Grant
Federal
Active
Innovation Partnership Program (IPP)
Global Affairs Canada – Trade Commissioner Service
Maximum Funding
For selected SME delegates, the program covers up to 50% of...
Mission-specific. Two missions are currently open: Canadian Urban Mining and ...
Difficulty
Moderate
Payment
Varies
Trend
Stable
First-Timers
Friendly ✓
Co-Funding
50%
Innovation Partnership Program (IPP) provides up to For selected SME delegates, the program covers up to 50% of eligible mission costs (travel, conference fees, professional services, other direct costs); no fixed per-project dollar cap is stated on the official IPP page. Supports selected Canadian SMEs in international partnership missions by covering up to 50% of eligible mission costs for technologies nearing commercialization. The program covers up to 50% of eligible costs. Mission-specific. Two missions are currently open: Canadian Urban Mining and Critical Mineral Recycling Technologies R&D Partnering Delegation to France, closing September 27, 2026 (mission November 30–December 4, 2026); and Canadian Unmanned and Autonomous Technologies R&D Partnering Delegation to Taiwan, closing October 11, 2026 (mission January 25–28, 2027). Four further missions — to India, the Netherlands, Singapore and the UK — are listed as 'Upcoming' with recruitment dates to be announced..
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Eligibility & Details
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Program Description
Supports selected Canadian SMEs in international partnership missions by covering up to 50% of eligible mission costs for technologies nearing commercialization.
Eligibility Requirements
- Canadian incorporated profit-oriented SME
- Up to 500 full-time equivalent employees
- Technologies nearing commercialization
- Must own or co-own the intellectual property of the technology being presented
- Must have sufficient resources to cover the unfunded participating costs
- Ready to collaborate on co-innovation opportunities with a foreign partner
- Seeking to commercialize new or improved products, services or processes
- Academic institutions, non-government research centres and not-for-profits may participate if they maintain a focus on innovation, have an active interest in the mission's target industry and market, and demonstrate added value in expertise, resources or collaboration opportunities
- ⚠ Non-profit organizations are NOT eligible for IPP financial support, even when accepted onto a mission
- Organizations that do not meet the delegation profile may be considered for participation but will not be eligible for financial support
- Service providers such as visa, immigration, or trade consulting are out of scope
- Each mission publishes its own additional delegation profile — for Japan, previous experience in or work toward commercializing technology, capacity to co-develop with Japanese partners, commitment to expanding into that market, and sufficient working capital and human resources to undertake a multi-year co-innovation project
- Selection weighs national security considerations alongside fit
Provinces
Industries
Business Stage
Quick Assessment
Difficulty
Moderate
Competition
Moderate
First-Timer
Friendly
Funding Details
- Amount
- For selected SME delegates, the program covers up to 50% of eligible mission costs (travel, conference fees, professional services, other direct costs); no fixed per-project dollar cap is stated on the official IPP page
- Type
- Grant
- Level
- Federal
- Co-Funding
- Up to 50% of eligible costs
- Deadline
- Mission-specific. Two missions are currently open: Canadian Urban Mining and Critical Mineral Recycling Technologies R&D Partnering Delegation to France, closing September 27, 2026 (mission November 30–December 4, 2026); and Canadian Unmanned and Autonomous Technologies R&D Partnering Delegation to Taiwan, closing October 11, 2026 (mission January 25–28, 2027). Four further missions — to India, the Netherlands, Singapore and the UK — are listed as 'Upcoming' with recruitment dates to be announced.
Program Scorecard
Competition, effort, and approval at a glance
Competition
Moderate
Deadline
Sep 27, 2026
Approval
Varies
Accessibility
--/5
Competition
--/5
Approval Rate
--%
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How to Win
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Evaluation Criteria
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What's in this Playbook
Everything you need to win IPP
Not a marketing summary. The actual checklist, intel, and stack strategy reviewers look for.
- 6-document checklist with what each reviewer is actually checking
- Your Application Game Plan — the print-ready PDF the preview below describes
- 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
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Application Playbook
Step-by-step process, required documents, and expenses
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7 steps
6 docs
Application Steps
1
Browse upcoming missions and pick your fit Six missions currently appear on the live table by region, industry and date — two open: France (urban mining and critical mineral recycling), closing September 27, 2026, and Taiwan (unmanned and autonomous technologies), closing October 11, 2026; and four Upcoming: India (AI applied to data centres, telecom and fintech), the Netherlands (cybersecurity), Singapore (aerospace dual-use) and the UK (dual-use technologies), all with recruitment dates to be announced. Missions marked 'Upcoming' are under development and may change.
Required Documents 6
✓ Company profile
✓ Proof of IP ownership or co-ownership
Eligible Expenses 8
Intake Periods
Deadline Notes
Ineligible Organizations
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Funding Stack Strategy
Compatible programs, clawback risk, and combined funding potential
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Combined Funding Potential
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Clawback Risk
Low Risk
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How IPP Compares
Side-by-side with similar programs
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| Program | Amount | Difficulty | Payment | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Innovation Partnership Program (IPP) | For selected SME delegates, the... | Moderate | Varies | Mission-specific. Two... |
| 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.) | Between intakes — the... |
| Innovative Solutions Canada | up to $150,000 | Hard | Milestone-Based | Challenge-specific — new... |
| Ocean Supercluster | Up to $5 million | Hard | Reimbursement | Continuous intake (Core... |
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Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the questions founders most often ask about IPP
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Is there a dollar cap on the funding?
Global Affairs Canada publishes no per-company maximum for IPP. The stated rule is a share, not a ceiling — the program covers up to 50% of eligible costs including economy airfare, local transportation, accommodation, per diem and conference registration fees.
What is the next deadline?
Two calls are currently open: September 27, 2026 for the Canadian Urban Mining and Critical Mineral Recycling Technologies R&D Partnering Delegation to France (mission November 30–December 4, 2026), and October 11, 2026 for the Canadian Unmanned and Autonomous Technologies R&D Partnering Delegation to Taiwan (mission January 25–28, 2027). Four further missions — to India, the Netherlands, Singapore and the UK — are listed as upcoming, with recruitment dates to be announced.
Can a non-profit or a university take part?
They can be considered for mission participation if they are research- and technology-focused, have an active interest in the target industry and market, and add expertise or collaboration value. But non-profit organizations are not eligible for IPP financial support.
How does the funding actually get approved?
In two steps. You first apply online to join the delegation; only companies selected for it are invited to apply for financial support for travel expenses. For the Japan mission, GAC intends to notify selected applicants no later than September 23, 2026.
Which businesses are out of scope?
Businesses providing services to Canadian organizations — visa and immigration services, trade consulting, and services that establish businesses in Canada. Applicants must also own or co-own the intellectual property of the technology they present.
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Full Playbook: IPP
7 steps · 6 docs · reviewer insights