In December 2017, as part of the Innovative Solutions Canada (ISC) challenge program, the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) launched the 3D Printing and Additive Manufacturing Challenge to address its specific R&D needs and allow it to contribute further into the field of 3D printing.
The NRC has now announced it is investing $435,041 for three contracts to support this challenge.
The first three contracts include:
- B3D Performance Inc. of Montreal ($150,000)
- Envisioning Labs Inc. of Vancouver ($150,000)
- Les Industries Sautech Inc. of Boisbriand ($135,041)
Over the next six months, these companies will develop a proof of concept for their solutions. If successful, they could be accepted into the next phase of the program and receive up to $1 million to develop a working prototype.
“Today’s announcement supports the broader efforts of our government to support the scale-up and growth of Canada’s entrepreneurs and create middle-class jobs,” said Iain Stewart, president of the National Research Council of Canada. “We are proud to issue challenges to benefit the program, as well as provide the services of NRC IRAP to the evaluation team.”
The NRC is a key contributor to the ISC procurement program, which was first announced in Budget 2017 earlier that year. By December 2017, 20 other departments and agencies announced they participate in the program to provide funding to small businesses proposing solutions to various government challenges.
“Small businesses are the backbone of our economy and employ over 8 million hard-working Canadians. That’s why our government is committed to helping small businesses start up, scale up and access new markets. Innovative Solutions Canada is a fantastic program that uses government procurement to help small businesses innovate and then commercialize their innovations,” said Mary Ng, Minister of Small Business and Export Promotion. “Congratulations to these businesses. I can’t wait to see the innovative solutions they come up with.”