The Chwang Seto Innovation Fellowships Program

The Chwang Seto 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 fellow to gain further knowledge and experience in business and technology commercialization. Up to $60,000 is awarded as a grant to the Principal Investigator in order to fund the eligible McGill Faculty of Engineering PhD student or postdoctoral researcher to carry out the project full-time within 1 year maximum. This current program is made possible thanks to the Chwang-Seto families, in honour of the late Ronald Chwang (B.Eng.'72, D. Sc.'12), a pioneering entrepreneur and venture capitalist who served on the Faculty of Engineering Advancement Board. Previous donors included Pasquale DiPierro and Cesar Cesaratto.

Since 2017, we have awarded $350,000 in Innovation Fellowship grants to 7 projects involving 15 professors and post-docs (13% female participants) who have also received personalized mentorship in addition to funding to help advance their research towards commercialization.

Program Objectives

  1. Advance the technology from a minimum of TRL4 to TRL6 or higher in conjunction with targeted market needs/opportunities. 
  2. Significantly increase the likelihood of creating a McGill spinoff company or licensing the technology to an existing company.
  3. Provide an opportunity for the inventors to focus on the development of their invention while acquiring business and technology commercialization skills as part of the innovation process.

Key Benefits

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Project grant to further advance technology commercialization

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Personalized mentorship and training from our Ronald-Chwang Entrepreneurs-in-Residence

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Development of innovation and entrepreneurship skills 

 


Innovation Fellowship Key Dates

DESCRIPTION DATE
Call for applications opens - Apply today! December 2, 2024 
Deadline to submit an application February 16, 2025, 11:59PM ET

Finalists selected

February 25, 2025

Finalist presents (in person) to the Selection Committee. File chwang_seto_innovation_fellowship_spring_2025_presentation_guidelines.docx
Each application is evaluated by a Selection Committee comprised of external and internal reviewers.

February 25, 2025 to March 5, 2025

Awards announced

March 21, 2025
Project begins May 1, 2025

Project ends

May 1, 2026

Application Details

Eligibility/Requirements

  • Application: Late or incomplete applications will not be reviewed. You can send your draft application for review prior to the deadline to the Engine's associate director, katya.marc [at] mcgill.ca (subject: Draft%20Innovation%20Fellowship%20Application%20Review) or to one of the Ronald Chwang Entrepreneurs-in-Residence.

  • Lead Applicant:

    • Current postdoc at McGill Faculty of Engineering or a PhD student who has successfully defended their thesis at McGill Faculty of Engineering by the time of the award.

    • Co-inventor or has worked on the invention, along with a full-time professor at McGill Faculty of Engineering, on an active report of invention backed by the McGill’s Innovation and Partnerships office, I+P. The professor cannot hold an Engine gap funding grant (TechAccelR, WRSA) for the same invention at the same time as this project grant.

  • Invention: 

  • Project Timeline: Projects can last up to 12 months maximum, projects can be completed earlier.

  • Project Expenses: At least 80% of the grant must go towards the salary for the eligible postdoc or PhD student to work full-time on the project.
    A maximum of 20% can be spent on product and process development costs towards achieving technical milestones (e.g., materials, equipment).

    • Eligible Expenses:
      • stipend/salary for the eligible PhD student or post doc
      • product and process development costs (e.g., materials, equipment, personnel)
    • Non-Eligible Expenses:
      • publication costs
      • patent fees
      • incorporation fees
      • travel costs 

Evaluation Criteria

  • Applications will be evaluated based on:

Evaluation Section Percentage Allocated Description
Problem Statement 20% What is the problem being solved? Does the proposed solution fill an unmet need? Are your target customers clearly outlined? Have you validated the problem with your target customers? 
Proposed Solution/Approach  25% Is this a novel, not obvious, and potentially disruptive technology? Has the competitive landscape been identified? Any customer/end user validation?
Technology Development and Commercialization Plan  25%

What is your project? Is there proof of concept already? What is the IP strength and stage of development both of technology and market validation? Is there a strong potential impact or market need? 

What is the assessment of the patentability, third party rights, marketability, and commercial potential of the invention/technology? Have the business challenges been acknowledged?  

Will this Award greatly help move the technology towards commercialization, e.g. will it attract and accelerate follow-on funding from other sources, significant/relevant technical milestones will be achieved (e.g. go/no-go proof, improved scope and value of the IP, prototype for MVP).  

Project Budget by Milestones and Funding  20% Does the proposal clearly identify the key technology development milestones and deliverables? Are the planned expenditures appropriate and justified? 
Team and Collaborators  5% Who are the current team members? Has the additional talent needed throughout the project been clearly identified?  
Presentation and Q&A 5% In-person presentation by lead applicant to the Selection Committee with Q&A.  Communication clear? Enthusiasm and desire for innovation? File chwang_seto_innovation_fellowship_spring_2025_presentation_guidelines.docx

How to Apply

Application deadline is February 16, 2025 at 11:59 PM ET - Apply today!

Selected applicants will need to complete an in-person 10-15 minute presentation to the Selection Committee

Terms of the Award

  • Timeline: The Chwang-Seto Innovation Fellow has up to 12 months to work full-time on completing their project milestones and deliverables. Unused funds will need to be returned.

  • Award: The award will be dispersed into a new account under the PI.

  • Reporting: Mid-term report, final report and presentation are due to the Engine's associate director and the team's assigned mentor showing the project’s current status, status of IP, commercialization and development plan progress/next steps, and the use of funds. In addition, self-assessment questionnaires and program evaluation feedback will be required. 

  • Participation: Participate in surveys and requests for feedback in connection with the procedures and services provided by the McGill Engine, with the aim of collaborating in the continuous development of its global offer, research commercialization support, and student experience. 

  • Mentorship & Training: Meet with assigned business mentor on a regular basis throughout the program (minimum once per month). Attend Engine's entrepreneurial skills development workshops or other entrepreneurial training as suggested by mentor.

  • Outreach Activities: Willingness to assist the McGill Engine in outreach activities pertaining to technological innovation and entrepreneurship.

  • Promotion: Acknowledgement and promotion of the program and the McGill Engine in publications and communications arising from the project through your own networks and events.

  • Consent: Consent to the publication of your picture, name, as well as pictures and names of co-applicants, the title of the project, and amount of funding.

  • Giving back: The McGill Engine does not take equity in McGill spin-off companies. There is an expectation, but no requirement, that participating researchers will make a non-binding charitable pledge to McGill Engine aimed at sustaining the activities of the McGill Engine Centre and helping the next generation of technological innovators and entrepreneurs that the Centre supports. Funding is not conditional on a researcher signing a pledge.

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