CanExport Innovation
Global Affairs Canada (Trade Commissioner Service) / NRC IRAP · International R&D partnership grant
$27KGrant of up to C$37,500 (~$27k) covering up to 75% of eligible costs on a project budget of up to C$50,000; max C$100,000 per organisation in any 12 months
Canadian grant that funds activities to negotiate and formalise a collaborative R&D partnership with a foreign partner for a Canadian-owned technology at TRL 4+.
Key terms
- Canadian SME (<500 FTE), academic institution or non-government research centre with a CRA business number
- Must own/co-own IP (or have decision authority) for one technology at TRL 4 or higher, commercial launch within 5 years
- Funds partnership-building only (travel, foreign IP, certification, shipping demos, legal); not the R&D work itself
- Written proof of foreign partner interest required; up to three foreign partners per project
- December 2026 intake opens 1 Dec 2026 at 12:00 EST for 24 hours; first-come until budget is allocated
Eligibility
- Where
- Canada
- Stages
- seed, series-a, growth
- Needs VC/accelerator backing
- No
- Needs partner referral code
- No
- Must be incorporated
- Yes
- AI focus required
- No
- Students / researchers
- Not eligible
- Nonprofits
- Not eligible
Also required
- Foreign R&D partner interest letter required
- TRL 4+ prototype required
How to apply
Create a CanExport portal account, complete Basic Eligibility, then submit during the 24-hour intake that opens at 12:00 EST on 1 Dec 2026. Prepare partner interest letters and cost quotes in advance.
- Benefit
- cash
- Equity-free
- Yes
- Decision time
- —
- Credit validity
- —
- Deadline
- 2026-12-01
- Status
- Open
Verified 2026-11-06 · source
More: Government grants for startups · Startup programs in Canada
Guide: Startup grants in Canada (2026): IRAP, SR&ED, provincial grants and CanExport