Innovative Solutions Canada Program

• The applicant must be a Canadian-incorporated, for-profit small or medium-sized business (federally or provincially incorporated).
• The business must have 499 or fewer full-time equivalent employees, including affiliates.
• Research and development activities must be conducted within Canada.
• At least 50% of annual wages, salaries, and fees must be allocated to employees and contractors primarily working in Canada.
• At least 50% of full-time equivalent employees and senior executives (vice-president and above) must have Canada as their principal place of work or residence.

Who is eligible?

• Canadian small businesses
• Canadian medium businesses
• For-profit corporations incorporated in Canada

Eligible expenses

• Development of a proof of feasibility report.
• Building and testing of prototype innovations.

Eligible geographic areas

• Businesses incorporated in Canada (federally or provincially).

There are evaluation and selection criteria for this grant. The eligibility and evaluation criteria include:

• Relevance to the challenge
• Technical innovation
• Financial viability
• Potential for commercialization
• Capability and resources to deliver

• The innovator retains ownership of any intellectual property developed during the grant process.
• Market-ready innovations may be eligible for the pathway to commercialization, making them available for federal procurement for a period of 3 years.
• Applicants should monitor each challenge for unique timelines and funding details.
• Affiliated businesses, including parent companies and subsidiaries both in and outside Canada, must be included in full-time employee calculations.