Defence IDEaS — Competitive Projects
Offers research teams and institutions for Defence IDEaS Competitive Projects in defense innovation, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity.
Defence IDEaS Competitive Projects is the largest funding element within the Department of National Defence Canada's Innovation for Defence Excellence and Security program, providing non-repayable contribution funding to advance technologies from early concept through operational deployment. The mechanism is challenge-driven: DND publishes specific technical challenges, and innovators propose solutions directly responsive to those challenges. Five new challenges were launched in the 2025-2026 cycle, confirming active status. Funding is structured across three phased components gated to TRL maturity: Component 1a covers concept and feasibility work at TRL 1 to 3, providing up to CAD 250,000 for up to six months; Component 1b covers laboratory-scale prototype development at TRL 4 to 5, providing up to CAD 1,500,000 for up to 12 months; and Component 2 covers operational prototype development through deployment at TRL 6 to 9, providing up to CAD 5,000,000 with no fixed time limit. The total project ceiling across all components is CAD 6,750,000.
Eligibility is open to Canadian businesses, academic institutions, not-for-profits, and individuals — all four entity types may apply as prime. Applicants must register and operate in Canada. The funding mechanism is a non-repayable contribution, not a procurement contract or equity investment, meaning recipients retain intellectual property rights. There are no set-asides limiting the program to small businesses; large companies and universities compete on equal footing. Applicants must respond to a specific published DND/CAF challenge; there is no open-topic submission option.
Challenge areas cover defence and security technology needs published annually on canada.ca. The 2025-2026 cycle's five new challenges represent the current active solicitation. Teams should identify a relevant published challenge before beginning application preparation, as reviewers assess each proposal primarily against the specific capability gap defined in the challenge brief. The program is administered by the DND Innovation unit; proposals and current challenge listings are accessible at canada.ca/en/department-national-defence/programs/defence-ideas.
Defence and security challenge areas published annually by DND/CAF; 2025-2026 cycle includes five new challenge topics.
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