National Research Council Industrial Research Assistance Program NRCIRAP

1
National Research Council Industrial Research
Assistance Program (NRC-IRAP)

• Sault Ste Marie Innovation Center
• Finding Funding

2
NRC-IRAP Overview

• Industrial Research Assistance Program is under
  the umbrella of the National Research Council
• NRC-IRAPs roots are 60 years strong in 2008
• Technical specialists and not just transfer
  payment specialists
• Today NRC-IRAP provides targeted advice and
  assistance to some 7,600 SMEs annually

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Combining a national and regional presence
The ITA advantage

• 240 Industry Technology Advisors (ITAs) 147
  locations across Canada.
• Experienced individuals with research and/or
  industry experience - 2nd or 3rd careers
• Huge collective knowledge pool- Linked to the
  expertise of all staff through the national
  network
• ITAs on average make about 100 client on-site
  visits per year

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Client Profile

• Canadian companies with lt 500 employees. 82 of
  NRC-IRAP clients have fewer than 50 employees
  and most of them have fewer than 20.
• Covers broad range of industry sectors
• Common challenges faced include limited
• RD capacity and staffing.
• Availability of private investment for RD.
• National and international networks to assist
  with competitive intelligence and
  commercialization.

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What does NRC-IRAP do?

• Technological and Advisory Service to SMEs
• Financial Support to Bring New Skills into Firms
• Financial Support to Firms for Research and/or
  Development
• Financial Support for Organizations Providing
  Innovation Assistance to SMEs
• Networking and Linkages

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Technological and Advisory Services
Networking/Linkages

• Constitutes the majority of IRAP client
  assistance and includes
• Linkages to NRC and other research based
  organizations.
• Technical literature and product searches.
• Patent searches for IRAP clients.
• Canadian Association of Management Consultant
  Rotman School of management consultation.
• Networking to utilize ITA technical capacity.

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Financial Support for New Skills Youth
Employment Program

• Max. contribution of 15K per youth
• Covers salary costs of college/university
  graduate
• Grad must be under 31
• Project based on 6 12 months employment
• Must benefit both firm and youth
• Must add new technical or business capabilities
  to firm to support innovation

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Financial Support for RD

• Research, Development, Adaptation/Adoption
  Funding (Non-repayable)
• New Product or Process Development
• Market Research Studies
• Technology Inflow from Outside Canada
• Firm must be incorporated, with lt500 employees
• Project must increase innovation capacity of firm
• IRAP contributes towards salaries subcontractor
  costs
• Does not cover capital, equipment

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NRC-IRAP Challenge

• Assist Innovative SMEs in Canada
• Grow Stronger
• Grow Faster
• Grow Bigger
• Through Technology

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• NRC-IRAP in Sault Ste Marie
• John Hatherley
• [phone] ext 3139
• John.Hatherley_at_nrc-cnrc.gc.ca
• Thank You!