DESAFIA Canada is an immersion programme for Spanish start-ups and scale-ups offering software or hardware solutions based on artificial intelligence, with high technological value, currently in the commercialisation phase and with international experience. It is a call for applications organised by ICEX Spain Export and Investment, Red.es and the Spanish Economic and Commercial Office in Ottawa.

Aimed at developing business opportunities, market knowledge and strategic networking, it seeks to facilitate the integration of Spanish companies into Canada’s technology ecosystem, with a focus on the cities of Montreal and Toronto.

Deep-tech technologies, including artificial intelligence, are redefining the global business landscape. These advanced solutions not only optimise processes but also enable more agile and accurate decision-making, improve the personalisation of products and services, and boost overall competitiveness.

Canada has established itself as a global leader in artificial intelligence (AI), and within its technology ecosystem, Montreal and Toronto stand out as key hubs for innovation and development in this sector. These two cities offer an environment brimming with opportunities for start-ups seeking to expand internationally, thanks to their infrastructure, talent and access to funding.

The ‘DESAFIA Canada 2026’ Immersion Programme will take place between 25 May and 5 June 2026. The registration period runs from 3 February to 9 March 2026.

This immersion programme aims to achieve several objectives:

• To introduce entrepreneurs to the Canadian ecosystem so they can acquire the experience and knowledge needed to scale their business model with a greater chance of success, and to facilitate the entry of selected start-ups into the Canadian and North American markets.
• To broaden their knowledge of the artificial intelligence sector in Canada and establish contacts with key players in the ecosystem (start-ups, corporations, investors, accelerators, research centres, etc.), in order to gain the experience and strategic network of contacts needed to tackle the North American market and scale up their business.
• To learn about the opportunities offered by Canada as a hub for deep-tech, particularly artificial intelligence, and as a gateway to the North American market.
• To identify the main barriers and challenges faced by Spanish technology companies in accessing and growing within that market, such as building a solid network of contacts, financing models, understanding how the applied AI research system works in Canada, etc.

The Desafía Canadá programme is funded under the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF), as part of the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan (PRTR), specifically under Component 13 “Support for SMEs”, Investment 5 “Action Plan for Internationalisation”, which contributes to the achievement of Objective 213 of the CID (Country Implementing Decision). Furthermore, Component 32, “Support for Recovery and Resilience in Response to Natural Disasters”, in its Investment 5, focuses on programmes to support the internationalisation of businesses in the territories affected by the DANA and to address the tariff crisis.​