Innovation is a critical component of life. If you are an innovator with a solution that you’re trying to bring to market but have not made any headway, then you will be interested in Canada’s Innovation for Defence, Excellence and Security (IDEaS) program.

Whether you are working from home or in a big company, an academic or scientist, the IDEaS program is an opportunity to show your innovative ideas to help solve defence and security challenges. As an innovator, you could be eligible for innovation funding up to $200,000.

Through this program, Canada is investing $1.6 billion over 20 years to tackle challenges in defence and security. Currently, IDEaS is looking for solutions to nine different categories of challenges by November 29, 2018. These areas are:

  1. Detection of concealed explosives
  2. Respiratory protection for DND/CAF members with facial hair
  3.  An integrated human resources data management solution
  4.  Alternative recruitment models
  5.  Verification of full motion video integrity
  6.  Persistent maritime surface sensor system
  7.  Understanding cyber intent
  8.  Detecting and responding to hostile information activities
  9. Full spectrum communications in the Arctic

The applicants who best meet the requirements will receive funding of up to $200,000 for six months to improve their proposed solutions and provide a logical path towards full implementation of their idea. After that period, the proposals will be assessed to determine if further funding will be granted to bring their solution to reality.

To understand more about this program and to see how you can qualify for innovation funding, register for a free webinar, which will be hosted by Eric Fournier, Director General of S&T Strategic Decision Support and Lead for the IDEaS program at DND.

The webinar entitled Understanding and applying to Canada’s $1.6 billion IDEaS program – How you can win up to CA$200,000 in innovation contracts will be held on Thursday, November 15 at 2 PM EST. Areas that will be covered include:

Outlining DND and IDEaS’s aims
Understanding the IDEaS submission and selections process
Introducing the current round of innovation challenges
Tips, tricks, and pitfalls for your IDEaS application

The webinar will conclude with a Q&A session. Spaces are filling up quickly, register by going here.