Canadian Semiconductor R&D Partnering Delegation to France

• Be a profit-oriented small or medium-sized enterprise (SME) incorporated in Canada (up to 500 full-time equivalent employees).
• Have experience commercializing technology in Canada or internationally, or be working toward commercialization.
• Be ready and interested in collaborating on a co-innovation R&D project with French partners and seeking to commercialize new or improved products, services, or processes.
• Own or co-own the intellectual property (IP) of the technology that will be commercialized.
• Have sufficient capital, human resources, and overall capacity to support participation in the delegation and manage a multi-year international R&D collaboration.

Who is eligible?

• Profit-oriented Canadian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) (up to 500 full-time equivalent employees)
• Canadian SMEs developing semiconductor technologies related to generative AI
• Canadian SMEs developing semiconductor technologies related to quantum physics
• Canadian SMEs developing semiconductor technologies related to new generations of telecommunications networks
• Canadian SMEs active in optronics/photonics, advanced sensors, packaging, power electronics, or components for advanced and secure communications (telecoms and IoT)

Who is not eligible

• Universities (may apply to join the delegation but are not eligible for financial support for travel or participation costs).
• Research Technology Organizations (RTOs) (may apply to join the delegation but are not eligible for financial support for travel or participation costs).
• Incubators (may apply to join the delegation but are not eligible for financial support for travel or participation costs).
• Industry associations (may apply to join the delegation but are not eligible for financial support for travel or participation costs).

Eligible expenses

• Economy class airfare
• Local transportation
• Accommodation
• Meals (per diems)
• Conference and tradeshow registration fees
• Translation and marketing materials
• Photocopies or printed materials

Eligible geographic areas

• Canada (Canadian SMEs incorporated in Canada).

• Quality of the information provided in the application (used to assess eligibility to participate in the delegation).
• Technical merits of the proposed technology.
• Company’s internal capacity to adequately support and manage an international R&D project with French partners.

• Global Affairs Canada (through the Embassy of Canada to France) and NRC IRAP review submitted applications and assess eligibility to participate based on the information provided.
• Applications are evaluated for the technical merits of the proposed technology and the company’s internal capacity to support and manage an international R&D project with French partners.
• Participation is limited and selection is competitive; not all eligible applications will be selected.
• Selected applicants are notified no later than January 26, 2026.
• Selected companies are then invited to apply for financial support for travel expenses.

• The Partnership Development Activity (PDA) will take place in person in France from March 16 to 20, 2026.
• Participation is limited.
• Selected applicants will be notified no later than January 26, 2026.
• Universities, research technology organizations (RTOs), incubators and industry associations may apply to participate, but are not eligible for financial support.