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NSERC Idea to Innovation Program
The objective of the Idea to Innovation (I2I) program is to accelerate the pre-competitive development of promising technology and promote its transfer to Canadian companies.
The program supports research and development projects, including patent costs, with recognized technology transfer potential by providing crucial assistance to university researchers in the early stages of technology validation and market connection. You must have a novel technology that needs to be validated for commercial purposes.
Award Value: The program allows a $ 125 000 maximum grant. Up to 10 % of the grant may be used to co-support some of the activities undertaken by Western Research, including patenting.
Graduate students can be occasionally supported as well but it is not the focus of the program. If capital equipment expenses are required, they should be justified. Industrial support (support letters) or having identified at least a potential licensee will be a plus for the obtention of such grants.
I2I Phase 2
This program also has a phase 2 which will fund projects that have reached the stage of having an industrial partner or that are the object of a start-up creation.
In such cases the financial participation must be significant and reach at least 50 % of the NSERC funding, up to $350,000, whether direct or in-kind (capped at 40%) over a two year period.
Typically a Phase 2 project will help with the transfer results to a partner that has been identified and is committed to the project, a Phase 2 can be directly applied for. Western Research will help you assess your eligibility, whether this is the most appropriate approach for your technology and build up your business case, together with your partners.
Contact Us
If you have any questions about the NSERC I2I program, contact Sarah Brooks, Associate Director, New Ventures.
Applying to the Idea to Innovation Program
Researchers interested in applying to NSERC-I2I are advised to involve Western's technology transfer office at the outset of the process to ensure the project is eligible and that the best possible application is put forward.
They will need time to do the patent prior art search, write up the commercial potential section, present the commercialization strategy and finally review the overall application as to content.
Additionally, Western Research will require the standard 3 business days to review these applications and must receive a completed and approved application including a completed ROLA Proposal at that time bearing Chair and Dean's signatures (see signature policy).
Western's technology transfer office will assist you only if it deems that the application has a chance of success. The Executive Director of the technology transfer office must also sign off on behalf of the institution, along with Western Research.