What has IDEaS done so far?

  • Text version of graphic

    The above graphic is a statistical representation of the milestones reached by IDEaS, with

    • 27 Challenges issued
    • 172 Funded entities
    • $45M Committed
    • 18 Upcoming challenges announced
    • 3,000 Innovators recruited

IDEaS has been creating an environment of access to, and for, innovators – within which a number of funding initiatives have been launched under the following program elements: Competitive Projects, Innovation Networks, and Sandboxes. The purpose of this environment is to resolve complex defense and security challenges. Although only launched in April 2018, IDEaS has already had considerable success supporting, and helping to mature, Canada’s innovation ecosystem.

In this first year of operation, many of these achievements and successes can be viewed as milestones with respect to recruitment and support.

Connected external innovators with existing DND/CAF efforts.

  • Engaged more than 40,000 independent visitors via the IDEaS web page.
  • Encouraged, enhanced, sustained, and supported interdisciplinary research collaboration among academia, for-profit and not-for-profit sectors, and other levels of government.
  • Strengthened a partnership with Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC).
  • Implemented simplified application processes for innovators.

Developed relationships and increased number of partnerships.

  • Stimulated and supported the development of scientific advances in emerging and advanced materials, methods, and state-of-the-art technologies through five direct calls to innovators.
    • Two CFPs for Competitive Projects generated more than 750 proposals, and led to more than 160 contracts with a total value of more than $26 million.
    • One Request for Information (RFI) for Sandboxes has led to two important events that are scheduled for fall 2019 and Spring 2020.
  • Fostered collaboration among individuals, academia, industry, and other partners via the Innovation Networks CFPs.
    • Two CFPs for Innovation Networks have generated 12 micro-networks with a total valuation of $18 million for a period of 3 years.

Evaluated ideas for their contribution to defence capabilities.

  • IDEaS is currently moving towards this phase with the development and the release of Innovation Assessment & Implementation in early 2019.
  • Established a relationship between Canada’s military needs and innovator ideas.

Did you know?

The Competitive Projects element regularly launches CFPs along select themes – seeking successful proposals for funding. The table below provides the distribution of proposals received from our stakeholders for our first two CFPs:

Category CFP 1 Submissions CFP 2 Submissions
Academia 21.3% 17.6%
Small & Medium Industry (<500 employees) 59.6% 64.2%
Large industry 10.7% 10.9%
Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) 4.3% 6.6%

Did you know?

The Innovation Networks element has sought proposals in two critical areas – Advanced Materials, and Autonomous Systems.

More than 100 letters of intent received across two challenges; 43 formal proposals submitted 12 Micro-nets approved for funding More than 100 Micro-net participants* Across 5 provinces

*Micro-net participants as of March 2019

Did you know?

The Sandboxes element provides an opportunity for innovators to test and demonstrate their solutions to subject-matter experts/CAF operators. Our first RFI has led to a Sandbox event that is scheduled for September 2019, related to the Counter Unmanned Aerial Systems challenge. A second Sandbox event, related to the Corrosion Detection in Ships challenge, is slated to occur in the Spring of 2020.

Challenges Sandbox decisions
Counter Unmanned Aerial Systems September 2019
Corrosion Detection in Ships Spring 2020

Did you know?

We are receiving proposals from across the country. The map below shows the provincial distribution of proposals received by the first two Competitive Projects CFPs, as well as provincial proportions of the Canadian population.

Proportion of Canadian population, 2016Footnote * – in purple text.
Percentage of total proposals receivedFootnote ** – in coloured circles.

  • Text version of map

    The graphic outlines the areas of the country that have sent in IDEas proposals, displayed across a map of Canada with numerical representations of proposals sent from each province - Provincial proportions of the Canadian population, 2016 in purple text.

    BC 13.2%, AB 11.6%, SK 3.1%, MB 3.6 %, ON 38.3%, QC 23.2%, NB 2.1%, PE 0.41%, NS 2.6%, NL 1.5% - Percentage of total proposals received** in coloured circles. BC 17.8%, AB 5.1%, SK 0.5%, MB 1.1%, ON 42.9%, QC 20.7%, NB 1.7%, PE 0.2%, NS 3%, NL 1.9%

    The graphic represents the program’s outreach and how IDEaS makes direct contact with clients, academia, associations, and organizations all across Canada via several arrows leaving from Ottawa, going toward the following cities: Victoria, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Saskatoon, Regina, Winnipeg, North Bay, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Quebec, Sherbrooke, Halifax, Moncton, Fredericton, Charlottetown, St. John’s

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