Canada – Israel 2022-23 collaborative industrial research and development call for proposals

1. Introduction

Working together, the governments of Canada and Israel aim to foster and support collaborative industrial research and development (R&D) projects with a high potential for commercialization. This call for proposals is open to organizations from Canada and Israel who wish to form project consortia to perform collaborative projects focused on developing innovative products, processes, or technology-based services.

2. Application deadlines

• Canadian registration deadline: Closed
• Canadian expression of interest deadline: Closed
• International consortium project proposal deadline: June 28, 2022

3. Sectors of focus

Although this call invites proposals related to any technological or market area, special attention is being given to the following sectors:

• Agricultural technologies and agri-food technologies
• Clean technologies and low carbon economy technologies, including materials for clean fuels, clean transportation/mobility, climate resilient building/infrastructure, renewable energy, water and waste water management
• Digital technologies, including cyber security, smart cities and smart mobility.
• Environment protection technologies, including transportation infrastructure, renewable power sources, energy storage, eco-friendly energy, eco-friendly vehicles, smart environmental solutions and soil remediation technologies
• Health and bio-sciences, including healthy ageing, mental health, biomedicine and biomedical engineering
• Quantum computing technologies, including sensing and timing, simulation, communications, imaging, and artificial intelligence

4. Eligibility requirements

To be considered for funding, applicants must form a project consortium and develop a collaborative research and development (R&D) project that meets the following criteria:

1. The project consortium must include at least:
• 1 incorporated Canadian small or medium-sized enterprise (SME), defined as a for-profit company with 500 or fewer full-time equivalent employees; and
• 1 eligible Israeli R&D performing company
• Participation of Canadian and Israeli research institutes/universities, large enterprises and other companies are welcome as additional participants on a self-funding basis or subcontractors.
2. The project partners that form the consortium must:
• be capable of implementing the project including funding their respective share
• agree in advance on intellectual property rights and a commercialization strategy, and
• not be related in terms of corporate ownership
3. The project must focus on co-developing a product, process, or technology-based servicethat:
• is highly innovative
• has significant commercial potential
• has outcomes that can be realized within two years of completion of the project, and
• does not involve R&D related to products, processes, or technological-based services with military or non-peaceful applications
4. The project must demonstrate:
• the unique scientific and technological contribution that each organization brings to the project
• an obvious advantage and added value for each project partner resulting from the collaboration, such as an increased knowledge base, an access to R&D infrastructure or new fields of application or a solutions for commercial needs, and
• an adequate balance and significance for all project partners, defined as no more than 70% of the project budget contributed by any one organization or country

In addition to the above eligibility requirements, each applicant must meet their country-specific requirements, outlined below:

4.1 Canadian eligibility requirements

Canadian applicant(s) must also meet the following criteria:

1. The Canadian SME must have a technology that is competitive in global markets, differentiated, and protectable
2. The Canadian SME must be committed to pursuing growth and profit by developing and commercializing innovative, technology-driven new or improved products, processes or technological-based services, and
3. The Canadian SME must be ready, and have the resources to make a serious new market entry push

4.2 Israeli eligibility requirements

For Israeli companies, the application process is detailed in the incentive program for Bilateral R&D (in Hebrew and in English).

5. Funding

Eligible project participants in collaborative projects selected through this call for proposals may receive funding from their respective national funding body. Funds will be provided in accordance with the applicable laws, regulations, rules, and procedures established by the relevant national funding body, country, jurisdiction and/or program. 
Non-eligible project participants (e.g. universities, research institutes, etc., and participants from other countries) are welcome to participate on a self-funded basis or as sub-contractors to funded participants, according to each country's funding regulations.
Additional country-specific funding parameters are outlined below:

5.1 Canadian funding

In Canada, this call for proposals is offered through the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC IRAP). NRC IRAP is responsible for delivering this call for proposals and for managing any resulting funding agreements.
Eligible Canadian SMEs may receive up to 50% reimbursement of eligible project costs up to a maximum total funding amount of $500,000 CAD over 12 to 24 months (an extension of 12 months may be considered if sufficiently justified and accepted by both countries).

5.2 Israeli funding

Foreign applicants should consult the funding parameters outlined on the Israel Innovation Authority (IIA) call for proposals announcement web page.

6. Application process

This call for proposals is being hosted by the Eureka Network program. Each project consortium must complete and submit a Eureka project online application form. Please consult the Eureka project application form web page for instructions on how to complete and submit the Eureka project application form.

6.1 Israeli application process

For information related to application stages, requirements, instructions, ICPP application packages, and national funding body proposals and funding agreements, please consult the Israel Innovation Authority (IIA) call for proposals announcement.

7. Contacts

For questions, concerns, or for more information, please contact the appropriate call for proposals representative listed below:

7.1 Canada

Wei Ning
Israel National Program Coordinator for NRC IRAP
National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program
Wei.Ning@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca

7.2 Israel

Yifat Hadaya
Programs Manager
North America Desk
International Collaboration Division
Israel Innovation Authority
NA@innovationisrael.org.il

8. Registration

All interested Canadian applicants can find more information and details on this call for proposals by consulting NRC IRAP’s website.

To begin the application process, all interested Canadian applicants must register for this opportunity by registering via the NRC-IRAP website.