NRC-IRAP International Activities

Global collaboration has become a competitive necessity for small and medium-sized enterprises in Canada. Our international activities play a key role in ensuring that our clients are knowledgeable about and suitably prepared to address global challenges.

NRC-IRAP international initiatives are focused on providing support in a number of key areas, including:

• direct support to small and medium-sized enterprises with international interests,
• technology partnering, including technology sourcing, transfer, and matching,
• joint research and development projects, and other technology ventures

NRC-IRAP works with Canadian organizations and other government departments such as the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade to collaborate on international activities and programs designed to help assist firms in Canada to compete in the global marketplace.

In addition, NRC-IRAP has a number of formal and informal relationships in countries including Spain, France, the United States of America, Ireland, India, China, the Scandinavian countries, the Netherlands and the European Union. NRC-IRAP collaborates with these countries on a reciprocal basis to further support small and medium-sized enterprise growth, technology transfer and technology development for the purpose of generating economic benefits for both Canada and the collaborating countries.

CANADEKA – A Bilateral CANADA - SPAIN Program for Technological Cooperation

In 2005, an agreement was signed to develop collaborations between Spanish firms and small and medium-sized enterprises in Canada. The agreement is being delivered by Centro para el Desarrollo Tecnológico Industrial (CDTI – Centre for the Development of Industrial Technology; www.cdti.es ) in Madrid Spain, and NRC-IRAP in Canada.

A key element of the NRC-IRAP partnership with CDTI has been the establishment of a Bilateral Technological Cooperation Program known as CANADEKA. The program encourages joint technology cooperation projects between small and medium-sized enterprises in Canada and firms in Spain through industrial research, technological development and innovation.

OSEO France – NRC-IRAP Agreement

In 2008, the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) signed a memorandum of understanding with OSEO, the innovation agency in France, to strengthen cooperation between innovative small and medium-sized enterprises in the Canadian and European Union markets. The agreement supports a closer economic partnership between Canada and France, in areas related to competitiveness, innovation, and science and technology, and assists in the development of small and medium-sized enterprises in both countries.