Closed
Idea to Innovation Grants
Technology transfer opportunities
Last Update: March 3, 2026
Funding available
$ 350,000
Timeline
- Closing date : September 22, 2025
Location
Canada
Overview
Get 100% of your project costs covered when you partner with an eligible academic institution to conduct R&D and beta testing of a technology or application prior to commercialization.
/100
Opportunity Score
Moderate potential, but conditions must align.
At a glance
Funding available
Financing goals
- Increase performance through digital transformation
- Develop a new product or service
- Conduct research and development activities
Eligible Funding
- Maximum amount : 350,000 $
- Up to 75% of project cost
Timeline
- Closing date : September 22, 2025
Eligible candidates
Eligible Industries
- Professional, scientific and technical services
Location
- Canada
Legal structures
- For-profit business
Annual revenue
- All revenue ranges
Organisation size
- All organization sizes
Audience
- Canadians
- Startups
Next Steps
1
Determine your project
2
Validate your eligibility
Activities funded
- Refinement and implementation of technology designs and concepts.
- Verification of new technological applications through field studies and demonstrations.
- Prototyping and testing of new products, processes, or services.
- Conducting impartial market assessments to evaluate commercial potential.
- Preparation and support for transferring technology from academic research to Canadian companies.
Eligibility
Who is eligible?
- Canadian companies with the capability or potential to commercialize new technology
- Early-stage investment entities (e.g., venture capital, seed capital, angel investors, university technology transfer corporations, incubators)
- Researcher-owned companies (subject to institutional policies and NSERC review)
- Companies outside Canada, only if they can demonstrate clear and direct benefits to the Canadian economy
Who is not eligible
This grant excludes certain companies and industries based on the context provided. The restrictions are intended to ensure alignment with the grant's focus on technology commercialization and partnership with academic institutions.
- Organizations that do not demonstrate a clear benefit to the Canadian economy.
- Entities that are not considered early-stage investment groups or companies capable of commercializing technology.
- Companies without the technical capability to develop the product or process to market.
Eligible expenses
- Consulting fees for market studies and business plan development.
- Expenses related to refining and implementing designs, including prototype construction and beta trials.
- Verification activities such as field studies and demonstration preparation.
- Recruitment-related expenses, including the salary for replacement faculty hired to backfill a college faculty member's role.
- Project management costs, up to 10% of total direct costs (for phase IIb).
- Patenting expenses and other costs associated with protecting intellectual property.
- Business mentoring fees from experienced entrepreneurs.
- Travel expenses directly associated with partnership or technology transfer activities.
Eligible geographic areas
- Canadian companies
Additional information
- Applicants must collaborate closely with their institution's Industry Liaison Office (ILO) or its equivalent when developing proposals.
- Each proposal is required to include a technology transfer plan appropriate to the technological maturity.
- NSERC may review draft proposals if submitted well in advance of the application deadline.
- Reports assessing practical and financial outcomes, with input from the technology transfer office, are required upon project completion.
Documents and links
Frequently Asked Questions about the Idea to Innovation Grants Program
Here are answers to the most common questions about the Idea to Innovation Grants. This section explains what the program is, how much funding is available, eligibility requirements, application deadlines, and other important details to help you determine if this grant is right for your business.
What is the Idea to Innovation Grants?
Get 100% of your project costs covered when you partner with an eligible academic institution to conduct R&D and beta testing of a technology or application prior to commercialization.
How much funding can be received?
Idea to Innovation Grants Funds up to 75% of admissible expenses, capped at $350,000 per project.
Who is eligible for the Idea to Innovation Grants program?
To be eligible for the Idea to Innovation Grants program, you must:
Must be a Canadian company or demonstrate clear, direct benefits to the Canadian economy
Must have or be able to acquire the capability to commercialize the technology
Must contribute to project costs (cash and/or in-kind, depending on phase)
What expenses are eligible under Idea to Innovation Grants?
Refinement and implementation of technology designs and concepts.
Verification of new technological applications through field studies and demonstrations.
Prototyping and testing of new products, processes, or services.
Conducting impartial market assessments to evaluate commercial potential.
Preparation and support for transferring technology from academic research to Canadian companies.
Who can I contact for more information about the Idea to Innovation Grants?
You can contact Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC).
Where is the Idea to Innovation Grants available?
The Idea to Innovation Grants program is available across Canada.
Is the Idea to Innovation Grants a grant, loan, or tax credit?
Idea to Innovation Grants is a Grant and Funding