Funding opportunity
| Who? | Universities, colleges, hospitals and other eligible research centres conducting research in natural sciences, engineering, social sciences, humanities or health |
|---|---|
| How much? | Up to $10 million per year |
| How long? | Up to 5 years, renewable |
| Application deadline | September 9, 2024 |
| Letter of intent deadline | February 12, 2024 |
Description Activities supported Equity, diversity and inclusion Collaborating organizations Funding Apply Review Award Post-award Resources Contact Results
Lab to Market grants support post-secondary institutions and their affiliates, including research hospitals and other eligible research centres, colleges, and college centres for the transfer of technologies (CCTT) in creating and sustaining networks dedicated to developing and delivering entrepreneurial skills training. For Lab to Market grants, these training networks must include at least two post-secondary institutions, although more extensive networks, with a broad range of member institutions, are highly encouraged. These grants support collaboration between post-secondary institutions and various organizations from the private, public and not-for-profit sectors. This institutional collaboration will contribute vital resources and services to the Canadian academic entrepreneurial landscape.
Lab to Market grants are designed to equip researchers and highly qualified personnel (HQP) with essential tools, resources and knowledge to transform their academic research into innovations ready for a variety of organizations from all sectors, including private, public, not-for-profit, and health services sectors. These grants aim to nurture commercialization and social innovation capabilities within the academic community, foster entrepreneurial skills in the early stages of the commercialization and knowledge mobilization processes, and make training and services widely available beyond immediate networks to a diverse range of researchers and HQP within the Canadian post-secondary landscape. Lab to Market grant proposals must include collaborative plans with organizations that contribute to developing and implementing entrepreneurial skills training programs. The grants are intended to provide stable, long-term funding and to be open to all disciplines in the natural sciences, engineering, social sciences, humanities and health fields.
The Lab to Market grants will achieve national coverage through networks with broad geographic reach and diverse viewpoints. This includes offering services and activities in both official languages relevant to participants across Canada. National coverage may also be achieved through a regional distribution of networks across the country.
Lab to Market grants stem from the Government of Canada’s commitment in Budget 2022 to launch a new national program to help students and researchers take their work to market. For its inaugural competition cycle, the Lab to Market program will support a limited number of networks (up to a maximum of six) in order to provide a greater impact. To build these networks, it is strongly encouraged to establish robust strategic partnerships and collaborations during the development of the full application.
The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) administers the program in collaboration with the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC).
The competition will be administered in two stages: first, the submission of a letter of intent (LOI), due February 12, 2024, and then a full proposal, due September 9, 2024.
Networks of eligible Canadian post-secondary institutions may apply to the Lab to Market grant program. Institutions must meet the eligibility requirements of any of the three federal granting agencies —
Lab to Market grants aim to assist networks of post-secondary institutions and their collaborators in creating and delivering curricula to equip researchers and highly qualified personnel (HQP) with skills necessary to transfer scientific, social, and service innovation to market or to community users. Lab to Market grants encompass a wide range of activities, including training, mentorships and practical learning experiences. Examples of activities that a network might provide are:
- Interactive online learning modules: Creating and delivering virtual content to help researchers and HQP understand the market viability of their research. These digital resources are designed to explore entrepreneurship as a viable career option and the potential impact of research initiatives on society. By using these tools, participants develop leadership and communication skills essential for effective understanding and presentation of the potential technological applications of their research. Additionally, online platforms offer access to various federal resources, including educational material from the
Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO) , theSafeguarding Your Research portal, and other relevant third-party online services. - Mentorship and business coaching: Providing researchers and HQP with the opportunity to engage with and be mentored by experienced business professionals. This interaction aims to deepen understanding of market dynamics, gather customer insights, develop strategic business plans to commercialize products or services and advance social innovations for key societal challenges.
- Financial assistance for participants: Supporting HQP by reducing other professional or academic obligations to allow them to participate in training.
- Innovation support connections: Facilitating connections between researchers and HQP with broader federal initiatives and local and regional innovation networks. This aspect of the program is designed to integrate participants into a larger innovation ecosystem, providing access to additional resources, insights and collaborative opportunities that extend beyond their immediate academic environment.
- Facilitation of collaborations and knowledge sharing: Fostering opportunities for collaboration and sharing of best practices through conferences, meetings and exchanges.
Networks participating in the Lab to Market grant program are encouraged to foster connections with leaders from the private, public and not-for-profit sectors, advisors, mentors, investors and other relevant entities in their regions. These interactions are pivotal to building an entrepreneurial ecosystem that elevates innovation and contributes to the economic and societal impact of Canadian research.
