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 solu…
Defence and security challenge areas published annually by DND/CAF; 2025-2026 cycle includes five new challenge topics.
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Guides for this application
All guides →Grants for Robotics Startups: SBIR, Defense, NSF, and Pilot Funding
A practical guide to grants for robotics startups, including SBIR/STTR, NSF, DoD, NASA, field validation, TRL, pilot evidence, budgets, and commercialization strategy.
Start hereTRL Levels Explained for Deeptech Founders
Learn what TRL levels mean, how to estimate technology readiness, and how TRL affects grants, EIC Accelerator, SBIR/STTR, funding stage, and application evidence.
DocumentsProof-of-Concept Data for Grants: Evidence Examples for Deeptech Applications
See how to present proof-of-concept data in grant applications, with examples for evidence registers, test logs, pilot data, and prior project proof.
Start hereStartup Funding Stages for Deeptech: From Lab to Scale
A deeptech funding roadmap that maps startup funding stages to TRL, grants, SBIR/STTR, EIC Accelerator, pilots, VC, and scale-up evidence.
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