GAC's 2020 evaluation, with demand exceeding available funding
Observed agreement values on Open Government (Grants and Contributions) range from under $10,000 for PDAs to over $100,000 for R&D collaborations; official program maxima are not published
CIIP and CanExport Innovation are complementary
both support international R&D partnership formation, CIIP being restricted to the five ST&I-agreement countries
Relevant services
The services below are grant-eligible: CanExport and EDC reimburse up to 50% for incorporated Canadian exporters.
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