German-Canadian call for funding ZIM/IRAP

The Enterprise Europe Network informs:

02.03.2026

In the current call for proposals with Canada, ZIM - together with the Canadian National Research Council (NRC) and its IRAP program (Industrial Research Assistance Program) - is offering a funding opportunity for R&D cooperation projects between German and Canadian SMEs that develop novel technologies and co-innovations to market maturity.

The prerequisite is a bilateral consortium with at least one German and one Canadian SME. Other larger companies (up to 1,000 employees) and research institutions can also participate, provided that at least one eligible SME is part of the consortium. ZIM supports the German part of the project, while the Canadian companies are funded according to the funding rules of the NRC-IRAP program.
The open-industry call is aimed at projects with high market potential and clear commercialization prospects and makes it easier for SMEs in particular to enter the international market.

Submission deadlines:

Project outline by April 17, 2026
Project application by June 19, 2026

Note:

Two more tips for participants of the recent Canada-Bavaria SmartTech CONNECT@embedded world 2026:

This call for proposals offers an ideal opportunity to turn the German-Canadian cooperation ideas initiated during the event into concrete, funded R&D collaborations with the help of the ZIM/IRAP funding program.
In addition, an attractive funding perspective in the field of "Electronic Systems and Process Technologies" is opening up for Bavarian companies, R&D organizations and other institutions. As part of the BayVFP funding line "Digitalization", the project management agency VDI/VDE-IT is offering a free online webinar for those interested in funding on the current announcements on 18 March 2026 . Details can be found here: Electronic systems and process technologies: Information event on funding calls 2026

For further information on participation and cooperation partners, please contact Patricia Ruppert (Enterprise Europe Network at Bayern Innovativ) or Jürgen Frickinger (Bayern Innovativ).