Expand your cleantech innovation in Indo-Pacific markets

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The Advancing International Clean Technology Demonstrations (AICTD) initiative helps small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) showcase and deploy their clean technologies across the dynamic and fast-growing Indo-Pacific region. Jointly led by the Trade Commissioner Service (TCS), the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC IRAP), and Innovation, Science & Economic Development Canada (ISED), the AICTD can open doors to new global opportunities.

Through the AICTD initiative, your company can:

  • join small-scale, targeted missions to connect with potential international partners
  • access funding from the NRC IRAP International Technology Pilot & Demonstration (ITPD) program to support cleantech pilot and demonstration projects with foreign partners in international markets

By collaborating with local contacts in Indo-Pacific markets, you can test, demonstrate, and scale your clean technology solutions. This initiative is a key part of Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy, supporting innovation-driven growth and global competitiveness.

Targeted missions to connect with potential international partners

Apply to participate in a highly targeted mission to key Indo-Pacific markets. Led by the TCS and NRC IRAP, these missions are focused, small-scale, and organized by experienced Trade Commissioners in the Indo-Pacific region. If selected, your company will benefit from:

  • guidance from Trade Commissioners who understand local technology needs and environmental priorities
  • tailored matchmaking to connect your cleantech company with the right international partners
  • access to mission programming, such as policy briefings, market insights, site visits, and networking opportunities with key stakeholders

Upcoming AICTD missions

There are currently no upcoming AICTD missions.

Testimonials

"Our mission experience was highly valuable, offering a unique opportunity to engage in pre-arranged meetings with key stakeholders and gain insights through site visits. The tailored business to business (B2B) meetings arranged by the Trade Commissioner Service facilitated meaningful discussions with industry leaders. The structured itinerary helped us connect with potential partners and understand the market landscape. These interactions strengthened our strategic direction and opened doors for future collaborations. We appreciate the well-organized approach that made this trip productive and impactful."

Mitchell Miller, CEO, Atlas Power Technologies Inc

"We were really impressed by how well the mission was organized. I would just like to highlight the excellent work of the Trade Commissioner Service. Their contribution was perfect from start to finish: efficient, professional, friendly, helpful, and so much more. Having a country representative who is so dynamic and good at their job is really one of the keys to the success of this type of mission. Of course, B2B meetings are essential for developing future collaborations."

Marie-Pier Forget, MBA, CEO, Technologies Ingenext

International Technology Pilot and Demonstration funding support

Apply to access International Technology Pilot and Demonstration (ITPD) funding support delivered by NRC IRAP. Through this program, Canadian SMEs can access advisory services and financial support to collaborate with global partners and bring their innovation to new markets. ITPD supports cleantech pilot and demonstration projects that help SMEs test, validate, debug, improve, adapt their technologies, and prepare for engineering scale-up under real-world market conditions. ITPD helps Canadian SMEs de-risk the adoption of their technologies and overcome market entry barriers.

The program currently has funding for the Indo-Pacific region as part of the Government of Canada’s Indo Pacific Strategy

Your partnership project must focus on one or more of the following:

  • technology piloting
  • demonstration
  • validation
  • adaptation of a cleantech product, process, or service 

The program applies to all enabling technologies that improve efficiency, reduce waste, and have a demonstratable economic, environmental or GHG impact across broad industrial sectors. It could include projects in, but not limited to:

  • clean energy and energy efficiency
  • carbon management
  • environmental technology
  • the circular economy

Find out more about the ITPD funding support program:

Testimonial

"The NRC-IRAP International Technology Pilot and Demonstration Program (ITPD) was essential in getting our prototype from development to true commercial readiness. Unlike traditional R&D support, the ITPD allowed us to run real-world pilots and demonstrations, which provided critical insights, accelerated our commercialization timeline, and gave customers the confidence to move forward. The program’s flexibility to extend development and adapt in real time during pilot projects ensured our solution was not only technically ready but also fully aligned with end-user needs in a demanding market.

Thanks to this foundational ITPD-supported work, we’ve secured a significant annual order with Australia’s largest commercial fishing supplier as our distributor into the Australian market, and we’re now scaling manufacturing to meet demand. This commercial and technical traction was also pivotal in our ability to raise funding from top global venture capital firms, including AgFunder, SOSV, and Climate Capital. It positioned us as competitive applicants for additional non-dilutive funding and government contracts, further accelerating our growth. The project also strengthened global industry relationships, including with the Global Ghost Gear Initiative, Tangaroa Blue Foundation (Australia), and Fisheries Conservation Science Group (US). We are now preparing similar trials in China, France, Japan and the U.S.A., and leveraging this momentum to prototype products for adjacent industries such as workplace safety and search and rescue - leading to product testing with both the Canadian and U.S. Coast Guards among other clients!

The ITPD program has been pivotal in de-risking international market entry, validating our technology in the field, and creating major commercial wins for Canadian innovation."

Paige Whitehead, CEO and Founder, Lux Bio

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Contact us

AICTD Missions are facilitated by two AICTD Regional Trade Commissioners, based in Seoul, South Korea, and Sydney, Australia. In close collaboration with Cleantech Trade Commissioners in the region, as well as NRC IRAP and ISED partners, they design and deliver mission programming tailored to each participating firm, with a focus on securing targeted B2B connections with prominent local end-users and buyers.

For more information on the AICTD initiative, please contact cleantechdemonstrations@international.gc.ca.

Additional Information

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