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NEW - Baylis Health Care Grant

The Baylis Health Care Grant Program has been made possible thanks to the generosity of the Gloria Baylis Foundation. These grants support the commercialization of early-stage health care related inventions from McGill University Faculty of Engineering and/or formally affiliated, tenure-track professors as lead applicants. Example health care related inventions include medical devices, digital health, and therapeutics. This program enables the interdisciplinary research team to further validate their technology with real-world needs. Personalized business mentorship by our Ronald Chwang Entrepreneurs-in-Residence is included. Eligible expenses towards meeting the proposed technical milestones include salaries and benefits of personnel, student stipends, materials and supplies, testing fees, and small equipment. 

Program Objectives

  1. Validate early stage health care related technologies
  2. Advance the invention's Technology Readiness Level from TRL 3 (minimum) to higher
  3. Accelerate the technology’s commercialization and development plan - achieve problem-solution fit faster
  4. Further develop the research to strengthen eligibility for additional funding
  5. Research team works closely with the assigned business mentor, gaining from their experience, knowledge, and industry connections

For up to 6 months projects, up to $15K is available per eligible project.

For up to 12 months projects, up to $25K is available per eligible project.

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. 

Application Form

Eligibility/Requirements

  • Application: You can send your draft application for review prior to final submission to the Engine's associate director, katya.marc [at] mcgill.ca (subject: WRSAs%20Application%20Review) or to one of the Ronald Chwang Entrepreneurs-in-Residence.

    An application to be considered complete, it must include:

    • Submitted online application form, including the confirmation of the proposal review by the TTM;
    • Completed proposal;
    • Completed budget form

  • Lead Applicant: Tenure-track professors from McGill's Faculty of Engineering and/or those that hold a tenure-track appointment in a department or school formally affiliated with McGill's Faculty of Engineering. Team collaborators can be students and/or professors.

  • Invention: A report of Invention (ROI) that is health care related, must have been filed by the lead applicant with the Innovation and Partnerships Office at McGill (I+P). Your Technology Transfer Manager’s assessment and commercialization plan will need to be included in this grant application. If a invention has already received funding from the William and Rhea Seath Awards in Engineering Innovation (WRSA) or the Chwang Seto Innovation Fellowships programs, then it is not eligible for funding under the Baylis Health Care Grant program. 

  • Project Timeline: Projects can last up to 12 months maximum.

  • Project Expenses: Applicants must use the funds to advance the technology in accordance with their project technical milestones. The McGill Engine team can make recommendations for changes to the budget and uses of funds that are required for the acceptance and funding of the project. Once the grant is awarded, if your milestones and project expenses change significantly from what was in your project proposal (e.g. greater than 10% on any allowed budget item), you must discuss with your mentor and provide the revised milestone(s) and budget to Engine's Associate Director for approval.

    Eligible Expenses: Product and process development costs towards achieving technical milestones, e.g., personnel (stipends, salaries & benefits), materials and supplies, testing fees, small equipment.

    Non-Eligible Expenses: Costs related to non-technical milestones, e.g., publication costs, patent fees, incorporation fees, travel costs.

Evaluation

  • Applications will be judged and ranked according to the following criteria.

    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 stage of development both of technology and market validation? Is there a strong potential impact or market need? What is the size of the total addressable market? What are the characteristics of the target market (example: demographics, size, growth rate)?

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

    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

    		 10% Who are the current team members? Has any additional talent needed throughout the project been identified?

How to Apply

Terms of the Award

  • Timeline: Teams have up to 12 months maximum to complete 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 and entitled Baylis Health Grant. Once the grant is awarded, if your milestones and project expenses change significantly from what was in your project proposal (e.g. greater than 10% on any allowed budget item), you must discuss with your mentor and provide the revised milestone(s) and budget to Engine's Associate Director for approval.

  • Reporting: Mid-term and final reports 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.

  • 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 award 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 collaborators and team members, 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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