Industrial Research Assistance Program (IRAP)
Eligibility & Details
What this program funds and who can apply
Program Description
Provides advice, connections and funding to help Canadian small and medium-sized businesses increase their innovation capacity and take ideas to market.
Eligibility Requirements
- Incorporated Canadian SME (sole proprietorships, partnerships, and cooperatives are ineligible)
- 500 or fewer full-time equivalent employees
- Project involves genuine technological uncertainty and R&D in Canada
- Sufficient commercialization plan and market pathway for the innovation
- Can demonstrate co-funding capacity (minimum 20% of employee wages, 50% of subcontractor costs)
- R&D work has not yet begun — IRAP cannot fund work started before approval
Quick Assessment
Funding Details
- Amount
- Up to $1 million
- Type
- Grant
- Level
- Federal
- Co-Funding
- Up to 80% of eligible costs
- Deadline
- Ongoing
Program Scorecard
Competition, effort, and approval at a glance
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How to Win
Insider tips, common pitfalls, and what successful applicants look like
Insider TipIRAP is a relationship program. The quality of your ITA relationship is the single most important success factor. Treat the ITA as a partner, share detailed roadmaps, meet regularly. Never start R&D before approval — IRAP cannot fund retroactively.
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Rejection Pitfalls 6
- Project lacks genuine technical uncertainty — routine IT or incremental improvements don't qualify
- Work already begun before approval — IRAP cannot fund retroactively
- Insufficient commercialization plan — no clear market path or revenue projection
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Success Profile
Incorporated Canadian SME in ICT/software (29% of clients), 5-100 employees, 2+ years operating, some commercial traction. Working on defined technology challenge with genuine technical uncertainty. 12-24 month project timeline with clear market path.
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Evaluation Criteria
Applications are assessed by the assigned Industrial Technology Advisor (ITA) on five criteria: (1) Technical merit of the innovation project, (2) Business, management, and financial capacity to execute, (3) Likelihood of achieving results, (4) Commercialization plans and market potential, (5) Benefits to Canada and the Canadian economy. No published point weights — ITA assessment is holistic and relationship-based.
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Application Playbook
Step-by-step process, required documents, and expenses
Application Steps
Required Documents 10
Eligible Expenses 5
- Salaries and wages of technical staff directly performing R&D activities (up to 80% reimbursement)
- Subcontractor costs for specialized external technical expertise (up to 50% reimbursement)
- Intellectual property management activities (drafting IP policies, preliminary patent/trademark work)
- Youth employment program wages for recent graduates working on innovation projects
- Clean technology project costs under the IRAP CleanTech stream
Ineligible Expenses 7
- Capital equipment purchases
- Marketing, sales, and general administrative expenses
- Day-to-day operating costs and routine business activities
- Travel expenses (except pre-approved project-related travel)
- Office rent and overhead
- Work performed outside Canada
- Research with limited commercialization potential
Intake Periods
Continuous — applications accepted year-round with no formal intake windows. However, regional budgets are typically fullest April-May (start of fiscal year) and can be exhausted by late fall/winter in high-demand regions. Strategic timing: begin ITA relationship in February-March to align with new fiscal year budget allocations.
Deadline Notes
IRAP has no formal intake windows; applications are assessed on an ongoing basis throughout the fiscal year (April 1–March 31). However, budget availability is not uniform: regional IRAP budgets are typically fullest at the start of the fiscal year (April–May) and can be exhausted by late fall or winter in high-demand regions. Companies that begin the ITA relationship in February–March are well-positioned to receive approvals as soon as new-year budgets open. Initial contact to formal funding approval typically takes 3–6 months, so factoring that lead time into project planning is essential.
Open Application Portal →Ineligible Organizations
- Sole proprietorships and unincorporated businesses
- Partnerships and cooperatives
- Large enterprises with more than 500 full-time equivalent employees
- Non-Canadian businesses or businesses not operating in Canada
- Organizations without a technology innovation focus
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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 IRAP Compares
Side-by-side with similar programs
| Program | Amount | Difficulty | Payment | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Industrial Research Assistance Progra... | Up to $1 million | Moderate | Reimbursement | Ongoing |
| Mitacs Accelerate | $15,000 per internship unit | Easy | Advance Payment | Ongoing |
| CanExport Innovation | Up to $37,500 | Moderate | Reimbursement | Between intakes —... |
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