Canadian Critical Raw Materials R&D Partnering Delegation to the Netherlands

You're are invited to apply to participate in the Canadian Critical Raw Materials R&D Partnering Delegation to the Netherlands, delivered under the Canadian International Innovation Program (CIIP).

The Partnership Development Activity (PDA) will take place in person from February 2 to 6, 2026, in the Netherlands.

Interested companies must apply no later than October 26, 2025.

The PDA will strengthen R&D cooperation between Canada and the Netherlands in the field of critical raw materials (CRM). Potential partners in the Netherlands may include research institutions, technology firms, and industry stakeholders in the CRM sector. Targeted co-innovation collaborations will focus on technology development with a view to commercialization, revolving around the following outcomes:

• Validation of Canadian technologies for the Dutch and European markets
• Co-development of leading-edge technology that results in added market value for the Canadian and Dutch partners
• Adaptation of Canadian technologies to meet the characteristics of the Dutch and European markets, and acceleration of their adoption in these markets

This PDA will jointly promote global environmental, social, and governance standards and the importance of sustainable and ethical value chains in CRM. It will also put strong emphasis on recycling and re-using these materials.

Canadian companies wishing to apply to participate in the delegation to the Netherlands must meet the following conditions:

• Be a for-profit small, medium-sized enterprise (SME) incorporated in Canada
• Have capacity to undertake international collaboration and/or commercialize technology on international markets
• Have interest in technology co-development with Dutch partners
• Have a strong desire to expand into the Dutch and European markets
• Have sufficient working capital and personnel to carry out a multi-year co-innovation collaboration and commercialize the results

The following technologies and products are of particular interest to this delegation: 

• Innovative extraction and treatment processes (comminution, classification, concentration, drying) of minerals for further processing
• Transformation, recycling, re-using and substitution processes for critical raw materials and rare earths (circularity of the supply chain)
• Technologies for mitigating the negative externalities of critical mineral extraction and processing (carbon footprint; environmental and social impact)
• Technologies that could valorize solid and liquid mine tailings
• Artificial intelligence (AI) and software technologies related to the elements mentioned above. 

The delegation itinerary is subject to change dependent on the profiles of the Canadian participants:

February 2: The Hague/Delft 

• Welcome, presentation and overview of the CRM sector in the Netherlands
• Site visit to key Dutch players in the sector (companies, research centers and incubators) 
• Opening reception, walking networking dinner and meet and greet with the Canadian Ambassador 

February 3: Utrecht and Eindhoven region

• Visit to the Geological Survey of the Netherlands at The Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research (TNO), also hosting the Dutch Observatory on Critical Raw Materials.
• Meeting in Eindhoven with Regional Development Agency and networking with start-ups, organizations, companies
• Visit the Battery Competence Cluster on the Automotive Campus in Helmond

February 4: Eindhoven

• Various company visits

February 5: Enschede or North

• Visit accelerators and regional economic development agencies
• Company visit(s) 

February 6: Amsterdam

• InvestNL, City of Amsterdam 
• Site visits  

The program will include the following elements:

• Pre-departure briefings and mentoring on presentation techniques
• Information sessions providing an overview of the market and funding opportunities for co-innovation (including Horizon Europe and Eureka)
• Presentations by Canadian participants to Dutch players, including:
  • Dutch companies (multinationals and SMEs)
  • research laboratories
  • technology clusters
  • academia
  • business organizations
  • other incubators or accelerators
• Targeted business-to-business meetings with Dutch companies (multinationals and SMEs) and research centres to discuss co-innovation opportunities. There will be between 3 and 5 meetings organized for each participant.
• Networking with key players in the Dutch CRM ecosystem, including: 
  • technology SMEs
  • industrial and/or service groups
  • systems and services integrators 
    

The implementation of the energy transition will lead to an unprecedented increase in the demand for critical minerals and metals, especially for electric mobility and decarbonized energy production. These materials are fundamental to many of today’s manufacturing processes and are essential for the global energy transition towards net-zero, including for:

• magnets
• solar panels
• wind turbines
• batteries for electric vehicles and consumer electronics
• various requirements in the defence and security sectors

Canada cannot do this alone, and we need to engage with strategic partners for investment and technology development to ensure our businesses are competitive on the world stage in the future. Canada adopted a national Strategy on Critical Minerals in 2022 to define its priorities and actions going forward.

The Netherlands has been actively seeking to strengthen its network in CRM with allies. The country aims to ensure supply chain security and jointly create new value chains that reduce dependency on certain foreign countries. They created a new position of Special Envoy for CRM (Allard Castelein, former CEO of the Port of Rotterdam) and a National Observatory launched in February 2025 to collect data on supply chains and do research on CRM. The Dutch also brought a high-level delegation to Canada for PDAC 2025, led by their Minister of Trade and Development and including more than 12 Dutch companies. During the delegation, the Netherlands signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on CRM with the province of Quebec. The country is also a leader in circularity and is especially interested in recycling and re-using CRM. Including flowthrough, the Netherlands is Canada’s second largest investor.

The Netherlands offers a dynamic ecosystem for CRM innovation and collaboration. It is home to leading research institutions, a strong industrial base, and government support for sustainable technologies. The delegation aims to leverage these strengths to foster international R&D partnerships.

The Canadian International Innovation Program (CIIP) may provide financial support to eligible Canadian SMEs participants for up to 50% of all eligible expenses that include but are not limited to:

• economy airfare
• local transportation 
• accommodation
• meals
• conference registration fees

Consult the Canadian International Innovation Program (CIIP) for a complete list of eligible expenses. To access the CIIP Applicant’s Guide, contact a CIIP representative at innovation@international.gc.ca.

Not-for-profit organizations can apply to join the delegation as observers without eligibility for financial support from GAC-CIIP.

1. Click the “Apply” button to access the online application form. Select the official language of your choice and the delegation you want to apply to then complete all questions.
2. Completed applications must be submitted online no later than October 26, 2025.
3. Global Affairs Canada, the Embassy of Canada to the Netherlands, and NRC-IRAP will select Canadian companies that will participate in the delegation. Successful applicants will be notified by November 7, 2025.
4. Selected companies will be invited to apply for financial support for travel expenses.

If you have any questions concerning application process, please see the CIIP webpage and/or email CIIP at innovation@international.gc.ca.  

Global Affairs Canada (GAC)'s Trade Commissioner Service, in collaboration with the National Research Council Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC IRAP), delivers the Canadian International Innovation Program (CIIP) in the the Netherlands. CIIP supports industrial R&D partnership development activities between Canadian SMEs and companies in key markets, including the Netherlands.