Innovation for Defence Excellence and Security (IDEaS)
Department of National Defence
Up to $6.8M
Competitive Projects: up to $6.75M in phased funding (Component 1a up to $250,000 over up to 6 months for TRL 1-3; Component 1b up to $1.5M over up to 12 months for TRL 4-5; Component 2 up to $5M for TRL 6-9). Innovation Networks: up to $3M. Contests, Sandboxes and Test Drives: no standing amount on the pages.
DND's IDEaS program funds innovators, from individuals to large firms, to solve defence and security challenges through five elements: Competitive Projects, Innovation Networks, Contests, Sandboxes and Test Drives. Funding is non-repayable and IP stays with the recipient (Crown gets a licence). Calls are published as individual challenges.
Open the official page ↗How to apply
Loading…
Who qualifies
Open to individuals, academia, not-for-profits, provincial/territorial/municipal government organizations and industry; federal and provincial crown corporations are not eligible. No industry or regional preference. Each call states its minimum Canadian content (typically 50-80%) and specific rules.
Good to know
- Funding: Funding does not have to be repaid. Amounts vary by challenge; read each call for proposals.
- Notes: Open/closed status of current challenges unverified because the opportunities table is script-rendered.
Evidence from the official page
- amount“Component 1b (Up to 12 months, up to $1.5 million)” source ↗
- amount“Component 2 (Up to $5 million)” source ↗
- eligibility“Federal and provincial crown corporations are not eligible for funding.” source ↗
- amount“Funding does not have to be repaid even if the project does not return the intended results.” source ↗
- status“Each IDEaS element has its own criteria and specific web-based application process.” source ↗
Verified 2026-10-09 · Medium confidence. Always confirm on the official page before applying.