Program
Federal
Active
Bioindustrial Innovation Canada (BIC) CONNECT Program
Bioindustrial Innovation Canada / NRC Industrial Research Assistance Program
Maximum Funding
Services worth up to $17,500 plus applicable taxes; applicant...
No fixed application deadline — first-come, first-served while funds last; pr...
Difficulty
Easy
Payment
In Kind
Trend
Stable
First-Timers
Friendly ✓
Co-Funding
90%
Bioindustrial Innovation Canada (BIC) CONNECT Program provides up to Services worth up to $17,500 plus applicable taxes; applicant pays a 10% program fee (up to $1,750). 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. The program covers up to 90% of eligible costs. No fixed application deadline — first-come, first-served while funds last; projects must be completed and invoiced by February 28, 2027.
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Eligibility & Details
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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.
Provinces
Industries
Business Stage
Quick Assessment
Difficulty
Easy
Competition
Low
First-Timer
Friendly
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
Competition
Low
Deadline
Ongoing
Approval
Varies
Accessibility
--/5
Competition
--/5
Approval Rate
--%
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What's in this Playbook
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Evaluation Criteria
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Application Playbook
Step-by-step process, required documents, and expenses
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7 steps
5 docs
Application Steps
1
Confirm NRC IRAP status You must already be working with NRC IRAP and be able to name your Industrial Technology Advisor (ITA). If you are not yet an IRAP client, call NRC IRAP at 1-877-994-4727 first — nothing else in this process can proceed without it.
Required Documents 5
✓ Proposal describing the project scope and the innovation or development activities involved
✓ Name of the applicant's NRC IRAP Industrial Technology Advisor (ITA)
Eligible Expenses 5
Ineligible Expenses 5
Intake Periods
Deadline Notes
Ineligible Organizations
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Clawback Risk
Low Risk
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How BIC Compares
Side-by-side with similar programs
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| 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
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Do I need to be an NRC IRAP client before applying?
Yes. BIC requires you to already be working with NRC IRAP and to provide your Industrial Technology Advisor's name. Final approval is contingent on NRC IRAP approval, so start there.
Does the $17,500 come to me as cash?
No. CONNECT pays a Canadian service provider for technical or commercial work on your behalf — services valued up to $17,500 plus applicable taxes. You never receive a cheque.
What does it cost me to participate?
A program fee of 10% of project value, up to $1,750, payable to BIC within two weeks of approval notification.
Can I apply more than once in a year?
No. Only one project per applicant per fiscal year is allowed, and applicants who completed a CONNECT project in the previous fiscal year cannot apply in the current one.
Who owns the intellectual property that comes out of the project?
You do. BIC's policy states all IP developed in the program is owned by the applicant, and service providers must not make claims on it.
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