We present a status report of the R&D project INCA, aimed to create in a selected group of Italian SME the expertise to build high quality Infrared instrumentation for Astronomy. The INCA consortium is currently building a fully functional test NIR-camera (1-5 μm) exploring any sort of innovation in the field of optics (new materials, aspheric surfaces), mechanics/cryogenics (new concept in lens holding, light-weighted structures, cryo-pumps) and electronics (new chip controllers). The camera will be installed for testing at one of the major telescope facility available to the Italian community and its performances in true astronomical applications evaluated.