Igniting innovation through collaboration: Agreement with Brazil's national innovation organization creates opportunities for Canadian industry

The National Research Council of Canada's Industrial Research Assistance Program (IRAP) and FINEP, its international counterpart under Brazil's Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to facilitate market-driven industrial collaborations. The agreement was signed by NRC Acting President Maria Aubrey and FINEP President Wanderley de Souza on April 5, 2016, opening doors to joint initiatives and the commercialization of potential innovations.

"We are pleased to formalize our relationship with FINEP through this agreement," explains Aubrey. "This represents greater prospects for Canadian and Brazilian companies seeking to combine resources in the pursuit of solutions to global opportunities. In turn, these collaborations will strengthen industrial competitiveness in both countries."

Canada and Brazil are expected to issue Requests for Proposals from interested companies this summer. Funding for successful projects may be provided by IRAP or by the Canadian International Innovation Program, a Global Affairs Canada (GAC) initiative jointly delivered by GAC and IRAP in support of industrial research and development projects between Canada and partner countries.

Brazil is Canada's 13th-largest global trading partner and a priority market, featured in the Government of Canada's Strategy for Engagement in the Americas, Global Markets Action Plan and International Education Strategy. Relations between the two countries have grown based on shared interests and extensive cooperation in several sectors including science and technology, health, education, defense and agriculture.

Background

NRC is Canada's premier research and technology organization. Working with clients and partners, we provide innovation support, strategic research, and scientific and technical services. NRC's IRAP is Canada's leading innovation assistance program for small and medium-sized enterprises. It is a vital component of NRC and a cornerstone of Canada's innovation system, regarded worldwide as one of the best programs of its kind.

FINEP, the Financiadora de Estudos e Projetos (or Funding Authority for Studies and Projects) was established in 1967. To meet its vision of transforming Brazil through innovation, the organization promotes economic and social development by funding science, technology and innovation initiatives at companies, universities, technological institutes and other organizations. FINEP's focus is on strategic, structured and impactful activities that will contribute to sustainable development throughout Brazil.

Both NRC and FINEP are international partners in TAFTIE (The European Network of Innovation Agencies), a forum for the exchange of best practices between national innovation agencies that includes 28 organizations from 27 European countries.