About NRC-IRAP

The National Research Council-Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC-IRAP) is Canada's premier innovation assistance program for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). It is a vital component of the NRC, a cornerstone in Canada's innovation system, regarded world-wide as one of the best programs of its kind.

Mandate, Mission and Strategic Objectives

NRC-IRAP's mandate - to stimulate wealth creation for Canada through technological innovation - is largely accomplished by providing technology assistance to SMEs at all stages of the innovation process, to build their innovation capacity. NRC-IRAP helps SMEs understand the technology issues and opportunities and provides linkages to the best expertise in Canada.

• Mandate
• Mission
• Core Values
• Strategic Objectives

IRAP Industrial Technology Advisors - The human face of innovation

NRC-IRAP uses a field staff of professionals, widely recognized for their scientific, technical, business expertise and knowledge of the innovation process to provide its clients with value-added advice and financial services. NRC-IRAP's success stems from a long track record of service and the outstanding, highly skilled people that deliver the program at the local level.

The Industrial Technology Advisors (ITAs) delivers customized services to NRC-IRAP clients through a national network of 235 ITAs, located in 90 communities across Canada. They coach a client project through all stages of the innovation process, providing technical advice, referrals and other innovation services as needed. You can contact your ITA today by calling the IRAP Regional Office nearest you at 1-877-994-4727.

Advisory Services and Technological Expertise

As a key enabler within Canada's innovation system, NRC-IRAP provides Canadian SMEs with value-added technological and business advice, financial assistance and a range of other innovation assistance. NRC-IRAP helps SMEs realize their full potential, turning knowledge and innovation into strategic opportunities, jobs and prosperity for all Canadians.

Services and Financial Assistance

Through a mix of services and support, NRC-IRAP provides innovation assistance to 12,000 firms each year, sharing the financial risk with some 3,300 of these R&D projects an precommercialization activities.

Networks

The IRAP Network NRC-IRAP plays a critical role in bringing together the key players in the Canadian Innovation System for the benefit of SMEs. Extensive networks link entrepreneurs, players knowledgeable about local sources of financing, R&D institutions and technology brokers, and technology transfer centres.

The reach of the NRC-IRAP network extends past Canada's borders, with international connections forged by technology trade missions, linkages with Technology Development Officers (TDOs) and numerous visits and collaborations.

NRC-IRAP Partners

NRC-IRAP maintains strong partner relationships with organizations at the regional, national and international level whose capabilities extend and complement NRC's contributions to the Canadian Innovation System for the benefit of SMEs.

Through its links with more than 100 partner organizations and the 850 members of the Canadian Technology Network, IRAP taps into the full power of Canada's Innovation System, both nationally and internationally, for the benefit of Canadian SMEs. IRAP continues to strengthen its connections with Canada's universities, technical and community colleges.

NRC-IRAP Clients

IRAP's programs and activities are designed to serve small and medium-sized Canadian enterprises (SMEs) with less than 500 employees, with the potential to innovate.

CONFIDENTIALITY YOU CAN COUNT ON

Innovative ideas often prove to be an invaluable commodity. IRAP has been helping SMEs for more than 50 years. We understand the value of your proprietary information and have developed appropriate mechanisms to safeguard it.

To serve you best, your Industrial Technology Advisor (ITA) needs to know a great deal about what you do and how you do it, as well as your vision for the future of your enterprise. Your ITA will treat this privileged information with the utmost care for its confidentiality, with all due respect to your unique situation.

History

IRAP and its predecessors have been helping Canadian firms innovate in order to improve their competitive technological performance for close to 60 years.

INNOVATION MEANS SUCCESS

Companies that master the process of harnessing creativity to create new value in new ways earn financial returns. Wall Street increasingly places a higher value on innovation than on virtually any other approach to generating growth. More than leadership change, more than mergers or acquisitions, more than renewed commitment to cost reduction, investors reward innovation.¹

Innovation is any change of a technological nature (i.e. inputs, methods, or outputs) which improves the commercial position of a firm. ² Innovation boosts a company's earnings, speeds growth, ensures an advantage over competitors, and appeals to shareholders.¹

To be successful, a firm must innovate on all fronts, from R&D to business and human resources functions. The Canadian innovation system includes various agencies, at the federal, provincial and local levels, that can assist SMEs with various aspects of innovation.

However, when your innovation strategy goes beyond simply buying the latest equipment, but includes the adoption, adaptation or creation of new technology for the development of new products or production processes, IRAP can help you.

1 Source: Ronald S. Jonash and Tom Sommerlatte; The Innovation Premium - published by Perseus Books, October 1999.
2 Source: Pridmore & Gibson "Modeling Regional Innovation and Competitiveness" - edited by John De La Mothe - University of Ottawa and Gilles Paquet - University of Ottawa, 1998.

IRAP can be your guide to a successful innovative journey. Contact the IRAP Regional Office nearest you by calling our toll free number:1-877-994-4727.