How to Apply

Applying to the MIF is intended to be an easy process. However, you must make sure to read the the following material carefully before making an application to the MIF. In order to be eligible, applicants must meet the following criteria and agree to the following points:

• You must be a McGill professor, graduate student, or postdoctoral researcher (all Faculties and McGill-associated research hospitals are welcome).
• Applicants to the Discover or Develop Stage must have an approved Report of Invention from the Office of Innovation + Partnerships.
• Applicants to the Deploy Stage must have incorporated their company within the last 5 years.
• You may only apply for one funding stage. Applications received in more than one stage will be automatically withdrawn from consideration.
• Applicants who wish to be considered for the Cleantech supplemental award must indicate so in their online application form.
• If selected, you commit to advancing the project towards commercialization and implementation. You must also commit to participating in the MIF Support Program for 12 months.
• The MIF provides financial and business support to McGill researchers who plan to commercialise their invention. The support will be tailored to your business needs: IP, business plan, target market, production process, path to commercialization, etc. The application process is therefore focused on your business project, (your progress to date, your vision for your company, your plan, etc.), rather than on the science of the innovation.
• The call for applications will open on September 25th, 2023, and will close on November 17th, 2023.

Step 1: Online Application

All applicants will need to submit an application package. The application package contains the following elements:

1. Online form: a) Applicant information, b) Project information
2. Mandatory attachments: a) Presentation, b) Video
3. Optional attachments
4. Terms and conditions

Mandatory Attachments

Each applicant will need to upload:

• Presentation describing the project, team, business model canvas, commercialization plan, and budget for use of the MIF funds. Concerning the budget, be specific as to how you plan to use the funding. The budget should demonstrate that the funding will play a critical role in the advancement of the project. Full instructions on what to include in your presentation can be found here.
• Short video, elevator pitch style, to present the team and your invention (max 2 min.). Advice on how to prepare your video can be consulted on this page.

Optional Attachments

Each applicant may upload additional supporting documents:

• Presentation deck describing the research in more detail
• Demonstration video of the invention (if applicable)
• Letter of support from potential licensees, interested clients or external investors.

Terms and Conditions

Before submitting your application be sure to review the terms and conditions provided at the end of the online form. The terms and conditions include requirements for the applicants, as well as for the selected recipients.

Step 2: Selection Process

Triage 

The MIF team will review the applications to ensure that they meet the eligibility criteria. Eligible applications will be sent invited present their project in front of a selection committee, in a pitch format for review.

Selection Committees

From December 4th to 8th, confirmed applicants (a maximum of ten per category) will pitch their project to the selection committee. Each Stage will pitch on a specific day: Discover Stage, December 4th; Develop Stage, December 5th; Deploy Stage, December 6th. The Selection Committee will deliberate, and successful recipients will be informed before the holiday break. Teams that have been selected to receive funding, and who have indicated they are in the AMR category will be invited to present a second time to a Selection Committee dedicated to evaluating applications to this category; these pitches will be held on December 8. The Selection Committees are composed of McGill Alumni with expertise in different aspects of business and entrepreneurship. Each Stage, including the AMR category, has their own Selection Committee. Composition of the committees will be announced later in the fall. 

Support for Applicants

The MIF team is available to support you throughout the application process. We offer several opportunities to ask us questions and prepare your pitch to the selection committee.

If you have any questions regarding the application process for the MIF, we invite you to contact your TTM, or send us an mif [at] mcgill.ca (subject: Question%20about%20how%20to%20apply%20to%20the%20MIF) (e-mail.) 

Good Luck!