Canadian inventions and discoveries are objects, processes or techniques invented, innovated or discovered, which owe their existence either partially or entirely to a person born in Canada, a citizen of Canada or a company or organization based in Canada. Some of these inventions were funded by the National Research Council of Canada (NRCC), which has been an important factor in innovation and technological advancement. Often, things discovered for the first time are also called inventions and in many cases, there is no clear line between the two.