R&D Project Funding
The Research & Development Corporation (RDC) administers funding for research and development (R&D) projects relevant to local business and the economy of Newfoundland and Labrador.
All projects should address the following key considerations: scientific or technical merit; economic benefit to the company (for a business-led program) and/or the province of Newfoundland and Labrador; the ability for the project team to deliver on the project outcomes; commercial merit (for a business-led program) or the merits of the project with respect to capacity building and collaboration (for an academic-led program); quality of the project plan; and project financing.
Business-led Programs
(where commercial entities apply)
The R&D Vouchers and R&D Proof of Concept programs provide businesses with access to R&D funding. R&D Vouchers improve access to researchers (technical expertise), research facilities and equipment, and facilitates collaborative R&D among business and academia. R&D Proof of Concept reduces technical and financial risk of pre-commercial R&D.
To accelerate research and development in the petroleum industry, the PetroleumR&D Accelerator provides a co-funding mechanism for larger projects that align with business needs and development opportunities. Target R&D performers include oil and gas supply and service companies, technology providers, marine transport and ocean technology companies with market applications in the petroleum industry.
Geoscience R&D projects, with relevance to industry and significant potential for economic impact in Newfoundland and Labrador, are supported through GeoEXPLORE (2011-2013). GeoEXPLORE is a three-year directed research program with target areas including Collaborative Research Opportunities, which encourages local, national, and international collaboration among academic, industry and government researchers, and Post-doctoral Researchers, which embeds the researcher in either academic or government research environments.
ArcticTECH (2012-14) targets R&D projects in support of Arctic technology development. ArcticTECH is a three-year directed research program with target areas including Arctic Technology Development, which supports R&D projects undertaken by business involving concept engineering, model testing and prototype development through to demonstration or field trials.
The Industrial R&D Fellowships (IRDF) program is focused on industry-embedded researchers and supports small and medium-sized companies to hire recent PhD graduates thus enhancing their R&D capacity.
Learn how some Newfoundland and Labrador companies are using RDC investments to grow their business through R&D. These success stories in a number of priority areas important for economic growth, demonstrate how innovation can lead to expanded product offerings, new markets and operational efficiencies.
Academic-led Programs
(where post-secondary institutions and other not-for-profit research facilities apply)
Support for academic-led projects focuses on strengthening our R&D capacity, through investments in: the development of highly-qualified researchers; R&D activities that align with business needs, our competitive advantages and development opportunities; and world-class R&D infrastructure. This includes leverage required to attract R&D investments from non-provincial, public funding sources (LeverageR&D), funding for new or first-time researchers (IgniteR&D), and support for business-academic collaboration (CollaborativeR&D).
Geoscience R&D projects, with relevance to industry and significant potential for economic impact in Newfoundland and Labrador, are supported through GeoEXPLORE (2011-13). GeoEXPLORE is a three-year directed research program with target areas including Industry-led R&D, Technology Development and Demonstration, which serves to reduce exploration risk, increase discovery success, and support innovation through to resource development.
ArcticTECH (2012-14) targets R&D projects in support of Arctic technology development. ArcticTECH is a three-year directed research program with target areas including Collaborative R&D Awards, which encourages academic researchers to collaborate with local or global technology providers or new business start-ups, and Arctic Research Tools and Equipment, which supports academic researchers undertaking R&D projects that involve the development of new, innovative Arctic research tools and equipment.
Our Ocean Industries Student Research Awards aim to attract, retain and develop highly-qualified people and the next generation of R&D leaders for Newfoundland and Labrador’s ocean industries.
RDC’s Research Inspired Student Enrichment (RISE) Awards provide top Newfoundland and Labrador high school students with the opportunity to attend research-related enrichment programs focused on science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
RDC Mitacs Accelerate Internships enable graduate students and post-doctoral fellows to lead R&D projects, connect with local businesses and apply their specialized skills and ideas to real-world technical challenges. These four-month internships will enable graduate students and post-doctoral fellows to attain practical research and business skills, and businesses to access the research talent they need to drive innovation.
RDC has also administered an academic R&D Infrastructure call focusing on research tools and equipment and R&D platforms (i.e., dedicated research facilities) that encouraged collaboration with industry.