NRC-IRAP Industrial Research Assistance Program

ONEIA Government Programs Breakfast Jan 26 2012

Toronto, Ontario Presented by Craig Wardlaw

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IRAP Quick Facts

•  Program of the National Research Council, reporting to Industry Canada

•  >60 years in business, oldest funding program in the G8 •  Approximately 250 Industrial Technology Advisors serving

more than 10,000 companies across Canada •  IRAP assists SMEs who are developing innovative products

by providing advice and possibly funding •  The interaction between company and IRAP Advisor is

based on a trusting relationship •  IRAP can provide financial support for projects related to

R&D, business improvement, technology adoption/adaptation and the hiring of recent graduates

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What does IRAP do?

Supporting innovative Canadian SMEs grow stronger, grow faster, grow bigger, through technology Ø  Customized technical and business advisory

services to firms to support and enhance their innovative R&D projects in S&T.

Ø  Networking opportunities and linkages to many other organizations to meet firms developmental needs.

Ø  Competitive Technical Intelligence (CTI). Ø  Financial assistance specifically towards

specialized labour costs and clients typically co-invest at least 25% of the total project costs.

What sort of financial support do we give?

Ø  Non-repayable contributions to firms for R&D projects

Ø  Small projects for business improvement or R&D (up to $50k contribution)

Ø  Contributions to organizations (innovation collaborators)

Ø  Youth Employment Program (YEP)

Ø  Support technical labour and sub-contracted labour only

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Basic Eligibility Criteria

Ø  Incorporated in Canada

Ø  500 employees or less

Ø At least one full time salaried employee

Ø  Innovating to create new products that have a significant potential market

Ø  Funding decisions are based on the business case for the product and company and the anticipated overall benefits to Canada

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Total Expenditures by Industry Sector in 2010-2011 ($ in Ms)

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IRAP supports all sectors of the economy

$-

$10

$20

$30

$40

$50

$60

$70

$80

$90

IRAP worked with 8,578 SMEs* in 2009-2010, of which 2,871 received some form of funding

−  84% < less than 50 employees

−  65% < fewer than 20 employees

Where are our clients?

* Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) – Firms with up to 500 employees

NL

352

PE

74

NS

222

NB

377

QC

1936

ON

3037

MB

352

SK

188

AB

954

BC

1201

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Cleantech

Ø  IRAP supports all sectors but targets key sectors by focusing staff in these areas and forming “Sector Teams”

Ø  Work with organizations such as ONEIA to support the sector

Ø  Support as many firms and organizations as possible in this sector

WIND BROWNFIELDS WATER

SOLAR AIR POLLUTION CONTROL

ENERGY EFFICIENCY GHGs

HAZARDOUS WASTE BIOFUELS WASTEWATER LANDFILLS

MONITORING AND ANALYSIS

Grid Integration

NEW! Digital Technology Adoption

Pilot Program (DTAPP) •  Is a component of the Government of Canada’s overall Digital Economy

Strategy Ø  to accelerate digital technology adoption and investment in Canada,

which lags the U.S. and many other developed countries in this regard

Ø  to consequently boost productivity of SMEs in all business sectors

•  An $80 million pilot program that will run until March 31, 2014

•  Is delivered by the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program and its teams of Industrial Technology Advisors

•  Funding to firms and colleges; project funding to help adopt digital technology and/or hire a technology specialist

•  Only labour funded – installation, optimization, training, productivity assessment – firm pays capital costs

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Areas of Technology Included in DTAPP

Design, Engineering and Virtual Manufacturing •  CAD, virtual manufacturing, simulation technologies, etc.

Business Systems •  Electronic work order management, warehouse management

systems, computerized maintenance management systems, etc.

Plant Systems •  Robotics and automation, automated inspection, test & repair,

human/machine interfaces, etc.

Information and Communications Technologies •  Inter-company networks, wireless communications for

production, document imaging and management, etc.

Other Digital Technologies

•  20 employees •  Digital technology: process automation for measurement (pressure,

temperature, relative humidity & soil variables) •  Impact on productivity:

Ø  Decrease in number of test reruns (increasing capacity of existing equipment)

Ø  Decrease in person hours/test (enabling the addition of new equipment and expanding testing capacity)

Case Study #1: Soil Test Cell – Automated Test Cell

One  IRAP  Success  Story  

Ernie Davidson, an IRAP ITA, urged Mike Lazaridis to apply for IRAP funding to investigate Surface Mount Technology.

Source: Blackberry: The Inside Story of Research in Motion, Rod McQueen, Key Porter Books, ©2010, pp 55-57.

“That  was  the  breakthrough  that  got  me  the  Sutherland-­‐Schultz  contract  because  we  were  probably  the  only  company  in  town  that  even  knew  what  surface  mount  technology  was.”   Mike Lazaridis Founder and co-CEO Research In Motion (RIM)

Sales to Sutherland-Schultz were so strong that

RIM’s annual revenue went over

the $1M mark in 1990 for the first

time in the company’s history.

Craig Wardlaw (Oakville) 905-849-3796

Toll-free number: 1-877-994-4727 Web http://irap-pari.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca

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