Canadian engineering biology R&D partnering delegation to the United Kingdom

You're are invited to apply to participate in the Canadian Engineering Biology R&D Partnering Delegation to the United Kingdom (UK), delivered under the Canadian International Innovation Program (CIIP).

The Partnership Development Activity (PDA) will take place in person from December 8 to 12, 2025. 

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

The delegation is designed to gain an understanding of the UKs engineering biology landscape, market dynamics, and trends in agri-food, clean tech and environmental solutions. It will increase awareness of R&D strengths and focus on building Canada-UK partnerships in a high priority technology sector that both governments deem critical for helping to meet economic growth, net zero and national security goals. 

The UK defines engineering biology as the design, scaling and commercialization of biology-derived products and services that can transform sectors or produce existing products more sustainably. It uses engineering (synthetic) biology to create the next wave of innovation in the bioeconomy. This definition lets us consider the core technology of engineering biology and how it is applied across sectors.

Indicative technologies include, but are not limited to: 

• DNA sequencing and synthesis 
• gene/genome editing
• biomaterials, reagents and feedstocks
• precision fermentation and scale-up processes
• bioinformatics 
• applications of robotics and automation to biotechnology
• applications of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to biotechnology

Sectors of application include:

• agriculture and food 
• bio-fuels 
• biochemicals and biomaterials (including plastics)
• circular economy, waste and recycling

Interested small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and research organizations must be capable and ready to pursue joint R&D collaborations, with the goal of future commercialization. For example: 

• validation of Canadian technologies in the UK market
• adaptation of Canadian technologies to meet British and global market needs
• co-development of new products and/or services combining Canadian and UK research and technologies

Important note: This PDA will be conducted under the auspice of the June 2025 Joint Statement made by Prime Ministers Carney and Starmer, which lists biomanufacturing as a strategic priority. We hope that a Canada-UK joint R&D funding competition on engineering biology will follow in Spring 2026. This visit should facilitate introductions and potential collaborations that might benefit from support under this program.

To benefit from this initiative, Canadian delegates should:

• be a profit-oriented small or medium-size enterprise incorporated in Canada
• have previous experience in or working towards commercializing technology for domestic or international markets
• have capacity and interest to co-develop technology with UK partners
• be committed to expansion to the UK and international markets
• be sufficient working capital and human resources to undertake a multi-year R&D collaboration and commercialize the results

The Engineering Biology PDA will include a pre-visit briefing session in November 2025.  

The in-market visit will take place December 8 (Monday) to 12 (Friday), 2025, primarily in London. The visit will include:

• Briefings on the UK market and research ecosystem, including introductions to key stakeholders from the UK government, industry and academia.
• Attendance at SynbiTECH, Europe’s number 1 engineering biology conference. (December 9 to 10 in London). Running for the sixth year, SynbiTECH is expected to attract around 500 delegates from engineering biology business, investment, policymaking, science and research. 
• A dedicated pitching and business-to-business (B2B) partnering event with local SMEs and researchers at Canada House on Trafalgar Square.
• Site visits in London and Bristol, including to: 
  • the National Industrial Translation Centre for Engineering Biology
  • the Bezos Centre for Sustainable Protein
  • the DNA BioFoundry at Imperial College (London)
  • the Science Creates engineering biology incubator and accelerator, Extracellular
  • Bristol University’s BioDesign Institute (Bristol)
• Networking with local communities.
• Option on Friday, December 12 to arrange follow-up B2B meetings.

The UK is a global leader in engineering biology, thanks to early government investments in synthetic biology and genomics, as well as its world-class research base and thriving biotech sector. The UK has founded more biotech companies than any other nation in Europe (over 1300) and has the most venture capital and Initial Public Offering (IPO) funding among European countries. The UK also has a strong network of scale-up facilities that support the transition from lab-scale to commercial production, and clusters of activity in locations like:

• London
• Edinburgh
• Glasgow
• Bristol
• Norwich

Today, the UK’s EUR 2 billion National Engineering Biology Programme provides a framework for a holistic and integrated approach to the sector. This translates to a growing pipeline of fundamental research into real-world applications. 

The CIIP may provide financial support to eligible Canadian SMEs for 50% of all eligible expenses that include but are not limited to the following:

• economy class airfare
• local transportation
• accommodation
• meals (per diems) 
• conference registration fees

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

Not-for-profit organizations can apply to participate in the PDA, but will not be eligible to receive 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. The Trade Commissioner Service, the High Commission of Canada in London, and NRC-IRAP will select Canadian companies that will participate in the delegation and provide selected applicants with a notification by November 3, 2025.
4. Companies formally selected to participate in the PDA will then be invited to apply for funding support. 

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 UK. CIIP supports industrial R&D partnership development activities between Canadian SMEs and companies in key markets, including the UK.