Innovative Solutions Canada (ISC)
Receive up to $150k/$2M in Government Funding.
Innovative Solutions Canada is an initiative that provides government grants and procurement contracts to stimulate technology research, development, and commercialization. The program’s Challenge Stream and Testing Stream help startups and small/medium-sized businesses (SMEs) overcome technology testing and development hurdles so that they can produce globally-demanded products and services, while also improving government operations.
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Funding Amount
SMEs can access up to $150k for proof of concept projects, and up to $2M for prototype development, and may also be awarded a government contract.
Eligible Applicants
For-profit Canadian incorporations with <500 employees are eligible to apply. 50%+ FTEs and senior executives must be located in Canada.
800+
Annual Funding Applications Supported
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Amount of Funding
Innovative Solutions Canada is structured around a graduated, three-phase process:
- Proof of Concept: Proving scientific and technical feasibility, and commercial potential, of an idea that addresses a public-sector challenge. Eligible applicants may receive up to $150,000 in Canadian government grants to offset up to six months of project expenses.
- Prototype Development: Developing a prototype based on the proof of concept in Phase 1. Eligible applicants may receive up to $2 million in Canadian government grants to offset up to two years of project expenses.
- Pathway to Commercialization: Should a Phase 2 prototype suit the needs of a government department, they may procure it from a business and become the innovation’s first purchase. There is no maximum to the amount of funds awarded through these contracts.
Eligible Applicants
To participate in the Innovative Solutions Canada program, companies must:
- Be for-profit and privately held;
- Be incorporated in Canada (federally or provincially);
- Have a head office in Canada;
- Have 499 or fewer full time equivalent (FTE) employees;
- Pay at least 50% of annual wages, salaries, and fees to employees and contractors who spend a majority of their time working in Canada;
- Have 50% or more of their full-time employees located as their ordinary place of work in Canada; and
- Have 50% or more of its senior executives (Vice President and above) with their principal residence in Canada.
Eligible Activities
Innovative Solutions Canada (ISC) is a federal procurement and grant funding program established to provide a portion of government budgets for the purchase of domestic goods and services. Each of the 20 participating federal departments have allocated 1% of their annual budgets to support the program; this pool of funds will support a call for innovations through departmental ‘challenges’.
The Challenge Stream requests for solutions where the Canadian government needs access to technologies not yet commercially-available and must therefore be developed. Projects considered for support through Innovative Solutions Canada program must align with one of the government’s open departmental innovation challenges and have a current technology readiness level (TRL) of 1-6 for any challenges in the Challenge Stream.
An open intake stream of ISC exists as well, called the Testing Stream (previously called the Build in Canada Innovation Program), which supports the testing of pre-commercial innovative prototypes that can be tested in real life settings and can address a variety of priorities within the Government of Canada.
There are currently 20 federal departments and agencies participating in the program. This includes:
- Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada;
- Canada Border Services Agency;
- Canadian Food Inspection Agency;
- Canadian Space Agency;
- Correctional Service Canada;
- Employment and Social Development Canada;
- Environment & Climate Change Canada;
- Fisheries & Oceans Canada;
- Global Affairs Canada;
- Health Canada;
- Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada;
- Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada;
- National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces;
- National Research Council Canada;
- Natural Resources Canada;
- Public Health Agency of Canada;
- Public Service and Procurement Canada;
- Royal Canadian Mounted Police;
- Shared Services Canada; and
- Transport Canada.
Deadline to Apply
Speak with a member of our team to find the latest intake period info for this program or subscribe to our newsletter to be notified.
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