IDEaS Competitive Projects — Component 1 (Conceive & Design)
Eligibility & Details
What this program funds and who can apply
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
Quick Assessment
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
See how this program compares on approval odds, difficulty, and competition — so you know if it’s worth your time. Unlock with Premium →
How to Win
Insider tips, common pitfalls, and what successful applicants look like
Insider TipIDEaS 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.
See what trips up most applicants for this program — and how to avoid it. Unlock with Premium →
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.
See what successful applicants for this program actually look like. Unlock with Premium →
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.
See exactly what reviewers score on — so you know where to focus. Unlock with Premium →
Application Playbook
Step-by-step process, required documents, and expenses
Application Steps
Required Documents 5
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
Get the step-by-step application guide — documents, timeline, and what to prepare. Unlock with Premium →
Funding Stack Strategy
Compatible programs, clawback risk, and combined funding potential
Compatible Programs
Clawback Risk
Low RiskSee which programs combine with this one — and how much more you could get. Unlock with Premium →
How IDEaS Competitive Projects ... Compares
Side-by-side with similar programs
| Program | Amount | Difficulty | Payment | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IDEaS Competitive Projects — Componen... | Up to $250,000 | Moderate | Advance Payment | Ongoing — new challenges... |
| Strategic Response Fund (formerly Str... | Up to $50 million | Hard | Mixed (Advance + Reimb.) | Ongoing — continuous... |
| CanExport SMEs | Up to $50,000 | Moderate | Mixed (Advance + Reimb.) | Annual intake window.... |
| Innovative Solutions Canada | up to $150,000 | Hard | Milestone-Based | Challenge-specific — new... |
| Ocean Supercluster | Up to $5 million | Hard | Reimbursement | Call-specific — no open... |
Related Programs
Other programs you might be eligible for