NSERC, CIHR and SSHRC are acting on the evidence that achieving a more equitable, diverse and inclusive Canadian research enterprise is essential to creating the excellent, innovative and impactful research necessary to advance knowledge and understanding, and to respond to local, national and global challenges. This principle informs the commitments described in the
Lab to Market grant applicants are encouraged to increase the inclusion and advancement of underrepresented groups as one way to enhance excellence in research and training. EDI considerations must be integrated into the composition of the networks and training, mentorship and professional development opportunities for researchers and HQP. Proposals should aim to remove barriers to the recruitment and full participation of individuals, including women, Indigenous Peoples (First Nations, Inuit and Métis), persons with disabilities, members of visible minority/racialized groups, members of 2SLGBTQI+ communities and other underrepresented groups.
For additional guidance on how to integrate EDI considerations, applicants should refer to the
Lab to Market proposals should include collaborating organizations that can help develop and deliver programs to enhance entrepreneurial, commercialization and mobilization skills among researchers and highly qualified personnel. Collaborating organizations can include private, public, healthcare, or not-for-profit entities. Their involvement may range from voluntary participation to compensated consulting services, depending on the context of the proposal.
Lab to Market proposals must describe strategies that will engage collaborating organizations, including how their tools, resources, and services would be integrated into the program. The roles of collaborating organizations can vary and may include:
- Entrepreneurship education: Providing resources and training in entrepreneurship.
- Technology transfer support: Facilitating the transfer of technology in academic, private, public or other settings.
- Intellectual property guidance: Offering advice, resources and training related to intellectual property protection.
- Knowledge mobilization: Offering information, skills and insights for practical use to address specific challenges, solve problems, or achieve specific objectives in science, technology, education, business, public policy and other areas. Facilitating the practical application of theoretical or research-based insights and turning them into actionable strategies or solutions.
- Social innovation expertise: Providing specialized knowledge in developing and implementing social innovations.
- Industry network representation: Involvement of industry associations and producer groups in sectors such as agriculture, forestry, biopharma, aerospace or networks comprised of companies, academic institutions and public research centres.
- Commercialization and economic development: Offering services that assist in the commercialization of research leading to economic development.
- Leadership and mentorship in innovation: Providing leadership in local innovation ecosystems and offering mentorship in business-related domains.
- Regulatory consulting: Providing regulatory consulting services to assist with navigating relevant legal and compliance requirements.
Lab to Market grant funding aims to support significant initiatives with a national reach. Funding opportunities range from $1 million to $10 million per year for up to 5 years. Following the original grant term, funding can be renewed for up to 5 years.
Funding must follow the rules for the use of grant funds as detailed in the
Eligible expenses include:
- Salaries and benefits of staff employed to develop, deliver and report on network activities. This includes the preparation of applications for networks that are selected following a review of their letter of intention.
- Advertising (e.g., website development, promotional campaigns to reach participants, etc.).
- Training material development and translation expenses.
- Hospitality, dissemination costs and promotional material for networking and business development, including equipment or rental of facilities.
- Tools and resources for conducting market research, business development and project management.
Applicants may also request up to 15% of the value of the direct costs of their activities to cover indirect costs. Applicants may include these costs in their total funding request.
Connecting the existing organizations and fostering collaboration is the main feature of the Lab to Market grants. Preparatory funds are available to eligible post-secondary institutions and their affiliates to facilitate the development of strong post-secondary institutional networks and collaborations with actors within the innovation ecosystem. Up to $200,000 can be requested to support application-related expenses. Only one application for preparatory funding can be submitted per network, and it is expected that ~20 awards will be available. The application due date for preparatory funding is February 12, 2024. The award start date for preparatory funds is expected to be March 31, 2024.
Preparatory funds may be used for application-related expenses, such as:
- meetings costs (the use of conference calls is encouraged whenever possible)
- travel and accommodation expenses of institutional delegates, innovation ecosystem players, intellectual property specialists, representatives of industry associations and community advisors, such as Indigenous Elders, for any face-to-face meetings required to develop the proposal (collaborating organizations are expected to demonstrate commitment to the project by bringing their resources to the network)
- small-scale testing of new training approaches
- communication, secretarial, clerical and coordination services over and above what is available from the universities and the partner organizations involved; salaries of technical writers may be requested but only up to a maximum of $25,000
For Lab to Market grants, the lead post-secondary institution (university, college, hospital or eligible research centre) in the network is considered the applicant. Other eligible participating post-secondary institutions and their affiliates are considered co-applicants. All other organizations will be listed as collaborators. Training, services and programs funded by the grant must be broadly open to researchers and highly qualified personnel from other institutions outside of the network in addition to those affiliated with the applicants and co-applicants.
Post-secondary institutions applying for a Lab to Market grant must complete a two-stage application process. The first stage includes a letter of intent (LOI), which will be evaluated by a review committee using merit evaluation criteria for Lab to Market grants. Based on the committee’s evaluation, NSERC will invite selected institutions to submit a full application, which will also be peer-reviewed using merit evaluation criteria.
