NRC Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC IRAP)

Canada's flagship R&D funding-plus-advisory program for innovative SMEs.

Level

Federal

Amount

Advisory + funding; project contributions commonly tens of thousands to ~$1M; program envelope up to ~$10M for large R&D

What it funds

Technology innovation and R&D for small/medium businesses; also advisory services

Eligibility

Eligible applicants are small and medium-sized businesses that operate innovatively in Canada. The program supports businesses seeking to build innovation capacity and take ideas to market. No specific sector restriction is stated.

2026 notes

~$414M distributed annually; approval competitive (~15–30%)

Awareness

known