Bioindustrial Innovation Canada (BIC) CONNECT Program
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Eligibility & Details
What this program funds and who can apply
Program Description
CONNECT helps Canadian SMEs that are already NRC IRAP clients accelerate the market readiness of innovative bioproducts by connecting them with Canadian service providers offering technical or commercial expertise. Approved SMEs access services valued up to $17,500 plus applicable taxes and pay BIC a program fee of 10% of project value.
Eligibility Requirements
- Applicant must be a Canadian small or medium-sized enterprise (SME).
- Applicant must already be working with NRC IRAP, and must provide the name of its NRC IRAP Industrial Technology Advisor (ITA).
- This year's program focus is projects in the bioproducts sector.
- Projects must involve innovation or development activities such as R&D work, lab or technical work, or market research.
- Only one project per applicant per fiscal year is allowed.
- Applicants who completed a CONNECT project in the previous fiscal year are not eligible to apply in the current fiscal year.
- The services of only one service provider may be used per application.
- Service providers must be Canadian, independent, and have no close ties to the applicant.
- Applicants must pay a program fee of 10% of project value, up to $1,750, directly to BIC within two weeks of approval notification.
- Projects must be completed and invoiced by February 28, 2027.
- The program operates on a first-come, first-served basis.
- Final approval is contingent upon NRC IRAP approval of the proposal.
Quick Assessment
Funding Details
- Amount
- Services worth up to $17,500 plus applicable taxes; applicant pays a 10% program fee (up to $1,750)
- Type
- Program
- Level
- Federal
- Co-Funding
- Up to 90% of eligible costs
- Deadline
- No fixed application deadline — first-come, first-served while funds last; projects must be completed and invoiced by February 28, 2027
Program Scorecard
Competition, effort, and approval at a glance
Everything you need to win BIC
Not a marketing summary. The actual checklist, intel, and stack strategy reviewers look for.
- 5-document checklist with what each reviewer is actually checking
- 7-step application timeline with prep hours per step
- Insider tip from program officers on what separates winners
- Success profile + evaluation criteria — exactly what reviewers score on
How to Win
Insider tips, common pitfalls, and what successful applicants look like
Insider TipTwo things decide this one before quality of writing does. First, you must already have an NRC IRAP relationship and be able to name your ITA — BIC's approval is contingent on NRC IRAP's, so start with your ITA, not with the form. Second, it is first-come, first-served against a finite pot, so applying early in the fiscal year matters more than polishing. Budget for the 10% program fee (up to $1,750) due within two weeks of approval, and BIC will introduce you to qualified service providers if you ask — each provider can only take on three projects a fiscal year, so the good ones fill up.
Evaluation Criteria
BIC runs a proposal review process that is contingent on NRC IRAP approval — the ITA's recommendation is decisive. Proposals are assessed on whether the project involves genuine innovation or development activity (R&D, lab or technical work, or market research), whether it fits this year's bioproducts focus, and whether the chosen service provider is Canadian, independent and free of close ties to the applicant. Because intake is first-come, first-served, timing is part of the outcome.
Application Playbook
Step-by-step process, required documents, and expenses
Application Steps
Required Documents 5
Eligible Expenses 5
- Technical services delivered by an approved Canadian service provider
- Commercial services delivered by an approved Canadian service provider
- R&D work forming part of the project scope
- Lab or technical work forming part of the project scope
- Market research forming part of the project scope
Ineligible Expenses 5
- Services from a non-Canadian service provider
- Services from a provider that is not independent of, or has close ties to, the applicant
- Work split across more than one service provider in a single application
- A second project by the same applicant in the same fiscal year
- Work not completed and invoiced by February 28, 2027
Intake Periods
Rolling and first-come, first-served, while funds last — there is no published application window. Projects in the current cycle must be completed and invoiced by February 28, 2027.
Deadline Notes
There is no published application cut-off date. The program operates on a first-come, first-served basis, so the practical constraint is fund availability rather than a deadline. The only dated milestone BIC publishes is a project-completion date: projects must be completed and invoiced by February 28, 2027 — that is a delivery deadline, not an application deadline.
Ineligible Organizations
- Businesses that are not NRC IRAP clients
- Businesses that are not Canadian SMEs
- Applicants who completed a CONNECT project in the previous fiscal year
- Applicants seeking a second CONNECT project in the same fiscal year
Applying for BIC? Our Grant Proposal Template ($19) mirrors the section structure Canadian reviewers actually score on. Or get all 4 templates in the Founder Pack ($59 · saves $27) →
Funding Stack Strategy
Compatible programs, clawback risk, and combined funding potential
Stacking partner data not yet available.
Clawback Risk
Low RiskNo clawback provisions are published. The 10% program fee is payable to BIC within two weeks of approval and is not described as refundable.
How BIC Compares
Side-by-side with similar programs
| Program | Amount | Difficulty | Payment | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bioindustrial Innovation Canada (BIC)... | up to $17,500 | Easy | In Kind | No fixed application... |
| Strategic Response Fund (formerly Str... | Minimum $10 million contribution | Hard | Mixed (Advance + Reimb.) | Ongoing — continuous... |
| CanExport SMEs | Up to $50,000 | Moderate | Mixed (Advance + Reimb.) | Applications accepted... |
| Ocean Supercluster | Up to $5 million | Hard | Reimbursement | Call-specific — no open... |
| Ontario Innovation Tax Credit | Up to 8% tax credit | Moderate | Tax Credit Offset | Ongoing |
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Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the questions founders most often ask about BIC