Deadline: 13-Jun-25
The National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC IRAP), Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED), and Global Affairs Canada’s Trade Commissioner Service (TCS) are pleased to invite Canadian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and large companies to submit an expression of interest to join an Advancing International Clean Technology Demonstrations (AICTD) partnering mission to Australia.
This mission will focus on energy storage and grid modernization technologies. Participants will take part in the All-Energy Conference—the Southern Hemisphere’s largest clean energy event—and benefit from business activities such as networking events, site visits, and customized B2B meetings with Australian organizations and end-users in the energy sector.
Objectives
- This mission focuses on connecting Canadian cleantech providers with utilities, and private-sector partners in Australia that are actively seeking innovative energy storage and grid modernization technologies.
- These engagements aim to explore pilot and demonstration projects that are crucial to enable Canadian SMEs to validate and adapt their solutions to real-world market conditions.
- Such initiatives are essential to overcome market-entry barriers in Indo-Pacific economies, improve the bankability of SMEs, and accelerate their commercialization efforts in the global marketplace.
Sector of Focus
- The mission will focus on energy storage and grid modernization technologies, including:
- Energy storage: Technologies that balance supply and demand, ensure grid stability, and maximize the use of renewable sources, such as long-duration storage
- Grid modernization: Technologies that enhance the orchestration of distributed energy sources and enable increased electrification, including the integration of large-scale renewable energy projects. This includes advanced metering, smart grids, microgrids, Distributed Energy Resource Management Systems (DERMS), Virtual Power Plants (VPP), and other technologies focused on grid resilience, optimization, distributed renewable energy source integration or generation, and demand side management
Funding Information
- Project funding through the NRC IRAP will only be available to eligible Canadian SMEs. Large Canadian companies will need to secure funding from other sources or self-fund.
- Canadian SMEs selected by NRC IRAP for participation will be invited to apply for up to $5,000 reimbursement of 75% of travel and accommodations costs associated with the mission. Selected participants will be sent instructions and information about this support.
Eligibility Criteria
- Participants will be selected based on the best fit with the objectives of this AICTD partnering mission. Applicants must meet all the following criteria:
- be an incorporated, profit-oriented enterprise in Canada
- have been in operation for a minimum of 12 months prior to the project proposal deadline specified above
- have a minimum of 5 full-time equivalent employees located in Canada (on your company payroll and issued a T4), excluding any founders and contract employees
- pursue growth and profit by developing and commercializing innovative, technology-driven new or improved products, services or processes in Canada
- have a differentiated and protectable technology with commercial potential in global markets
- have the financial capacity (working capital, sales revenue, investment, etc.) and the operational capacity (personnel, expertise, resources, etc.) to undertake technology piloting or demonstration while maintaining regular operations, and to subsequently commercialize the results
- be committed to significant growth through international market expansion in the Indo-Pacific region
For more information, visit Government of Canada.
