Overall Description

Canada Call for Projects No. 8 supports international, market-oriented R&D collaborations between eligible Canadian SMEs and organisations from other Eureka countries.

The call is open to all technology fields and application areas. Projects must develop an innovative product, process or service with strong global commercialisation potential and deliver clear benefits to the participating organisations and Canada.

Funding Amount

Canadian participants

• Maximum NRC IRAP funding: CAD 500,000 per Canadian SME.
• Funding rate: Up to 50% of eligible project costs.
• Project duration: 12–36 months.
• Funding instrument: Non-repayable contribution reimbursing approved work completed and invoiced.
• Total call budget: Not specified.

NRC IRAP may limit the number of projects or total funding awarded to applicants participating in multiple calls or already receiving NRC IRAP support.

International partners

International participants must obtain funding from their own national authorities or finance their participation independently. Funding amounts and rates depend on the applicable national programme.

Submission Deadlines

• Call opening: 27 July 2026.
• Canadian SME registration deadline: 15 September 2026.
• Canadian Expression of Interest deadline: 29 September 2026.
• Full international proposal deadline: 7 January 2027 at 23:59 CET / 17:59 EST in Ottawa.
• National funding procedures: February–March 2027.
• Expected project start: June–July 2027.

Submission Conditions

• Canadian applicants must first register with NRC IRAP and obtain the Expression of Interest form.
• The completed Expression of Interest must be submitted to NRC IRAP by 29 September 2026.
• Only qualified Canadian applicants will be invited to prepare the full Eureka proposal.
• The consortium must contain at least two independent legal entities from at least two countries.
• The participating organisations must be unrelated parties.
• The project must develop an innovative product, process or service for commercialisation.
• Projects must have a civilian purpose.
• No single organisation may account for more than 70% of the total project budget.
• No single country may account for more than 70% of the total project budget.
• Partners must agree on intellectual-property ownership and commercialisation arrangements.
• Project participants must not be affiliated with entities included on Canada’s Named Research Organizations list.
• One joint application per consortium must be submitted in English through the Eureka SmartSimple portal.
• The submission must include:
  • Joint Eureka application form.
  • Individual partner forms.
  • Gantt chart.
  • Signed co-signature form.
  • Draft consortium agreement.
  • NRC IRAP Canadian SME Annex.
• A signed consortium agreement is required before the project begins.
• Receiving the Eureka label does not automatically guarantee national funding.

Eligible Types of Businesses and Organisations

Canadian applicants

The Canadian lead applicant must:

• Be an incorporated, profit-oriented SME.
• Have no more than 500 full-time-equivalent employees.
• Have operated for at least 12 months before the proposal deadline.
• Employ at least five full-time employees in Canada on its payroll by the registration deadline.
• Be an eligible NRC IRAP client.
• Have the technical, operational and financial capacity to complete a multi-year international project.
• Own or develop differentiated, protectable technology.
• Demonstrate a commitment to international growth and commercialisation.

Preference may be given to Canadian SMEs that:

• Employ at least 15 full-time staff in Canada.
• Have previously commercialised a product internationally.
• Generate more than CAD 500,000 in annual sales revenue.

These preference criteria are not absolute eligibility requirements, but applicants not meeting them must provide a strong justification.

International participants

Subject to their national rules, international partners may include:

• SMEs.
• Large companies.
• Universities.
• Research and technology organisations.
• Public or private research institutes.
• Other entities contributing essential R&D expertise.

Eligible Countries

• Dedicated call funding:
  • Canada
• International cooperation:
  • Canadian SMEs may collaborate with eligible organisations from other Eureka member or associated countries. International partners must confirm national funding availability or participate on a self-funded basis.
  • The minimum consortium must contain one eligible Canadian SME and at least one independent organisation from another country.