NRC Industrial Research Assistance Program (IRAP) 🎁 Program
Canada's main SME innovation programme: advice from technology advisors and, for some projects, funding.
| Who qualifies | Incorporated, for-profit Canadian businesses with up to 500 full-time-equivalent employees, operating and developing technology-driven products in Canada. Not available to sole proprietorships, partnerships, cooperatives, ULCs or LLCs. |
|---|---|
| Open in | Canada |
| Partner code needed | No: apply directly |
| Deadline | Rolling, apply any time |
| Terms last checked | 2026-10-11 |
About NRC Industrial Research Assistance Program (IRAP)
What you get
IRAP is run by the National Research Council of Canada and, in the government's own words, offers advice, connections and funding to help small and medium-sized businesses build innovation capacity and bring ideas to market. Support is delivered through more than 250 Industrial Technology Advisors (ITAs) who assess your growth capacity and constraints and tailor support and funding to you. In 2024-2025 the network served more than 9,100 Canadian SMEs. A new Defence Industry Assist stream (C$241 million from 2025-2026) adds funding for defence and dual-use technologies.
Who qualifies
Canadian SMEs that are developing and commercialising technology. Detailed minimum requirements (incorporation, employee limit and so on) are on NRC's eligibility page, which we could not open today, so confirm them with an advisor.
Good to know
Funding amounts are set project by project with your ITA and are not stated on the pages we could open. Everyone who engages gets advisory services, but not everyone is funded. IRAP funding reduces the SR&ED tax credit you can earn on the same costs. The government has said IRAP will move into the new Canada Innovation Corporation; until then it stays with NRC.
Verdict
For a Canadian tech startup with a real development project, talking to an ITA is one of the most valuable free steps you can take. Treat it as a relationship, not a one-off application: ITAs often stay with a company over several projects and can introduce you to other federal and provincial programmes.
How to apply
- Call the bilingual contact centre at 1-877-994-4727; a senior executive from your business should make the call.
- Meet a client engagement advisor, who reviews your business and may refer you to an Industrial Technology Advisor (ITA).
- Work with the ITA, who assesses your technical, financial and management strengths; have your CRA business number, business plan, recent financial statements and team profiles ready.
- Funding, when offered, typically follows advice and referrals rather than a standalone application.
Who it is for
Steps NRC Industrial Research Assistance Program (IRAP) helps with
Pros
- Personal technology advisor, not just a form
- Can lead to non-repayable project funding
- Open all year
Cons
- Amounts are negotiated, not published
- Funding reduces your SR&ED credit on the same costs
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