Updated March 2026 · Verified against Department of National Defence (DND) guidelines
▲ Growing ✓ First-Timer Friendly Advance Payment Est. 2018
Grant Federal Active

IDEaS Competitive Projects — Component 1 (Conceive & Design)

Department of National Defence (DND)
Maximum Funding
Up to $250,000
Ongoing — new challenges issued throughout the year via CanadaBuys
Visit Official Program →
Difficulty
Moderate
Payment
Advance Payment
Trend
Growing
First-Timers
Friendly ✓
Co-Funding
100%
IDEaS Competitive Projects — Component 1 (Conceive & Design) provides Up to $250,000 (1a) or $1,500,000 (1b). Entry-level defence innovation grants funding Canadian innovators to conceive and design solutions to specific DND/CAF challenges. Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis. (As of March 2026, verified against Department of National Defence (DND) program guidelines)

Eligibility & Details

What this program funds and who can apply

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Program Description

Entry-level defence innovation grants funding Canadian innovators to conceive and design solutions to specific DND/CAF challenges. Component 1a provides up to $250,000 over 6 months (TRL 1–3), Component 1b up to $1.5 million over 12 months (TRL 4–5). Funds 100% of costs with no matching requirement — the most accessible entry point into Canada's defence innovation pipeline.

Eligibility Requirements

  • Open to individuals, academia, industry (any size), and non-profits
  • Must be based in Canada or have Canadian operations
  • Solution must address an active IDEaS challenge issued by DND/CAF
  • Component 1a: TRL 1–3; Component 1b: TRL 4–5
Provinces
All Provinces
Industries
Technology Engineering Manufacturing AI Digital Software +3 more
Business Stage
Startup Growth Established Expansion

Quick Assessment

Difficulty
Moderate
Competition
High
Est. Hours
25h
First-Timer
Friendly

Funding Details

Amount
Up to $250,000 (1a) or $1,500,000 (1b)
Type
Grant
Level
Federal
Co-Funding
Up to 100% of eligible costs
Deadline
Ongoing — new challenges issued throughout the year via CanadaBuys

Program Scorecard

Competition, effort, and approval at a glance

Hybrid
Competition
High
Effort
~25 hours
Approval
Moderate
Accessibility
--/5
Competition
--/5
Approval Rate
--%
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Approval likelihood, realistic amounts, competition level, and what winners look like
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What's in this Playbook

Everything you need to win IDEaS Competitive Projects — Component 1 (... — $19

Not a marketing summary. The actual checklist, intel, and stack strategy reviewers look for.

Consultants charge $2,000–$5,000 per program. This Playbook is $19. Yours forever.
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Applying for IDEaS Competitive Projects? 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) →

How to Win

Insider tips, common pitfalls, and what successful applicants look like

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Insider Tip

IDEaS actively invites civilian tech companies to reframe existing solutions for defence. Component 1a's $250K with zero cost-share is the lowest-barrier entry into DND procurement in Canada. Read past challenge winners in annual reports to understand the evaluation lens.

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Success Profile

Canadian tech company, research lab, or individual with a novel concept (TRL 1–5) that can address a DND/CAF operational challenge. Prior defence experience not required.

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Evaluation Criteria

Two-step evaluation: (1) Compliance check against mandatory criteria, then (2) Technical Review Committee (TRC) assessment by DND/CAF experts. Proposals scored on technical merit, innovation, feasibility, relevance to the specific defence challenge, and potential for advancement to higher TRL levels. Challenge-specific criteria vary by call.

