Idea to Innovation Grant

The objective of the Idea to Innovation (I2I) grant is to accelerate the pre-competitive development of promising technology and promote its transfer to Canadian companies. I2I provides assistance to college and university faculty members in the early stages of technology validation and market connection.

I2I includes a suite of grant types. The following table provides a quick summary of I2I Phase II (Technology Enhancement) grants, the phase requiring partners.

Summary

Who manages funds?	University or college and lead professor or faculty member
Use of funds	Technology development (proof-of-concept), technology enhancement, refining and implementing designs, verifying application, conducting field studies, preparing demonstrations, building engineering prototypes, and performing beta trials.
Duration of award	Phase IIa, 6-18 months; Phase IIb, maximum of 2 years
Are multiple professors involved?	If appropriate, but not required.
Typical application success rate	Approximately 50%
Typical grant range	Up to $125,000 for phase IIa and up to $350,000 over two years for phase IIb
Type of partners required	Investors (including early-stage investment entities) and Canadian-based companies
Minimum company contribution	Phase IIa, 1/3 of project costs in cash; phase IIb, 1/2 of project costs in cash and in kind
Is the contribution eligible for the Scientific Research and Experimental Development tax incentive?	Yes. Consult your local  Canada Revenue Agency office for specific eligibility rules and amounts.
Application deadline	Four times per year, see I2I description.
Evaluation method	All proposals are peer-reviewed by external reviewers and the I2I Selection Committee.
When does the I2I Committee meet?	April, June, September, and December
Evaluation time	10 to 12 weeks from the application deadline
Is NSERC willing to review drafts?	Yes

For more detailed information, please refer to the Idea to Innovation Grant description.