Administered by Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada
Federal procurement program that funds SMEs to develop and test late-stage innovations against government-defined challenges.
ISC has two streams: Challenge (Phase 1 R&D to $150K + Phase 2 prototype to $1M) and Testing (federal departments buy your product for real-world testing). Sole-source contract vehicle.
The total program pool, per-organization max, and what your contribution has to be.
This program does not publish an aggregate annual funding pool.
No matching contribution required.
Run your business through the Grant Finder for a live eligibility check against every requirement in this program.
Tell us a few things about your business and we'll run a live eligibility check against this program — and surface every other Canadian program you qualify for.
Find your matches →Excellent path to first federal customer + non-dilutive capital simultaneously. Track the challenge feed weekly — challenges are narrowly scoped and only 1-2 per intake fit any given company.
Live estimator using this program's rate and cap. Drag the slider to see the impact on your project.
Enter the total cost of the project you want to fund with ISC. We'll estimate the grant amount, your matching contribution, and your net cost.
Estimates are illustrative — actual funding depends on eligibility, cost classification, and review outcomes. For a firm quote, book a call with our team.
GovMoney's team can prepare, submit, and defend your ISC application end-to-end.
PhDs, CPAs, and ex-CRA auditors prepare, submit, and defend your application — audit-ready, on a success-fee basis. You stay focused on the business; we handle the forms, the narrative, and the back-and-forth with the agency.
Book a free consult →Three concrete moves. Do them yourself or hand off to GovMoney.
Add this program to your watchlist and get personalized deadline alerts, plus every other Canadian program that matches your business.