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Home » Research » Funding Opportunities » NSERC Idea to Innovation Grants

NSERC Idea to Innovation Grants

Details
Opportunity NameIdea to Innovation (I2I) Grants Program
AgencyNatural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC)
ValueMarket assessment — Up to $15,000
Phase I — Up to $125,000
Phase IIa Up to $125,000
Phase IIb — Up to $350,000 years
Indirect CostsIneligible
DurationMarket assessment — Up to 1 year
Phase I — Up to 1 year
Phase IIa — 6 to 18 months
Phase IIb — Up to 2 years
Deadlines
Application due to FSc RO at sciapps@yorku.ca for full review10 business days prior to agency submission
Application and fully signed ORS checklist due to FSc RO at sciapps@yorku.ca for mandatory review5 business days prior to agency submission
Final application and fully signed ORS checklist due at ORS for mandatory reviewSame day as agency submission, by 10:00AM
Application due at agency April 2, 2024,
June 25, 2024,
& September 16, 2024 
Objective
  • To accelerate the pre-competitive development of promising technology originating from the university and college sector and to promote its transfer to a new or established Canadian company. 
  • To provide funding to college and university faculty members to support research and development projects with recognized technology transfer potential. 

Eligible research and development activities include (but are not limited to): 

  • refining and implementing designs 
  • verifying application 
  • conducting field studies 
  • preparing demonstrations 
  • building prototypes 
  • performing beta trials. 

Eligible technology transfer activities include: 

  • consulting fees to develop the strategy to protect the technology’s commercial value 
  • market investigation 
  • consulting fees for business plan, market survey, etc. 
  • business mentoring by experienced entrepreneurs 
  • sharing of patenting expenses 
  • expenses associated with creating a partnership (such as travel, etc.) 

Eligibility

See eligibility requirements here.


How to Apply

Proposals under this program must include a detailed technology transfer and commercialization plan prepared and endorsed by the university. Please contact Suraj Shah, Associate Director, Commercialization & Industry Partnerships at shahss@yorku.ca prior to preparing your application. 

York University researchers are reminded that all applications for external research funding, including Letters of Intent, must be reviewed and approved by the Office of Research Services before they are submitted to the granting agency.  For internal approval, the application must be accompanied by a completed ORS Checklist, which requires the Dean’s signature.  Please send the complete application, with the finalized budget and a completed ORS checklist to sciapps@yorku.ca, five days prior to agency deadline.

ORS is accepting electronic applications – the process is outlined here.


For specific questions, please contact FSc Research Services at sciapps@yorku.ca