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Don’t waste 25 hours on a preventable rejection
Common rejection pitfalls, what winners look like, and exactly what reviewers score on
Paid grant writers quote $2,000–$5,000 per program. Start with the $19 Playbook first.
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Application Playbook

Step-by-step process, required documents, and expenses

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Application Steps

1 Monitor active challenges on CanadaBuys Browse canadabuys.canada.ca for current IDEaS challenges. Each challenge has a specific problem statement, TRL range, and deadline (typically 60-90 day application window).
2 Determine Component fit Assess whether your solution is at TRL 1-3 (Component 1a, up to $250K, 6 months) or TRL 4-5 (Component 1b, up to $1.5M, 12 months). Solutions must directly address the posted challenge.
3 Develop proposal Prepare detailed project proposal including objectives, methodology, expected outcomes, team qualifications, TRL assessment, budget breakdown, and work plan with milestones.
4 Submit through IDEaS portal Complete required application forms with all sections and required attachments. Submit through the designated IDEaS submission portal. Verify submission confirmation.
5 Compliance and technical review Round 1: compliance check of mandatory criteria. Round 2: Technical Review Committee (TRC) evaluation by DND/CAF experts and potentially other federal department experts.
6 Receive decision and sign contribution agreement Processing takes 8-16 weeks. If approved, sign the contribution agreement before incurring any project costs.

Required Documents 5

✓ Proposal addressing the specific DND challenge
✓ TRL assessment
✓ Budget breakdown
✓ Team qualifications
✓ Work plan with milestones

Eligible Expenses 6

  • Salaries and benefits for project staff directly related to project activities
  • Equipment acquisitions or rentals (max $5,000 per item, max 20% of total eligible costs)
  • Professional, scientific, and technical consultant services (third parties not affiliated with the project)
  • Materials and supplies for prototyping and testing
  • Administrative overhead costs (max 15% of total eligible costs before overhead)
  • Travel expenses directly related to project deliverables

Ineligible Expenses 4

  • In-kind contributions (counted in total project costs but ineligible for DND funding)
  • Expenditures incurred before signing the contribution agreement
  • Equipment acquisitions exceeding $5,000 per item
  • Costs not directly related to the approved project scope

Intake Periods

Ongoing — 10-20 new challenges issued throughout the year via CanadaBuys, each with its own 60-90 day application window. No single annual deadline.

Deadline Notes

IDEaS issues 10–20 new challenges annually, each with 60–90 day application window. Monitor CanadaBuys (canadabuys.canada.ca). Successful 1a projects may advance to 1b and ultimately Component 2 (up to $6.75M total pipeline).

Open Application Portal →

Ineligible Organizations

  • Federal Crown corporations
  • Organizations without Canadian operations or presence
  • Entities that cannot demonstrate at least 50% Canadian content for goods and services
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Funding Stack Strategy

Compatible programs, clawback risk, and combined funding potential

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Compatible Programs

NSERC Alliance Grants NRC-IRAP Provincial R&D Programs
Combined Funding Potential See your total funding potential

Clawback Risk

Low Risk
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See your total funding potential across 3 programs
Stacking amounts, clawback details, government stacking limits, and tax implications
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How IDEaS Competitive Projects — Component 1 (... Compares

Side-by-side with similar programs

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Frequently Asked Questions

Quick answers to the questions founders most often ask about IDEaS Competitive Projects — Component 1 (...

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Can I apply without a defence background?
Yes — IDEaS actively invites civilian tech companies to reframe existing solutions for defence. Past winners include non-defence startups with TRL 1–3 concepts addressing DND challenges.
What's the realistic funding for Component 1a?
$150,000–$250,000 (max $250K for 6 months, TRL 1–3). Component 1b is $700K–$1.2M (TRL 4–5) but requires prior 1a success.
Do I need matching funds?
No — IDEaS funds 100% of costs with no matching requirement. This is the most accessible entry point into DND procurement in Canada.
How long does it take to get paid?
Payments are made as advances (not reimbursement). Once approved, funds are disbursed within 30 days of contract signing.
Can I stack this with other grants?
Yes — IDEaS can run in parallel with NSERC Alliance Grants, NRC-IRAP, and provincial R&D programs for separate workstreams on the same challenge.

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