AIAC is exploring new ways of sharing time-sensitive opportunities with our members and industry stakeholders. Be sure to check out some of the ongoing funding, procurement and collaboration opportunities below!

Funding Available for Select Industry Events

Did you know, through our partnership with the CanExport Program, AIAC members can access funding to attend select international events?

Funding is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis.

 

Aerospace Open Innovation Challenge 2026

Led by Enterprise Singapore (EnterpriseSG) in partnership with major aerospace companies, the Aerospace Open Innovation Challenge (AOIC) 2026 invites startups and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to contribute innovative solutions to real-world aerospace and space industry needs.

Building on previous editions, the 2026 challenge focuses on practical technologies and scalable solutions that can strengthen industry performance and competitiveness.

Areas of interest include:
  • Automation and digital transformation initiatives
  • Advanced Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) and manufacturing technologies that enhance efficiency, safety and speed
  • Emerging and sustainable technologies that support long-term sector resilience
AOIC 2026 offers participating startups and SMEs the opportunity to collaborate directly with industry stakeholders on defined use cases. Selected participants may gain access to technical facilities, industry expertise, pilot opportunities and potential funding support for co-development and implementation.

The initiative is designed to help translate promising innovations into commercially viable applications within the global aerospace and space sectors.

Application deadline: 17 April 2026 at 11:59 PM (SGT / GMT+8)

For full details and eligibility information, please consult the official challenge website.

Procurement and market-access platforms

Government of Canada Opportunities

[OPEN] CanExport SMEs is now accepting applications
The Government of Canada’s CanExport SMEs program offers financial assistance to help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) explore and grow into international markets.
Deadline: May 29, 2026 at 12:00 PM ET
Important: Review what’s changed this year before applying.
[NEW] Trade Corridors and Arctic Infrastructure Funding
The Government of Canada has launched calls for proposals under the $5 billion Trade Diversification Corridors Fund and the $1 billion Arctic Infrastructure Fund.

The Trade Diversification Corridors Fund will support projects that strengthen transportation infrastructure, reduce supply chain congestion and improve access to global markets beyond the United States.

The Arctic Infrastructure Fund will support transportation projects in northern and Arctic regions, including dual-use infrastructure that enhances both defence readiness and community connectivity.
[NEW] Search and Rescue New Initiatives Fund (SAR NIF) – Call for Proposals
The Government of Canada has launched the 2026–2027 call for proposals under the Search and Rescue New Initiatives Fund (SAR NIF), supporting projects that strengthen search and rescue capacity across the country.

Eligible recipients include: Not-for-profit and volunteer organizations, governments (provincial, territorial, regional, municipal or Indigenous), Canadian universities and educational institutions, Indigenous organizations, and for-profit Canadian organizations (where projects do not generate profit).

Deadline: May 15, 2026 (12:00 PM PT)
[NEW] International Co-Innovation and Market Access Opportunities (NRC IRAP International)
NRC IRAP International offers Canadian SMEs access to international collaboration and market expansion opportunities.

Current opportunities include:
Canadian SME applicants must be eligible for funding as NRC IRAP clients.

Procurement and market-access platforms:

NATO Funding, Procurement Opportunities & Market Access Opportunities

[NEW] NATO Edge 2026
Registration is open for NATO Edge 2026, taking place November 17-19, 2026 in İzmir, Türkiye. The event brings together senior NATO leaders, national representatives and industry executives for keynotes, strategic panels, business briefings, breakout sessions and networking across a 200-exhibitor innovation floor.
  • Dates: November 17-19, 2026
  • Early Bird Deadline: June 12, 2026
[NEW] NATO NIAG 2026 Study Program
The 2026 NATO Industry Advisory Group (NIAG) study program has been approved by the Conference of National Armaments Directors (CNAD). These studies provide industry with an opportunity to help inform future NATO capability development across key defence and security domains.

