As Canada’s innovation capital, Ottawa is the primary gateway to federal procurement and sovereign technology development. We align your projects with the 2026 mandates that reward domestic supply chain resilience, AI security, and dual-use technological breakthroughs.
Innovation for Defence Excellence and Security (IDEaS)
The IDEaS program remains the Department of National Defence’s (DND) flagship vehicle for solving national security challenges. In 2026, the program has shifted its focus toward Arctic Sovereignty and Autonomous Systems. We help Ottawa-based firms navigate the competitive projects that provide up to $6.75 million in non-dilutive funding. Our expertise lies in helping you prove the technical readiness of your innovation whether in cyber-defense, drone countermeasures, or high-security communication, ensuring it is ready for integration into the federal procurement pipeline.
Regional Defence Investment Initiative (RDII)
Now in its second full year of implementation for 2026, the RDII is a cornerstone of Canada’s Defence Industrial Strategy. This initiative, delivered in Ottawa via FedDev Ontario, provides the capital needed for SMEs to achieve mandatory security certifications and scale production to meet NATO standards. We specialize in securing this funding for facility modernization and digital transformation, ensuring your company has the industrial capacity to compete for major federal “Buy Canadian” contracts and global defense supply chain opportunities.
NRC IRAP & The AI Compute Access Fund
For Ottawa’s SaaS and AI cluster in Kanata North, 2026 marks a period of intensified support for “Sovereign AI.” We leverage the Industrial Research Assistance Program (IRAP) to cover up to 80% of internal R&D labor costs, while simultaneously tapping into the AI Compute Access Fund. This combined strategy allows your firm to develop novel, secure algorithms while offsetting the high costs of the high-performance computing power required to train them. We help you prove the technical “novelty” and market potential that federal reviewers demand for these high-innovation programs.
SR&ED Tax Credit (2026 High-Tech Enhancements)
The SR&ED program is the foundation of Ottawa’s technical economy, and by 2026, it has been further optimized for software and hardware innovators. We help you maximize your claims by translating your complex engineering challenges from quantum-ready encryption to mechatronics prototyping into the “technological uncertainties” recognized by the CRA. This ensures your firm recovers up to 35% of qualified expenditures, providing a predictable stream of non-dilutive cash flow to reinvest in your next generation of Ottawa-grown technology.
