My goals today

1. Quick overview of NSERC2. Highlight NSERC programs that can help

you with your Research and Development work.

3. Answer your questions

What We Do at NSERC

• We invest more than $1 billion every year in people, discovery and innovation

Over $250 K

Innovation Programs Budget 2009-10

Research Agreements$4.7 - 1.8%

Technology Transfer Programs1

$36.7 - 14.4%

Strategic Partnerships

$108.4 - 42.5%

CollaborativeR&D

$46.2 - 18.1%

CMC$8.8 - 3.4%

Networks of Centres of Excellence$49.9 - 19.6%

Total: $255M

Research Partnership Programs (RPP)

Maximize the value of public investments in university research by

Supporting creation and transfer of knowledge Ensuring people are trained to create and use that

knowledge

Stimulating public-private R&D partnerships A key focus for our regional offices

RPP Tool BoxStrategic Partnerships(targets national priorities)• Strategic Projects• Strategic Networks

Industry-Driven(Industry participation)• Collaborative R&D• Industrial Research Chairs• Industrial Scholarship and

Fellowship Program*

Technology Transfer/Commercialization• Idea to Innovation• College and Community Innovation

Regional Offices• Priorities, trends • Information from region• Networks & connections • Assist in matchmaking• Interaction and Engage•Strategic Workshops

Innovation Projects Strategic Projects Strategic NetworksCollaborative R&D GrantsResearch Partnership Agreements

Building Critical MassChairs

Technology TransferIdea to InnovationCollege & Community Innovation R

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Industry Participation

ChairsIRCs

RPAsSNs

SPP

I2I I2I (1)(1)I2I I2I (2)(2)

CCICCI

Diversity of Projects and Programs

CRDs

Attract Highly Qualified People (HQP)

Industrial Undergraduate Student Research Awards– NSERC award - $4,500 for a 16-week work term– Company Contribution - Minimum $1,125

Industrial Postgraduate Scholarships (IPS)– NSERC award - $15,000 per year (2 yrs.)– Company Contribution - Minimum $6,000

Industrial R&D Fellowships (IRDF)– NSERC award - $30,000 per year (2 yrs.)– Company Contribution – Minimum $10,000

Interaction GrantObjective:

Allow academic researchers to meet with potential industrial partners to discuss and identify a challenge specific to the company, that could be addressed by a subsequent R&D partnership

Timeline: maximum 3 months

Deliverables: Up to $5,000 from the ROF to cover for travel, accommodation

and venue, for the applicant, UILO and/or company staff if justified

Engage GrantObjective:

Allow academic researchers to do the necessary research to address the identified company specific problem (try out – see if it works – consider the value/pertinence of subsequent collaboration)

Timeline: 6 months Deliverables:

Up to $25,000 Direct cost of research HQP, user fees, equipment, consumable, publication

field travel,…

Strategic Workshops Grants (SWP)

Brings together academic researchers with non-academic end users to create new partnerships

Priority given to targeted areas of research, but other areas not excluded

Address research and technology needs that are identified by the user community

Generate new collaborations that will lead to funding proposals

Awards up to $25,000 to cover travel and accommodations of academic workshop participants

Support for university-based industry-oriented research projects with defined milestones and deliverables

Typical project duration of 2 to 3 years, although grants can range from 1 to 5 years

Average grant $55,000 per year, awards range from $10,000/year up to more than $400,000/year

Collaborative R&D Grants (CRD)

Projects are driven by partner needs:Process development & optimizationProduct design and developmentEnvironmental impact studies/remediation technologiesNovel materialsUpstream biomedical technologies

• Project milestones and deliverables to partners are clearly identified and feasible given available resources and time

• Knowledge transfer plans are defined

Collaborative R&D Grants (CRD)

• Combined partner and NSERC cash results in elevated project budgets

(> $500,000/year)• CRD can support short-term projects or segments of

longer-term research programs• Applications received at anytime• 80-85% success rate• Flexibility on aspects of program administration• Involvement of NSERC staff

Key Advantages for Applicants

• Significant savings in research costs

• Projects are based on partners requirements

• Access to high levels of expertise and research facilities in universities

• HQP are potential future employees

Key Advantages for Partners

Key Advantages for Industry

• Built-in quality control through NSERC peer-review system

• Access to IP

• Most company contributions are eligible for the SRED tax credit

NSERC-Prairies - How We Can Help

NSERC-Prairies Team

IRENE MIKAWOZ, Research and Innovation Development OfficerFRANK NOLAN, Communications and Promotion OfficerROXANNE BALCAEN, Administrative Officer

