• Get ready: A two-day preparation workshop to build knowledge and understanding of the market and opportunities, including cultural aspects, how to do business, protecting Intellectual Property, and support to better articulate your value proposition.
• Visit the market: Explore the innovation opportunities first-hand through pre-arranged matchmaking events, meetings with key contacts, research organisations and potential collaborators and partners.
• Exploit the opportunity: An exploitation workshop and one-to-one bespoke support from an innovation and growth specialist to help you follow-up and maximise the opportunities identified through the programme.

To apply for this GBIP, you must be:

• A UK-based innovation-led company with ambitions to grow and scale globally
• A company with fewer than 250 employees
• The CEO, founder, or senior decision maker in the business
• Able to attend all workshops and complete all activities

Businesses that have been on a previous GBIP (in the same market and/or technology area) will need to demonstrate they have exploited the previous opportunity to be considered and how this programme will add significant additional benefit. Preference may be given to businesses that have not participated previously.

Unless there are exceptional circumstances, a business can only take part in two GBIPs in any rolling 12-month period (measured by the date of the Get ready workshop).

Innovate UK is committed to improving the diversity of who we support. We welcome applications from under-represented groups.

We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds and are committed to making our application process accessible to everyone. This includes making reasonable adjustments for people who have a disability or a long-term condition and face barriers applying to us.

You can contact us at any time to ask for guidance.

We recommend you contact us at least 15 working days before this GBIP’s closing date to allow us to put the most suitable support in place. The support we can provide may be limited if you contact us close to the application deadline.

Québec, Canada is rich in a wide array of critical and strategic minerals (CSMs), including, but not limited to: Lithium, graphite, nickel, cobalt, copper, niobium, zinc, titanium, scandium, and rare earth elements (REEs).

These minerals are essential for clean energy technologies, electric vehicles (EVs), electronics, aerospace, and medical devices.

Québec Governments Plan for the Development of Critical and Strategic Minerals (QPDCSM) 2020–2025 aims to make Quebec a leader in production, processing, and recycling of CSMs. It has a particular focus on circular economy & sustainability, including a strong emphasis on recycling and upcycling minerals and sustainable mineral processing.

• Introductory briefing
• Visits to research and technology organisations
• Participation in Quebec Mines & Energie 2025 as part of a UK delegation
• Company visits and meetings with key contacts
• Focused B2B events and tailored 1-2-1 meetings
• High quality networking opportunities

Applications will be considered from SMEs working on critical minerals and materials across the value chain.

Rare earth value chains:

• UK focused rare earth mining and beneficiation processing
• Rare earth midstream processing from oxide to alloy
• Rare earth permanent magnet manufacturing
• Secondary rare earth feedstock production including, long, medium and short-loop magnet recycling and remining

Remining:

• Recovery of critical minerals and material feedstocks from waste sources such as; mine waste (e.g overburden and tailings) and industrial waste (e.g. iron slag, coal flyash, byproduct, wastewater)

• Build market knowledge and intelligence
• Seed new business partnerships, develop RD&I collaborations, and identify partners for bilateral funding calls
• Introductions to senior figures and influential contacts
• Raise your profile and stimulate new business opportunities and ideas
• Improve your value proposition, hone your skills, and grow in confidence to tackle global markets
• Connect with peers, expand your network, and learn from like-minded, ambitious businesses

• Applicant briefing event – Friday 19th September 2025. Register now.
• Application deadline – Tuesday 7th October 2025
• Application outcome – Monday 13th October 2025
• Get ready workshop – Tuesday 4th & Wednesday 5th November 2025
• Market Visit – Sunday 16th until Friday 21st November 2025 (including travel)
• Exploit the opportunity workshop – Tuesday 17th February 2026

Innovate UK will fund and organise flights, accommodation, inmarket travel, and conference fees for successful applicants.

Innovate UK will also pay for any reasonable adjustments throughout the initiative. Only one representative from each company will be funded and the same person is required to participate in all parts of the programme.

On acceptance to the programme a commitment fee of £1000 will be obtained from each delegate, which will be refunded on completion of the full activities and agreed work plan.

Non-completion after formal acceptance may result in forfeiting some or all of the commitment fee.