NRC IRAP for software and AI projects

NRC IRAP supports Canadian SMEs that develop technology-driven products, through an industrial technology advisor. A software or AI project fits when it answers a technical question that available tools leave open. INNOVA Consult in Ottawa frames the question, writes the work plan and builds the prototype as the contractor; the company works with its advisor.

Write to us The OpenField project

OpenField queue of stopped farm robots waiting for a technician

OpenField, the robots waiting for a technician on a demo farm with simulated data.

What IRAP looks for

NRC IRAP offers financial assistance, advisory services and connections. Its funding supports the research and development of innovative, technology-driven products and services.

Company requirements

Incorporated, for-profit and operating in Canada
Up to 500 employees, full-time equivalent
Develops and commercializes innovative, technology-driven products or services
Ready to create economic benefits in Canada, such as new jobs or more innovation capacity

Outside its scope

Day-to-day operating costs
Non-technical or purely commercial activities
Work done outside Canada
Research with limited potential for commercialization

Meeting these requirements is the first step; support and funding are decided case by case.

How a company starts

Three conversations, in this order. Advice and referrals usually come before any funding.

1
A call

A senior executive of the company calls NRC IRAP at 1-877-994-4727. The bilingual contact centre gathers details and checks whether the company is ready to meet an advisor.
2
A client engagement advisor

The advisor reviews the business, learns its operations and goals, explains how NRC IRAP works and may refer the company to an industrial technology advisor.
3
An industrial technology advisor

The ITA explores the company’s vision, team and innovation potential, gives targeted advice, connects it with partners and resources, and identifies the NRC IRAP supports that fit.

Feature work and a technical question

NRC IRAP excludes non-technical or purely commercial work. In software the line usually falls here.

Feature work A technical question

Feature workAdd offline mode to an app with a proven sync library. A technical questionKeep one record of what machines from different manufacturers did, when each vendor’s software covers only its own machines and the field has weak signal.

Feature workConnect a CRM to an accounting package through its published API. A technical questionSettle most bank payments by fixed rules and send only the doubtful ones to a person, with a measured error rate.

Feature workPut a chat window on top of an existing model. A technical questionMake a model’s answers on a company’s own documents reliable enough to act on, and measure how often they are right.

Feature workChart numbers the system already stores. A technical questionCompute season measures from field records that arrive late or offline, with every figure traced to its source.

Worked example: OpenField

Prototype

Can one logbook record what farm robots from different manufacturers did, where they failed and what the grower must report?

OpenField is our logbook for mixed farm robot fleets. Dealers who service robots from many brands have no common record, and each manufacturer’s software covers its own machines. The logbook works offline and fills the grower’s fixed formats: CanadaGAP, OMAFRA spray records and Transport Canada RPAS logs.

Fifteen season measures, K01 to K15, are fixed before the season and computed from the logbook. The prototype runs more than 1,000 automated tests on demo and simulated data, with no manufacturer integration yet. Field validation is planned for the 2027 growing season, and OpenField has no funding yet.

How the OpenField project is structured for a grant

What INNOVA does and what the company does

Maksym Stepanenko leads and does the work; specialist contractors are brought in when a project needs them.

INNOVA, the contractor Your company

1 The technical question INNOVA, the contractorWe write the question, the baseline and the target with you, in one page. Your companyYou bring the problem, the people who know it and the cases it has to handle.

2 The advisor INNOVA, the contractorWe supply the written question and a draft work plan for the conversation. Your companyYour company calls NRC IRAP and works with its advisors; the relationship is yours.

3 The work plan and quote INNOVA, the contractorMilestones a reviewer can run, measures fixed in advance, and a contractor quote. Your companyYou decide the scope and agree the contract, IP terms included.

4 The build INNOVA, the contractorWe build the prototype and test it against the measures. Your companyYou test it on real cases and decide at each milestone.

5 The report INNOVA, the contractorResults against every measure, failures included. Your companyYou report to NRC IRAP as your agreement requires.

IRAP AI Assist

NRC IRAP AI Assist helps innovative SMEs develop and adapt generative AI and deep learning solutions, through scientific research, product development, testing and validation. NRC’s 2026–27 plan says AI Assist will continue in 2026–27.

Existing IRAP clients ask their industrial technology advisor about it. Other companies contact NRC IRAP to find out if they are eligible.

IRAP, SR&ED and RAII together

SR&ED is a tax incentive run by the Canada Revenue Agency; government assistance received for a project reduces that project’s qualified SR&ED expenditures. The Regional Artificial Intelligence Initiative (RAII) provides funding for businesses adopting AI and for Canadian AI companies bringing products to market.

Regional Artificial Intelligence Initiative (RAII) SR&ED for software development CanExport SMEs status and eligibility

Questions

Can a software company get IRAP support?

Yes, when it meets the requirements: incorporated, for-profit and operating in Canada, up to 500 employees, and developing innovative, technology-driven products or services. NRC IRAP funds research and development; non-technical or purely commercial work is excluded, so the project needs a technical question at its centre.

What is an Industrial Technology Advisor and how do we reach one?

An industrial technology advisor, or ITA, is an NRC IRAP advisor with technical, business and industry expertise. A senior executive calls 1-877-994-4727; the contact centre may arrange a meeting with a client engagement advisor, who can refer the company to an ITA.

Can IRAP support cover a contractor’s work?

One NRC IRAP international call, Eureka Network Canada call #7 in 2026, funded contractor fees at up to 50% and salaries at up to 80%. For other IRAP support, the advisor and the funding agreement settle which costs count. NRC IRAP excludes work done outside Canada; INNOVA works from Ottawa.

Is there a deadline?

The core NRC IRAP path starts with a phone call, and NRC publishes no intake deadline for it. Calls for proposals that NRC IRAP runs, such as international R&D calls, have their own deadlines. The relationship typically starts with advice and referrals before any funding is provided.

Can we claim SR&ED on the same project?

SR&ED is a separate tax incentive run by the Canada Revenue Agency. The CRA reduces qualified SR&ED expenditures by government assistance received or expected for the same project, project by project. Your accountant works out how an IRAP contribution affects the claim.

Do we need a prototype before talking to an advisor?

The published NRC IRAP requirements name no prototype. The path starts with a call and a conversation with an advisor. A written technical question, a baseline and a rough work plan give that conversation something concrete to work on.

Who owns the IP when a contractor builds it?

The contract sets it, agreed in writing before work starts. INNOVA’s contracts keep code, admin access, licences and data in the client’s name and accounts.

What is IRAP AI Assist?

NRC IRAP AI Assist helps innovative small and medium-sized companies develop and adapt generative AI and deep learning solutions, through research, product development, testing and validation. NRC’s 2026–27 plan says AI Assist will continue in 2026–27. Existing IRAP clients ask their industrial technology advisor. Other companies contact NRC IRAP to find out if they are eligible for its support.

Bring the technical question.

Describe the technical question that available tools leave open, and tell us whether you already work with an advisor.

Write to us

Maksym Stepanenko, founder, in business since 2012. Products in public use, one of them in the App Store.