The Chwang Seto Innovation Fellowships Program

• 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: McGill Faculty of Engineering tenure-track professor, co-inventor on an active report of invention backed by the McGill’s Innovation and Partnerships office, I+P. Cannot hold an Engine gap funding grant (TechAccelR, WRSA) for the same invention at the same time as this project grant.

• Co-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, and co-inventor or has worked on the invention. that is part of the proposed project.

• Invention: 

  • The technology must be reported as an invention to McGill's Office of Innovation and Partnerships. 

  • In the project proposal, you will need to include the summary of the due diligence review and the development plan put in place by the Technology Transfer Office per section 3.3 and 3.5 of the McGill Guidelines on the Application of the Policy on Inventions and Software along with their approval. Please contact your Technology Transfer Manager well in advance of the deadline. 

  • Technology not yet optioned nor licensed nor assigned to third party (except for McGill spinoffs). Minimum TRL4.

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

• 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 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	5%	Who are the current team members? Has the additional talent needed throughout the project been clearly identified?
Presentation and Q&A	5%	Presentation by lead applicant to the Selection Committee with Q&A.  Communication clear? Enthusiasm and desire for innovation?  chwang_seto_innovation_fellowship_spring_2025_presentation_guidelines.docx

Call for applications will be announced in Fall 2025 

• Applicants will need to attach the following documents in the application form.

  • chwang_seto_innovation_fellowship_spring_2025_application_project_proposal.docx

  • chwang_seto_innovation_fellowship_spring_2025_project_budget_by_milestones.xlsx

  • chwang_seto_innovation_fellowship_spring_2025_presentation_guidelines.docx

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

• 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.