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CanExport Innovation
Supports Canadian R&D partnerships with international partners
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Funding available
$ 37,500
Deadline
December 2, 2026
Opened December 1, 2026
Location
Canada
Who can apply
Canadian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with fewer than 500 full-time equivalent employees
See full eligibility
Overview
CanExport Innovation provides grants up to $75,000 to Canadian organizations to establish collaborative research and development partnerships with international partners. Eligible activities include travel-related meetings, virtual meetings, and IP protection, aiming to support technology development, adaptation, and validation.
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At a glance
Funding available
Financing goals
- Develop strategic partnerships
- Develop a new product or service
- Conduct research and development activities
Eligible Funding
- Maximum amount : 37,500 $
- Up to 75% of project cost
Eligible candidates
Eligible Industries
- All industries
Location
- Canada
Legal structures
- Non-financial cooperative
- For-profit business
Annual revenue
- All revenue ranges
Organisation size
- All organization sizes
Audience
- Canadians
Next Steps
1
Determine your project
Availability timeline
2026
Periods: 7
Activities funded
- Conducting travel-related meetings with pre-identified foreign partners to negotiate R&D partnerships.
- Participating in virtual meetings with foreign partners to negotiate and formalize R&D partnership agreements.
- Engaging in virtual events relevant to the industry for B2B meetings to attract foreign partners for R&D collaborations.
- Shipping technology or sample materials for demonstration purposes to facilitate formalization of R&D partnerships.
- Applying for new certifications in foreign markets to comply with foreign regulations and assist in formalizing R&D partnerships.
- Seeking expert or legal advice for IP protection in foreign markets where the foreign R&D partner resides.
- Developing promotional materials specifically for enhancing negotiations with foreign R&D partners.
- Utilizing consultant or legal services to assist in pursuing foreign R&D opportunities, including due diligence and strategy development for international collaborations.
Sources and recorded changes
- Source change captured
- Change recorded
- Record updated
A captured source change or record update does not confirm eligibility. Check the funder’s current rules before applying.
CanExport Innovation intake and application guidance updated
The applicant guide now describes the December intake, revised intake windows, first-come, first-served assessment, and updated application instructions.
The guide says the December intake portal will open at 12 PM EST on December 1 and remain open for 24 hours. It describes four annual intake periods, typically in December, February, June and September, with opening dates announced on the first day of the preceding month. December applications will be assessed first-come, first-served. The guide also notes that some applications may take longer than the 60-business-day service standard to process and says applicants must cancel a current application before submitting a replacement.
Eligibility
Who is eligible?
- Canadian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with fewer than 500 full-time equivalent employees
- Recognized Canadian academic institutions dedicated to education and research
- Non-government research centres that are not wholly or majority government funded
Who is not eligible
- Accelerators and incubators
- Charities
- Third-party representatives, including agents, promoters, consultants, trading houses, and export brokers
- Government departments, agencies, Crown corporations, and other organizations at the federal, provincial, territorial, or municipal level
- Sole proprietorships
Eligible expenses
- Economy class roundtrip or multi-city airfare for approved travel to meet foreign partners.
- Per diem allowances for accommodation and meals for approved travellers.
- Single entry visas for travel related to meeting with foreign partners.
- Ground transportation costs within target markets.
- Rental of meeting rooms and audio-visual equipment for meetings with foreign partners.
- Registration fees for in-person events relevant to the applicant's industry.
- Registration and translation services for virtual meetings with foreign partners.
- Shipping costs for technology or sample materials for demonstration purposes during R&D partnership negotiations.
- Certification application fees paid directly to foreign agencies for new certifications in partner markets.
- Consultant or legal fees for processing certification applications overseas.
- Translation services for promotional material and certifications.
- Consultant or legal services related to Intellectual Property protection in foreign markets.
- Consultant or legal fees for conducting due diligence, developing international R&D strategies, and drafting agreements.
- Development and translation services for promotional materials aimed at securing foreign R&D partnerships.
Eligible geographic areas
- Organizations registered in Canada
Selection criteria
- Applicant capacity: managerial, human and private financial resources, expected benefits to the Canadian economy, and effective use of previous CanExport Innovation funding.
- Foreign partner suitability: relevant skills, knowledge, expertise or technology, technical contributions to the collaboration, and financial risk shared by both parties.
- Partnership methodology: a sufficiently detailed, appropriate and logical plan to pursue and secure the partnership.
- Economic-security considerations: project complexity, technology sensitivity, regional stability, bilateral relations and other risks associated with proposed partners; elevated risks may reduce the likelihood of funding.
- December 2026 applications are assessed on a first-come, first-served basis. Generally, applications are processed in order of receipt until funds are allocated, subject to communicated intake-specific priorities.
How to apply
- Read the CanExport Innovation Applicant's Guide.
- Create an account on the online portal.
- Sign in, enter your information under My Profile and select Update.
- On the CanExport Innovation landing page, select Apply Now!
- Complete the Application Basic Eligibility section; confirmation is sent by email within 7 business days.
- If deemed eligible, complete and submit the rest of the application. For the December 2026 intake, the portal opens at 12 PM EST on December 1 for 24 hours.
Additional information
- The program is highly competitive, with applications assessed as they are received until the intake budget is fully allocated; funding may not be available for all eligible projects.
- Applicants can have only one active CanExport Innovation project at a time; a new project can be submitted only after the previous one is officially closed.
- Successful applicants must submit a final report through the portal no later than 7 days after the project completion date and keep all supporting records for 5 years for potential audit.
- The CanExport Innovation portal operates through the NRC-CNRC system, which may experience scheduled maintenance periods during which access to applications is temporarily unavailable.
Contacts
Frequently Asked Questions about the CanExport Innovation Program
What is the CanExport Innovation?
CanExport Innovation provides grants up to $75,000 to Canadian organizations to establish collaborative research and development partnerships with international partners. Eligible activities include travel-related meetings, virtual meetings, and IP protection, aiming to support technology development, adaptation, and validation.
How much funding can be received?
CanExport Innovation Funds up to 75% of admissible expenses, capped at $37,500 per project.
What is the deadline to apply?
The program is accepting continuous intake
Who is eligible for the CanExport Innovation program?
To be eligible for the CanExport Innovation program, you must:
Be a for-profit company
Less than 500 full-time employees
Net annual revenue in Canada between $100K and $100M
Have an active CRA business identification number
What expenses are eligible under CanExport Innovation?
Economy class roundtrip or multi-city airfare for approved travel to meet foreign partners.
Per diem allowances for accommodation and meals for approved travellers.
Single entry visas for travel related to meeting with foreign partners.
Ground transportation costs within target markets.
Rental of meeting rooms and audio-visual equipment for meetings with foreign partners.
Registration fees for in-person events relevant to the applicant's industry.
Registration and translation services for virtual meetings with foreign partners.
Shipping costs for technology or sample materials for demonstration purposes during R&D partnership negotiations.
Certification application fees paid directly to foreign agencies for new certifications in partner markets.
Consultant or legal fees for processing certification applications overseas.
Translation services for promotional material and certifications.
Consultant or legal services related to Intellectual Property protection in foreign markets.
Consultant or legal fees for conducting due diligence, developing international R&D strategies, and drafting agreements.
Development and translation services for promotional materials aimed at securing foreign R&D partnerships.
Who can I contact for more information about the CanExport Innovation?
You can contact Trade Commissioner Service (TCS) by email at canexportinnovation@international.gc.ca.
Where is the CanExport Innovation available?
The CanExport Innovation program is available across Canada.