Canadian ocean observation technology research and development partnering delegation to France

Request for expression of interest

Delegation dates: June 4, 2025 to 13, 2025

Global Affairs Canada, through the Canadian Embassy in France and in collaboration with Canada's Ocean Supercluster (OSC) and the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC-IRAP), invites you to apply to participate in the Canadian ocean observation technology research and development partnership delegation to France under the Canadian International Innovation Program (CIIP).

The partnership development activity (PDA) will take place in person from June 4, 2025 to June 13, 2025 in France.

Companies wishing to participate must submit their application no later than April 13, 2025.

Delegation objectives

This delegation aims to explore collaboration opportunities for Canadian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with potential French partners (SMEs, research institutions and large French companies), with a view to developing co-innovation projects involving ocean observation technologies.

The delegation will focus on the following areas:

• validation of the suitability of Canadian technologies for French, European and/or other markets
• adaptation of Canadian technologies to the characteristics of French, European and/or other markets
• joint development of new products and/or services combining Canadian and French technologies

Canadian delegation profile

Canadian companies wishing to apply to participate in the delegation to France must meet the following conditions:

• for-profit SMEs incorporated in Canada
• experience in commercializing a technology on national or international markets
• ability and interest in collaborating on technology development with French partners
• strong desire to expand into the French and European markets
• sufficient working capital and personnel to conduct a multi-year co-innovation collaboration and commercialize the results

Technologies and products of particular interest to this delegation include:

• remote sensing technologies (e.g. satellite oceanography, high-frequency (HF) radar)
• autonomous vehicles and robotics (e.g. autonomous or remotely operated underwater vehicles, ocean gliders, underwater drones)
• mooring and floating instruments (e.g. oceanographic buoys, profiling floats, global drifting buoys)
• acoustic technologies (e.g.: SONAR)
• advanced sensor networks (e.g. pCO2 sensors, water quality sensors)
• data integration and analysis technologies (e.g. big data and artificial intelligence)

The integration and use of artificial intelligence associated with the technologies and use cases presented will be a particular asset.

Program

The program will include several business-to-business (B2B) meetings and activities with leading ocean technology organizations in France. The focus of the program will be on creating opportunities for co-innovation collaboration.

More specifically, the program will include the following elements:

• Pre-departure briefings and meetings, and mentoring on presentation techniques in France
• Information sessions offering an overview of the market and funding opportunities for co-innovation
• Presentations by Canadian participants to French players, including French companies (multinationals and SMEs), research laboratories, centres of excellence and innovation, technology clusters and other incubators or accelerators;
• Targeted business-to-business (B2B) meetings with French companies (multinationals and SMEs) and research centers to discuss co-innovation opportunities
• Networking with key players in the French ocean technology ecosystem: Technology SMEs, industrial and/or service groups, systems and service integrators
• Visits to major research centers in the naval and ocean technology ecosystem in Paris, Brest, Nice, Toulon and Monaco
• Participation in the Blue Economy and Finance Forum in Monaco and business activities on the sidelines of UNOC-3 in Nice

Why France?

France has the world's second-largest maritime area, with an exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of 11 million km2, just behind the United States and ahead of Australia and Russia. With its overseas departments and territories, France has a presence on every ocean.

A dynamic, structured ecosystem

France has a rich, well-developed ecosystem in the field of ocean technologies, including:

• Dedicated competitiveness clusters such as Pôle Mer Bretagne Atlantique and Pôle Mer Méditerranée, which foster collaborations between companies, research centers and academic institutions.
• World-renowned research institutes such as Ifremer (French Research Institute for the Exploitation of the Sea) and specialized research units such as the SequoIA Cluster (In French only) at the University of Rennes, which is working on the use of AI for ocean observation.
• Leading industrial groups in the maritime and naval sector, grouped together in the GICAN (The French Maritime Industry Association) and the Cluster Maritime Français (In French only).
• A dense network of innovative startups, as reflected in the French Blue Tech Index (In French only) created by the Cluster Maritime Français, which showcases some 30 innovative startups each year.

A dynamic market and European opportunities

France is implementing a national strategy for the sea and coast (In French only), encouraging investment and innovation in ocean technologies, notably through the Horizon Europe program, the EU Blue Invest and Invest EU Blue Economy funds, and the France 2030 program.

• The country offers privileged access to the European market. According to the Global Startup Ecosystem Report, Europe is the world leader in blue economy startups, with a 39% market share and the largest number of early-stage operations.

Recognized expertise and innovative initiatives

• France is at the forefront in fields such as artificial intelligence applied to oceanography, advanced sensors, and climate modeling.
• Ambitious projects such as the European Digital Twin of the Ocean illustrate France's capacity for innovation in the sector.
• NGOs and intergovernmental organizations such as Mercator Ocean International in Toulouse play a key role in European operational oceanography.

A commitment to international cooperation

• In September 2024, in a joint declaration, France and Canada identified the oceans as a priority for bilateral cooperation in three areas: knowledge and protection of the oceans, and maritime innovation.
• Initiatives such as the French international technical expert based in Halifax demonstrate the desire to strengthen ties between the two countries in this sector.

Financial support

The CIIP may provide financial support to eligible Canadian SMEs for up to 50% of eligible expenses (see application process below) that include, but are not limited to the following:

• economy airfare
• local transportation
• accommodation
• meals
• conference registration fees

To access the complete list of eligible expenses, request the CIIP applicant guide by contacting innovation@international.gc.ca.

How to apply

1. Contact the CIIP team at Global Affairs Canada (innovation@international.gc.ca) to obtain the application form.
2. Completed forms must be received by the CIIP team at Global Affairs Canada (innovation@international.gc.ca) no later than April 13, 2025.
3. Global Affairs Canada, through the Canadian Embassy in France, and NRC-IRAP will select Canadian companies to participate in the delegation. Successful applicants will be notified no later than April 25, 2025.
4. Selected companies will be invited to apply for financial assistance for travel expenses.
5. Companies requesting financial assistance for travel expenses will be informed of the funding decision by May 9, 2025, at the latest.

If you have any questions about the application procedure, please consult the CIIP web page or write to innovation@international.gc.ca.