Working together, the Government of Canada and the Government of Brazil aim to foster and support collaborative industrial research and development (R&D) projects with a high potential for commercialization. This call for proposals is open to organizations from Canada and Brazil who wish to form project consortia to perform collaborative projects focussed on developing innovative products, processes, or technology-based services in all technological and application areas which have strong market potential.
Sponsoring Agency: National Research Council Canada
Type of Fund: Research and Development
Deadline Available: Available
Deadline Date (mm/dd/yyyy): 05/26/2021
Size of the Fund: USD $500,000 to $1 Million
Working together, the Government of Canada and the Government of Brazil aim to foster and support collaborative industrial research and development (R&D) projects with a high potential for commercialization. This call for proposals is open to organizations from Canada and Brazil who wish to form project consortia to perform collaborative projects focussed on developing innovative products, processes, or technology-based services in all technological and application areas which have strong market potential.
Sectors of Focus
Although this call invites proposals related to any technological or market area, priority is being given to artificial intelligence (AI), advanced manufacturing (AM) and Internet of Things (IoT) projects in the following sectors:
• Agriculture
• Forestry
• Health
• Mining
Funding Information
Canadian funding
• In Canada, this call for proposals is offered through the Canadian International Innovation Program (CIIP) – an international innovation R&D funding program offered by Global Affairs Canada in partnership with 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 $600,000 CAD over 12 to 24 months (an extension of 12 months may be considered if sufficiently justified and accepted by both countries).
Note: Canadian SME applicants must be eligible for funding as NRC IRAP clients before they can be considered for funding through this call for proposals. For more information on NRC IRAP eligibility and becoming an NRC IRAP client, please contact NRC IRAP at 1-877-994-4727.
Note: Canadian SME applicants may apply to more than one NRC IRAP call for proposals simultaneously. However, NRC IRAP may limit the number of funded projects per applicant. Canadian SME applicants who are applying to more than one opportunity or who have ongoing NRC IRAP projects should speak to their NRC IRAP representative for more information.
Brazilian funding
• In Brazil, this call for proposals is offered through Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa e Inovação Industrial (or in English the Brazilian Company for Research and Industrial Innovation) (EMBRAPII). EMBRAPII is responsible for the delivery of this call for proposals.
• Brazilian project funding follows the EMBRAPII funding model:
o EMBRAPII finances up to 1/3 of Brazilian project costs with non-reimbursable funding
o The Brazilian industrial partner must financially contribute, in cash, with at least 1/3 of the project costs
o The remaining costs must be negotiated directly with the EMBRAPII Unit
o EMBRAPII Unit costs are in-kind contributions
o Start-up companies or SMEs may take advantage of additional grants such as SEBRAE grant (Brazilian Micro and Small Business Support Service), Rota 2030 or PPI-IoT
o Additional grants may be available through the EMBRAPII Unit.
Eligibility Requirements
To be considered for funding, applicants must form a project consortium and develop a collaborative research and development (R&D) project that meets the following criteria:
• The project consortium must include at least:
o 1 incorporated Canadian small or medium-sized enterprise (SME), defined as a for-profit company with 500 or fewer full-time equivalent employees
o 1 eligible Brazilian company of any size, which is based and operating in Brazil,and
o 1 Brazilian research centre accredited as an Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa e Inovação Industrial (EMBRAPII) Unit (please visit the EMBRAPII website for more information on EMBRAPII Units)
• The project partners that form the consortium must:
o be capable of implementing the project including funding their respective share
o agree in advance on intellectual property rights and a commercialization strategy, and
o not be related in terms of corporate ownership
• The project must focus on co-developing a product, process, or technology-based service that:
o is highly innovative
o has significant commercial potential
o has outcomes that can be realized within 2 years of completion of the project
o does not involve R&D related to products, processes, or technology-based services with military or non-peaceful applications, and
o aligns with the expertise of one of the EMBRAPII Units (please visit the EMBRAPII website for more information on EMBRAPII Units)
• The project must demonstrate:
o the unique scientific and technological contribution that each organization brings to the project
o an obvious advantage and added value for each project partner resulting from the collaboration, such as an increased knowledge base, an access to R&D infrastructure or new fields of application or a solutions for commercial needs, and
o an adequate balance and significance for all project partners, defined as no more than 70% of the project budget contributed by any one organization or country
In addition to the above eligibility requirements, each applicant must meet their country-specific requirements, outlined below:
Canadian eligibility requirements
• Canadian applicant(s) must also meet the following criteria:
o The Canadian SME must have a technology that is:
competitive in global markets, differentiated and protectable, such as a unique or novel patentable technology that may alter the industry or market
o The Canadian SME must be committed to:
pursuing growth and profit by developing and commercializing innovative, technology-driven new or improved products, processes or technologyl-based services, and
aggressive growth through global market expansion
o The Canadian SME must be ready, and have the resources to:
make a serious new market entry push, typically having more than 10 full-time equivalent employees and $1 million CAD in annual revenue, and
complete a collaborative project with international partners
Brazilian eligibility requirements
• Brazilian applicants must meet the criteria outlined in the EMBRAPII call for proposals announcement. For any questions related to this information, please contact EMBRAPII.
• Additional Brazilian project eligibility requirements are as follows:
o Must address research from experimental proof of concept to technology demonstrated in relevant environment (Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 3-6)
o Exceptionally, for Covid-19-related projects, research may be done within TRL 3 to 9.
o The project must lead to the development of products or technical processes which are considerably differentiated from the ones existing in the market in terms of their functions or other features and provide an added economic, societal or environmental value
o The project must be negotiated directly with the EMBRAPII Unit that will develop the project
o The Brazilian part of the project must be developed/managed by an EMBRAPII Unit
o The Brazilian part of the project must address an industrial demand and involve one or more industrial partners
o The non-reimbursable resources are available exclusively in the EMBRAPII Units (and cannot be transferred to the company)
o IP is discussed and negotiated directly among partners
• Brazilian applicant(s) must also meet the following requirements:
o Brazilian companies of all sizes are eligible, including start-ups, operating in Brazil
o Brazilian firms must have a CNAE (Cadastro Nacional de Atividade Empresarial) registration number
More information at: https://nrc.canada.ca/en/irap/about/international/?action=view&id=86