Applications must be submitted through the
After receiving a letter of intent (LOI) or a full Lab to Market grant application, NSERC will conduct an administrative assessment to ensure accuracy and determine eligibility. If the administrative assessment is satisfactory, the LOI or full application is assigned to a peer review committee with expertise in the targeted areas for these grants. For a LOI, the committee conducts a merit assessment using Lab to Market grant evaluation criteria and recommends whether to invite applicants to submit a full application. For a full application, the review committee assesses the application based on the merit evaluation criteria and recommends funding to NSERC.
At the LOI stage, the peer review committee will use the following merit criteria to evaluate applicants’ and co-applicants’ potential to meet the primary objectives of the program, to support ongoing activities and to deliver a program with national scope:
- feasibility of the proposed initiative in the context of available resources
- proposed leadership, plan to attract leaders/mentors, and knowledge of the Canadian innovation ecosystem
- extent to which the proposed initiative supports the objectives of a national program
- overview of the training environments and their potential to increase awareness, knowledge, and competencies to commercialize research-based inventions, processes, services and social innovations
- range and relevance of the identified co-applicants and collaborators. Potential to contribute to training curricula across sectors and reaching underrepresented populations
- proposed plan for effective interaction and information exchange among post-secondary sector participants and organizations in the network
- introduction of the plan, including specific and tangible examples of actions that will be taken to achieve equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) outcomes
The peer review committee will evaluate the full applications using the following merit criteria.
- Clarity of the objectives and implementation strategy
- Feasibility of the proposed initiative in the context of available resources (budget and time)
- Relevance and appropriateness of the proposed management structure (including regional diversity) and performance measurement metrics
- Quality of the proposed leadership, capacity to attract leaders/mentors, and involvement in and knowledge of the regional and/or overall Canadian innovation ecosystems
- Extent to which the proposed network is relevant and positioned through a broad range of member institutions to achieve the objective of a national program
- Focus, coherence and feasibility of the proposed plan, including the approach to reach and deliver services to participants within network institutions and from institutions outside the network
- Capacity to foster innovation across a broad spectrum of research domains (STEM, health sciences, humanities and social sciences)
- Opportunities to enrich training environments and to increase awareness, knowledge, and competencies to commercialize research-based inventions, processes, services and social innovations
- Opportunities to promote knowledge mobilization skills and competencies such as complex problem solving, communication, collaboration, networking, creativity, social perceptiveness, emotional intelligence, adaptability, and leadership
- Range and relevance of the identified co-applicants and collaborators. This includes their capacity to contribute to and influence the training curricula across sectors of innovation and regions of the country and how they can reach underrepresented populations
- Complementarity of the proposed approach and existing local, regional or national programs and resources
- Extent of links planned across the post-secondary sector. This includes a plan for effective interaction and information exchange among participants and organizations in the network
- Plans to share best practices and tools to reach underserved regions and to provide training in both official languages
- Quality of the plan, including specific and tangible examples of actions that will be taken to achieve EDI outcomes
- Methods to identify, connect with and actively involve underrepresented groups
- Relevance and appropriateness of proposed performance metrics to achieve and measure progress in EDI
NSERC’s funding decisions for the LOI and full application will take into consideration the merit evaluation criteria ratings assigned by the review committee and the availability of funding for Lab to Market grants. In keeping with the program’s goal of achieving national coverage, final funding decisions will take into account the merit review of the applications as well as the program’s goal to support a national ecosystem of networks. This may be achieved through funding networks of national scope or by funding a combination of national and complementary regional networks that can effectively integrate themselves into the national ecosystem. Following the completion of the merit review of the applications, final funding recommendations by the committee will ensure the strategic impact of the program budget by selecting a final portfolio of networks to maximize geographic reach and minimize duplication of activities and objectives.
Applicants will receive an overview of the findings of the peer review committee.
For more information about review process timelines, consult the
If your application is approved for funding, you will receive an award letter, and you must adhere to the terms and conditions set out in it.
Your award letter will indicate the start date of your grant. NSERC will normally transfer your grant funds to your institution within 30 days of that start date. Note that applications funded through CIHR and SSHRC can experience delays in transfer of funds due to inter-agency transfer requirements.
Institutions must acknowledge the support of granting agencies (NSERC, CIHR or SSHRC, as applicable) in all communications (verbal and written). Furthermore, under Canada’s official languages law, agencies are responsible for taking positive measures to promote the use of both English and French in Canadian society.
