Updated August 2026 · Verified against Global Affairs Canada – Trade Commissioner Service guidelines
✓ First-Timer Friendly
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. Next posted deadline: August 23, 2026 (Canadian Quantum R&D...
Visit Official Program →
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. Next posted deadline: August 23, 2026 (Canadian Quantum R&D Partnering Delegation to Japan, December 7–11, 2026). Further missions to Brazil, Taiwan, the UK, France, India, the Netherlands and Singapore are listed as 'Upcoming' with recruitment dates to be announced..
Eligibility check

Can you win this grant?

Get your instant eligibility verdict plus a head start on the application. Free, no account needed.

Takes about 20 seconds. We use this program’s real eligibility rules.

Eligibility & Details

What this program funds and who can apply

Free

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
Technology Research
Business Stage
Startup Growth Established

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. Next posted deadline: August 23, 2026 (Canadian Quantum R&D Partnering Delegation to Japan, December 7–11, 2026). Further missions to Brazil, Taiwan, the UK, France, India, the Netherlands and Singapore are listed as 'Upcoming' with recruitment dates to be announced.

Program Scorecard

Competition, effort, and approval at a glance

Competition
Moderate
Deadline
Aug 23, 2026
Approval
Varies
Accessibility
--/5
Competition
--/5
Approval Rate
--%
Premium See your real odds on this program — and exactly what it takes to win it.
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.

$19 covers this one program. $39/mo covers every program, plus the workspace that walks you through each application.

How to Win

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

Premium
Insider Tip

Watch for mission-specific recruitment announcements and confirm your IP ownership and ability to cover the remaining 50% of costs.

Evaluation Criteria

Premium See exactly what reviewers score on — so you know where to focus.
Don’t lose this one to 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. Premium covers all 650+ for $39/mo.
Get Premium — $39/mo Every program · Application workspace · 30-day money-back
or just this Playbook — $19 one-time

Application Playbook

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

Premium 7 steps 4 docs

Application Steps

1 Browse upcoming missions and pick your fit Ten missions are listed for 2026-27 by region, industry and date — Japan (quantum), Brazil (AI in advanced manufacturing, and cleantech), Taiwan (autonomous and robotic technologies), the UK (AI in advanced manufacturing, and dual-use technologies), France (urban mining and recycling), India (AI applied to data centres, telecom and fintech), the Netherlands (cybersecurity) and Singapore (aerospace dual-use). Missions marked 'Upcoming' are under development and may change.

Required Documents 4

Company profile
Proof of IP ownership or co-ownership

Eligible Expenses 7

Intake Periods

Deadline Notes

Ineligible Organizations

Premium Get the step-by-step application guide — documents, timeline, and what to prepare.

Applying for IPP? Our Financial Projections Model ($29) covers the cost-share, matching-fund, and cash-flow math reviewers want to see. Or get all 4 templates in the Founder Pack ($59 · saves $27) →

Funding Stack Strategy

Compatible programs, clawback risk, and combined funding potential

Premium

Stacking partner data not yet available.

Combined Funding Potential See your total funding potential

Clawback Risk

Low Risk

Premium See which programs combine with this one — and how much more you could get.

How IPP Compares

Side-by-side with similar programs

Free
Program Amount Difficulty Payment Deadline
Innovation Partnership Program (IPP) For selected SME delegates, the... Moderate Varies Mission-specific. Next...
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...
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

Free

Frequently Asked Questions

Quick answers to the questions founders most often ask about IPP

Free
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?
August 23, 2026, for the Canadian Quantum R&D Partnering Delegation to Japan, which runs December 7 to 11, 2026. Nine further missions to Brazil, Taiwan, the UK, France, India, the Netherlands and Singapore 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.

Browse More Funding