Funding resources
The TLO has in-house expertise that can assist in securing funding for prototyping projects to reduce commercialization risk, and for enhancing value to potential licensees or spinoff company investors.
Translational Funding Opportunities
NSERC Idea to Innovation (i2I)
This program aims to accelerate development of promising technologies and offers funding at different stages of technological maturation. There are four distinct funding options, characterized by the maturity of the technology or the involvement of an early stage investment entity or industrial partner: market assessment (to understand market potential); reduction-to-practice stage (Phase I); technology enhancement (Phase II: a. early stage investment partner, b. partnership with a Canadian company).
Eligibility
- Refining and implementing designs
- Verifying application
- Conducting field studies
- Preparing demonstrations
- Building prototypes
- Performing beta trials
TLO involvement
Discoveries must be disclosed by the investigators according to institution policy, and the IP must be managed by the SFU TLO. The TLO must work on each new proposal (Section 2 - Technology Transfer Plan).
Duration/amount
- Market assessment: up to one year/up to $15,000 (TLO matching contribution required, up to $5,000)
- Lab2Market: up to 12 months/up to $20,000 (new pilot program)
- Phase I: up to one year/up to $125,000
- Phase Ib supplement: up to six months/up to $60,000
- Phase IIa: from six to 18 months/up to $125,000 (matching funds required, up to $62,500)
- Phase IIb: up to two years/up to $350,000 (matching funds required, 50% of direct costs through in-kind and at least 40% cash)
Deadlines
Quarterly (January, April, June, September)
CIHR Commercialization projects
Commercialization projects can be considered for funding as part of the Commercialization peer review committee of the Project Grant Competition, and they are designed to advance discoveries/inventions towards commercializable technologies, with a view to attract new investment, create new science-based businesses, organizations and initiatives, and ultimately improve health outcomes for Canadians.
Eligibility
- Open to applicants in all areas of health research
- Projects for which a product/process/service to be commercialized has been identified
- Research to determine the potential for commercial viability or other opportunities for use of IP, to enhance or strengthen the value of IP (or IP portfolio) and improve the business prospects or potential for downstream investment in the technology
- Promote academic health research and technology transfer activities that support and accelerate commercialization of the technology
- Applications focused solely on prototype construction will not be considered
IP Conditions
The IP may (or may not) have acquired interest from partners willing to invest in the new technology. An existing licence or option to license the technology does not disqualify the project from eligibility.
Reasonable expenses related to knowledge translation, networking, commercialization (including patent costs specific to the IP) and community-based research are eligible. The applicants must justify these and all other expenses in the context of their research proposals and the appropriateness of such requests is subject to peer review.
Duration/Amount
There is no specific investment allocated to commercialization projects; they fall within the broader Project funding envelope.
Deadlines
Biannual (February/March and August/September)
GenomeBC Pilot Innovation Fund (PIF)
This pilot program aims to fund a diverse set of innovation projects with a credible probability of success. The goal of the Pilot Innovation Fund is to advance innovations enabled by omics along the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) pathway. This pilot is focused on advancing research from the proof-of-concept research level (TRL 3) to the innovation phase (TRL 4-6), and/or from the innovation phase into the business development phase (TRL 7-9).
Eligibility
- Involve innovation in the area of omics or use omics as a means to innovate
- Proof-of-concept through to prototype development or/and
- From prototype development through to business development and commercialization
Process
- Expression of Interest (EOI) to outline the project and indicate how it fits the scope of the pilot
- Pitch to clarify the project
- Proposal to describe the project in more detail and provide a final research plan and budget
TLO Involvement
The involvement of the TLO in completing the application is not a requirement.
- Projects awarded through this pilot will have access to additional funding to support IP activities to advance their innovation. The scope of this support and eligible activities will be determined on a case-by-case basis with the awarded projects during the project term.
- One of the most unique components of the PIF is that each project team is assigned an industry mentor to support the team through hurdles to commercialization. These individuals bring experience and passion to their role and will add huge value to the teams through their journey.
Duration/Amount
- Up to 12 months/up to $250,000
- No co-funding is required
Deadlines
Annual (September)
Innovate BC Ignite BC
The Ignite program has been specifically designed to provide funding to advance research and commercialization activities for industry and academic collaborative projects, that are driven by industry needs and will have significant benefits to British Columbia. The program is strongly focused on commercialization outcomes. Funds from Ignite support the advancement of technologies that have a clearly articulated solution to an existing industry problem, are beyond proof of concept but pre-commercial, and demonstrate the capacity to move the proposed innovation to market within three years.
Eligibility
- Involve the areas of natural resources or applied sciences
- Projects must be a B.C.-based partnership made up of at least one academic partner (university researcher) and at least one industry partner (company or organization)
- Projects must plan to go to market within a three-year timeframe
- The innovation is at a TRL three to four or higher
TLO Involvement
The involvement of the TLO in completing the application is not a requirement.
Activities related to technology transfer and commercialization (e.g. sharing of patenting and licensing fees with university, consulting fees for IP strategy, etc.) are eligible costs.
Duration/Amount
- Up to 3 years/up to $300,000
- Matching funding required: projects must secure matching funds from industry or government sources at a ratio of 2:1 matching dollars to Ignite dollars
- Up to 10% of the Ignite funding can be used for indirect administrative costs (e.g., university overhead)
Deadlines
Annual (June)
SFU's Volker IP Fund
SFU's Volker IP Fund provides scientist entrepreneurs with funding to commercialize their science-based innovations, empowering our community to develop new products, processes and services that benefit our society and the economy by funding the legal costs of pursuing patents or intellectual property protection.
Eligibility
- Funding the legal costs of pursuing patents or intellectual property protection
- One member of applicant team must be SFU Member or recent Alumni
TLO Involvement
The involvement of the TLO in completing the application is not a requirement. The IP does not have to be managed by TLO.
Duration/Amount
- Up to $25,000 in repayable awards to reimburse legal IP costs
- A financial report for the IP and/or related venture to the Volker IP Fund Committee by December 1 for every calendar year until the convertible debenture has been repaid
Deadlines
Quarterly (January, April, June, September)
Health Research BC Innovation to Commercialization (I2C)
NOTE: Program currently closed for re-evaluation
The program supports researchers to advance their discoveries or inventions towards practical application, resulting in products or technologies that improve health outcomes and enrich BC’s health innovation ecosystem
Eligibility
- The health-related innovation is at a TRL 3 to 6 for entry into Phase I
TLO Involvement
- IP Assessment Form to be completed by TLO or equivalent
- The IP does not have to be managed by TLO
Duration/Amount
- Phase I: up to two years/up to $150,000 per year
- Phase II: up to two years/up to $75,000 per year (matching funds required, 1:1 up to a maximum amount of $75,000/annum for two years)
- Successful I2C applicants have expedited access to Mitacs Accelerate funding
Deadlines
Annual (January)