Highlighted studies include:
NIAG Exploratory Group meetings are being held in person at NATO HQ in Brussels. Participation and access requirements vary by study and may include security clearance requirements. For participation details, contact the Canadian NIAG Head of Delegation, Nicolas Todd, at Nicolas@defenceandsecurity.ca.
NATO Notification of Procurement Opportunity (NPO): Provide Deployable Points of Presence to Liaison Elements to Special Operations Forces – WP1 (SOPLE & SOLE)
The NCIA is seeking an industry partner for the design, procurement of hardware and software, licences, assembly, integration and configuration of the system, installation, testing and verification to final system acceptance, ILS support and warranty.
  • Anticipated Bid Closing Date: May 22, 2026
  • Eligibility: Companies headquartered in a NATO member nation
NATO Notification of Procurement Opportunity (NPO): Provide Deployable Points of Presence to Liaison Elements to Special Operations Forces – WP2 (SOLO)
NCIA is seeking industry solutions to deliver highly transportable Deployable Points of Presence (DPoP) to support Special Operations Liaison Officers, including end-to-end system design, delivery, integration, testing and lifecycle support.
  • Anticipated Bid Closing Date: May 22, 2026
  • Eligibility: Companies headquartered in a NATO member nation
NATO Notification of Procurement Opportunity (NPO): Data Centre Modules – IDIQ Framework
NCIA is seeking industry solutions for containerized, transportable and modular data centre capabilities to support NATO computing needs, including high-density and artificial intelligence workloads.
  • Estimated Ceiling Value: EUR 200,000,000
  • Anticipated Solicitation Release Date: Q1 2026
NATO Notification of Procurement Opportunity (NPO): Initial Solutions for Enablement Support Services (ESS) Logistics Suite
NCIA is seeking industry solutions to deliver an integrated logistics, engineering and medical sustainment support capability to strengthen NATO operations and missions.
  • Anticipated Solicitation Closing Date: May 13, 2026
  • Anticipated Contract Award Date: June 26, 2026
NATO Notification of Procurement Opportunity (NPO): Ukraine-NATO Innovation, Technology & Engineering (UNITE BRAVE NATO) Programme – Innovation Contracts
NCIA is seeking to award a number of innovation contracts to NATO companies to strengthen integration with the Ukraine BRAVE1 intergovernmental defence innovation platform.
  • Anticipated Solicitation Closing Date: April 30, 2026
  • Anticipated Contract Award Date: May 29, 2026

Procurement and market-access platforms:

U.S. Defence Opportunities

 Request for Information (RFI): C-sUAS and Related Technologies
A U.S. government Request for Information is seeking input on advanced counter-small unmanned aircraft systems (C-sUAS) and related technologies to help maintain tactical superiority against evolving aerial threats.
  • Posted: March 17, 2026
  • Focus: Advanced C-sUAS, sensing and related defence technologies
This may be of interest to companies with capabilities in counter-UAS, autonomy, sensing, defence electronics and related systems.
 Request for Information (RFI): C-sUAS Kinetic Hard-Kill Technologies
A U.S. government Request for Information is seeking industry input on kinetic hard-kill solutions to support a more proactive posture for installation defence against airborne threats.
  • Posted: March 17, 2026
  • Focus: Kinetic hard-kill counter-UAS technologies
This may be relevant to companies developing interceptor, effectors, integrated air defence and related protection capabilities.
[NEW] DARPA Funding Opportunities – Advanced Defence and Aerospace Technologies
The U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has launched a series of funding opportunities supporting high-risk, high-reward research across advanced aerospace, defence and emerging technology domains.

Highlighted opportunities include:
  • Heavy Vertical Lift Aviation: Novel drone designs capable of carrying payloads more than four times their weight. Deadline: May 1, 2026
  • Carbon Composite Aeroshells: Advanced manufacturing technologies for hypersonic flight systems. Deadline: April 10, 2026
  • Digital Twins for Defense: AI-enabled simulation environments to accelerate testing and evaluation of complex systems. Abstract Deadline: April 15, 2026
  • Quantum Computing: Approaches to achieve utility-scale quantum computing capability. Deadline: November 14, 2026
DARPA programs are typically open to international participation, including Canadian organizations, subject to program-specific eligibility requirements.