Hence, we ask that you acknowledge, verbally and in writing, your agency funding in both English and French whenever possible. For sample text and additional information, visit the
The agencies make no claim to ownership of any intellectual property (IP) generated from the research it funds. The awarded networks have a duty to inform and encourage participants and/or their affiliated institutions to assess the IP protection requirements related to the innovation before starting the training activities.
All Lab to Market grant recipients must regularly report on their use of grant funds, training activities and outcomes. You will be provided with additional information about reporting requirements upon receiving your award letter.
To receive subsequent instalments of your grant, you must (1) demonstrate your need for funds and (2) adhere to all conditions specified in the terms and conditions of the award.
You are not required to strictly adhere to the budget presented in the proposal, as long as the grant funds are used for eligible network activities for which they were intended. However, you must ensure that the budget line items (e.g., training, salaries, etc.) comply with the Tri-agency Guide on Financial Administration,
The administering institution must complete a
- deferral of grant instalment
- extension of the period to use grant funds
- continuing eligibility
- termination of the grant
For additional information on administrative changes, consult
A one-year time extension to use the grant funds beyond the grant end date is automatically provided for all Lab to Market grants. Contact
Instructions to complete a full application for a Lab to Market grant (by invitation only)Tri-agency Guide on Financial Administration Tri-agency statement on equity, diversity and inclusion Tri-agency EDI Action Plan NSERC guide on integrating equity, diversity and inclusion considerations in research NSERC funding decisions Terms and conditions of applying for applicants, collaborators and contributors
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Lab to Market grants support post-secondary institutions and their affiliates, including research hospitals and other eligible research centres, colleges, and college centres for the transfer of technologies (CCTT) in creating and sustaining networks dedicated to developing and delivering entrepreneurial skills training. This institutional collaboration will contribute vital resources and services to the Canadian academic entrepreneurial landscape.
Find out more about the activities of the funded networks:
Labs4 Lab2Market i2I: Invention to Innovation Network SF4C: Sustainable Food Systems for Canada
See the funding decisions below for details.
| Institution | Title | Term (years) | Amount awarded | Co-applicant institutions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dalhousie University | Lab2Market: Canada’s National Network for Innovation, Commercialization and Entrepreneurship Skills Training of Students, Researchers and Highly Qualified Persons | 5 | $32,041,425 | Athabasca University, Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care, Brandon University, British Columbia Institute of Technology, Brock University, Centennial College, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, College of North Atlantic, Concordia University, Polytechnique Montréal, Emily Carr University of Art + Design, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, Institut national de la recherche scientifique, Kwantlen Polytechnic University, Laurentian University, McGill University, McMaster University, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Northwestern Polytechnic, Nova Scotia Community College, Novia Scotia Health Authority, Queen’s University, Red River College Polytechnic, Saint Mary’s University, Simon Fraser University, Sunnybrook Research Institute, The University of British Columbia, The University of Winnipeg, Thompson Rivers University, Toronto Metropolitan University, Université de Moncton, Université de Montréal, Université de Sherbrooke, Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue, University Health Network, University of Alberta, University of Calgary, University of Lethbridge, University of Manitoba, University of New Brunswick, University of Northern British Columbia, University of Prince Edward Island, University of Regina, University of Saskatchewan, University of Toronto, University of Victoria, University of Waterloo, Western University, York University |
| Red River College Polytechnic | College-University Lab to Market Network for Entrepreneurship & Research Commercialization | 5 | $24,067,229 | British Columbia Institute of Technology, Cégep de Sherbrooke, Cégep de Thetford, Humber Polytechnic, Lethbridge College, Loyalist College of Applied Arts and Technology, MacEwan University, Mohawk College of Applied Arts and Technology, Mount Saint Vincent University, New Brunswick Community College, NorQuest College, Northern Alberta Institute of Technology, Northwestern Polytechnic, Nova Scotia Community College, Olds College, Red Deer Polytechnic, Saint Mary’s University, Saskatchewan Polytechnic, Selkirk College, Southern Alberta Institute of Technology, University College of the North, University of Alberta, University of Lethbridge, University of Manitoba, University of Regina, University of Saskatchewan, University of Waterloo, Western University, Yukon University |
| Simon Fraser University | National Invention to Innovation (i2I) Network | 5 | $22,943,583 | Conestoga College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning, Dalhousie University, Fraser Health Authority, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Queen’s University, The University of British Columbia, Université Laval, University of Alberta, University of Manitoba, University of Northern British Columbia, University of the Fraser Valley, University of Victoria, University of Waterloo |
| University of Guelph | Sustainable Food Systems for Canada Innovation Platform | 5 | $16,278,128 | Concordia University, Dalhousie University, George Brown College, Lambton College of Applied Arts and Technology, Niagara College, Université Laval, University of Alberta, University of Manitoba, University of Saskatchewan, University of the Fraser Valley, Vancouver Island University, York University |
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