435 Ellice Avenue, Suite 430Winnipeg, Manitoba R3B 1Y6204-984-6462 or nserc-prairies@nserc-crsng.gc.cawww.nserc-crsng.gc.ca

Early stage university research with the potential to lead to breakthrough discoveries in the future (5-10 yrs)

Average grant: $130,000/year for 3 years Support for up to 3 years for students, post-

docs, consumables, …

Strategic Project Grants (SPG)

Seven Strategic Target AreasAdvanced Communications and Management of Information

Biomedical Technologies Competitive

Manufacturing and Value-Added Products and Processes

Healthy Environment and Ecosystems

Quality Foods and Novel Bioproducts

Safety and Security

Sustainable Energy Systems

Strategic Project Grants (SPG) Active involvement of non-academic participants - no cash required

Often involves several team members, from the same or different institutions

Some grants with single applicantResearchers from the partner’s organisation sometimes are members

of the team (as “collaborators”)

25-30% success rate

Selection Criteria

Scientific merit

Research competence of team

Industrial relevance

Private-sector support

Contribution to training

Benefits to Canada

Collaborative R&D Grants (CRD)

Industrial partner must have strong presence in Canada Company headquarters may be abroad, but company must

have Canadian operations beyond a sales or client support office

Research results must be exploited in Canada Project may include activities abroad, but results must clearly

be relevant to the partner’s Canadian operations

Research results must have economic, societal or environmental benefit to Canada

Collaborative R&D Grants (CRD)

CRD grants leverage Private Sector cash and in-kind contributions. Contributions from Public Sector partners are common and strengthen proposals, but are not leveraged by NSERC.

Flexible cash leverage ratios, but industry cash and in-kind must equal NSERC award.Minimum industry cash = ½ NSERC award In-kind contributions must be for direct support of the

research and must be specific to the project

Collaborative R&D Grants (CRD)

Diversity of CRD projects

From fundamental research…“Uranium in the Thelon and Otish Basins”, Dr. Kurt Kyser,

Dept. of Geological Sciences - Queen’s University, with Cameco Corp and Uravan Minerals

Project objective: Fundamental understanding of geological processes leading to the genesis of uranium-bearing fluids in the earth’s crust, and the precipitation of U metal in sedimentary formations

Project outcome: Development of general mineral exploration strategies

Diversity of CRD projects…to product development“Development of a Manipulation System and Nano-

grippers for Use Inside Scanning Electron Microscopes”, Dr. Yu Sun, Dept. of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering - University of Toronto, with Hitachi Canada.

Project objective: Development of micron-scale manipulators for high-precision assembly of nano-devices during electron microscope imaging

Project outcome: Commercialization by a U of T spin-off upon completion of project, and licence to Hitachi

• Prestigious appointment of a distinguished researcher

• Industry provides 50% of cost in cash

• Initial appointment is for 5 years (renewable)

• Currently over 180 active faculty positions

• A significant university research program is established or enhanced in area of interest to industry

Industrial Research Chairs (IRC)

Multi-university, multi-partner pan-national Networks (typically more than 10 universities and 10 partner organizations)

Up to $1M per year for 5 years

Non-renewable awards

Requires a governance structure, with BoD and Scientific Committee

Strategic Network Grants (SNG)

Support research and development projects with identifiable technology transfer potential

• To reduce technical risk and to demonstrate the commercial potential of university discoveries

University ILO must commit to the project & work with the researcher/partners

Idea to Innovation (I2I)

Technology Transfer Programs

PHASE I, PROOF-OF-CONCEPT

Designed to advance promising scientific concepts or technologies to attract early stage investment and/or to build intellectual property (IP)

Funding available up to 12 months, max $125,000 Proposals require a plan describing how a partnership

will be established with a Canadian based company that has the capacity to commercialize the research results

Idea to Innovation (I2I)

Idea to Innovation (I2I)

PHASE II, TECHNOLOGY ENHANCEMENT

Designed to provide scientific or engineering evidence of the technical feasibility and market definition of the technology, process or product

Project can be with early stage investment partner or Canadian based company

Partners must share in costs

Questions?

Irene R. Mikawoz, P.Eng.Irene.mikawoz@nserc-crsng.gc.ca

Research and Innovation Development OfficerNSERC Prairies Regional OfficeRegional Development Division Research Partnerships Programs Directorate