Gap Funding Programs
Transforming new ideas and research outputs into disruptive solutions in the market and society is a challenging task. Thanks to generous alumni donors, the McGill Engine is able to offer Gap Funding Programs that enable the advancement of technologies from the labs to the marketplace and entrepreneurial skills development through project funding and personalized business mentorship and training.
TechAccelR, William and Rhea Seath Awards in Engineering Innovation (WRSA), and the Innovation Fellowship grants are directed toward increasing the technology transfer potential (licensing to an existing company or to a McGill spinoff) and thus commercial viability of an invention/technology that has been disclosed to McGill's Office of Innovation + Partnerships, and has been assessed by your Technology Transfer Manager, preferably at least 2 weeks in advance of proposal submission deadlines. Personalized business mentorship by our Ronald Chwang Entrepreneurs-in-Residence is included in all of these programs.
Impact since 2013
Program Comparison (A research team cannot be simultaneously in more than one program for the same invention/technology.)
Comparison | TechAccelR |
William and Rhea Seath Awards in |
|
---|---|---|---|
Upcoming Application Deadlines | September 29, 2024 | January 12, 2025 | November 3, 2024 |
Award Length | 6 months | 12 months | 12 months |
Funding | Up to $15,000 |
Up to $25,000 |
Up to $50,000 |
Project Start Date |
November 1, 2024 |
March 1, 2025 | January 6, 2025 |
Business Mentorship | Matched with a Ronald Chwang EiR | Matched with a Ronald Chwang EiR | Matched with a Ronald Chwang EiR |
Description | Supporting McGill University Faculty of Engineering tenure-track professors by enabling them to accelerate their technology that is reported as an invention but needs further validation prior to commercialization. |
Supporting McGill University Faculty of Engineering tenure-track professors and their graduate students by enabling them to accelerate their technology that is reported as an invention but needs further validation prior to commercialization. |
Supporting the development of a technology in order to bring it closer to the marketplace and allow the Chwang-Seto Innovation Fellow to gain further knowledge and experience in business and technology commercialization through entrepreneurial training and mentorship. |
Technology Transfer Requirements |
The technology must be reported as an invention to McGill's Office of Innovation and Partnerships. Included in the application:
|
The technology must be reported as an invention to McGill's Office of Innovation and Partnerships. Included in the application:
|
The technology must be reported as an invention to McGill's Office of Innovation and Partnerships. Included in the application:
|
Awards Granted | Up to 5 per round, 2 rounds per year. | Up to 2 annually. | Up to 1 annually. |
TechAccelR Grants
The TechAccelR Grants are intended to help professors in the Faculty of Engineering accelerate their research-based ideas that are reported as inventions but need further validation prior to commercialization.
William and Rhea Seath Awards in Engineering Innovation
These Awards recognize outstanding graduate students and professors, who have innovative technological ideas or research results with potential for commercialization.
Innovation Fellowships
The McGill Engine Innovation Fellowships Program supports the recipient and the team on the development of a technology in order to bring it closer to the marketplace and allow the Chwang-Seto Innovation Fellow to gain further knowledge and experience in business and technology commercialization.
Invention to Impact Program
I-to-I provides tools and training to support researchers to translate their fundamental research to the marketplace and have their solutions benefit society. The program imparts an evidence-based methodology that students and professors can use for the rest of their careers, and it also enables the transformation of inventions to impact.