NSERC Research Partnerships: An Overview University of Calgary November 16, 2015

My Goals Today Discuss Connect, Engage, Engage Plus Grants Overview of CRD Grants Answer questions

Connect Building R&D Partnerships Through NSERC Engage Collaborate

Connect Grants Connect Grants: Help academic researchers and companies meet to define priorities for future joint R&D projects

Connect Grants Level 1 Travel Allows academic researchers to meet with companies anywhere in Canada Support for travel and meeting costs Up to $5,000 for 3 months No application deadline fast turnaround Level 2 Networking Connector activities to promote partnerships or industrial training Special networking events and activities in NSE Academic and industrial participants Typically $1k-$5k No application deadline Level 3 Workshops Seed new collaborations through a single workshop or multiple smaller events on a focussed topic Academic and industrial participants Up to $25,000 No application deadline

Support new collaborations Aimed at solving company-specific problem Six-month project; up to $25,000 from NSERC No company cash required; just in-kind New IP owned by company Apply anytime; 4-6 week turnaround Engage Grants

Engage Grants - Applicant Eligibility Applicant must be eligible to receive NSERC funding – assistant, associate or full professor at an eligible institution. Must have received a peer-reviewed grant from a recognized granting agency in the last six years for research in a natural sciences or engineering field

Engage Grants – Applicant Eligibility Applications that include a collaborating researcher will not be accepted. Engage Grant projects must involve only one academic researcher and any research personnel (e.g, students, research technicians, etc.)

Engage Grants – Partner Eligibility The industry partner must be a for-profit company that operates from a Canadian base If the partner is a Canadian subsidiary of an international company, it must have a manufacturing and/or R&D operation in Canada Must have been in operation for at least two years or have at least two full-time employees

Engage Grants – Partner Eligibility Companies that are not able to further develop the technology in-house are not eligible Companies must demonstrate the ability to exploit the project’s results – the resources, capabilities and experience of the company and its staff are relevant The company is expected to collaborate with the researchers at all stages of the research project

Engage Grants – No Prior Relationship What constitutes an existing relationship between a researcher and a company? A previous collaboration with the company or any of its divisions Current or past supervision of a student supported by the company Current or past involvement of the researcher in the company Joint participation in a research network Association with the company or its principals (including university departmental colleagues and adjunct professors) Evidence that an Engage Grant is not needed to foster a new research collaboration

Engage Grants – No Prior Relationship What constitutes an existing relationship between a researcher and a company? A previous collaboration with the company or any of its divisions Current or past supervision of a student supported by the company Current or past involvement of the researcher in the company Joint participation in a research network Association with the company or its principals (including university departmental colleagues and adjunct professors) Evidence that an Engage Grant is not needed to foster a new research collaboration

Engage Grants – Proposed Research Must be in a natural sciences or engineering field For health-related research, consult the new guidelines on the NSERC website under “policies and guidelines”

Engage Grants – Proposed Research Proposals are not eligible for an Engage Grant if they: focus on the commercialization of a university invention provide routine analysis, routine testing seek to certify, endorse, validate or performance test an existing product, process or material

Engage Grants – Proposed Research Proposals are not eligible for an Engage Grant if they: include more than two weeks of literature review and/or patent search activities provide professional practice or consulting services are principally associated with the acquisition and maintenance of scientific equipment

Engage Grants – Instructions

Engage Grants – Budget Proposed project expenditures must conform to the Use of Grant Funds guidelines (part of the Tri-Agency Financial Administration Guide) It is not a requirement to have grad students work on the project Engage Grant funds cannot be used for: –Expenses related to publications and conferences –Travel expenses for company personnel

Engage Grants – Timeline No deadline – apply anytime Average turn-around time: 4 – 6 weeks Success rate: ~ 87%

Engage Plus Grants Awarded to a researcher and company that previously collaborated on an Engage Grant project Build on the results of the original Engage project NSERC matches company cash up to a maximum of $12,500 Application must be submitted within six months after the original Engage project ends IP owned by the company; 4-6 week turnaround

Collaborative Research and Development Grants CRD Focused R&D projects Grants range from $10K to over $400K per year Industry cash required Flexible leverage: $1 of company cash + $1eligible in-kind = $2 from NSERC Apply anytime Peer-review; 3 to 5 month turnaround

Collaborative Research and Development Grants CRD If requesting less than $200K per year: - Paper peer review -3 to 4 months If requesting $200K or more per year: - Site visit by peer review committee -Review by NSERC Advisory Committee on University – Industry Grants; meets four times per year -6 months

Industrial Undergraduate Student Allows companies to hire university undergraduates for a 16-week period to conduct research NSERC contribution: $4,500 Company contribution: minimum of $1,125 Up to 15 students per company per year Potential future employees Apply anytime; four-week turn-around Research Awards

Significant savings in research costs Projects are based on company’s requirements Access to high levels of expertise and advanced research facilities Students are potential future employees Built-in quality control - NSERC peer-review system Contributions can qualify for SR&ED tax credits Participating in NSERC Programs: Key Advantages for Companies

Questions? Frank Nolan NSERC Prairies Regional Office 435 Ellice Avenue, Suite 430 Winnipeg, Manitoba R3B 1Y6 Tel:

Total awards = 115 (86% approval rate)

Engage Grant - Example 37 University of Calgary, Computer Science Frank Maurer C4i Consultants Inc. Training services and software solutions. Project Goal: To develop a solution that provides multi-surface support for simulating emergency responses carried out collaboratively by various response groups such as EMS, fire department, and police department.

Engage Grant - Example Outcome: “We found good value in collaborating with the university through Engage on this project. We were able to try out a new concept and create a working prototype with significantly less financial input than would have been required if we had done it on our own.” – Amy Swedlo, R&D Manager, C4i Consultants Inc. Original Engage Grant project: 2012 Follow-up: Engage Plus awarded in 2013 CRD awarded in 2014 * Company incorporated in 2004, and had 15 employees in Canada at the time of the Engage project. It was Alberta’s 15 th fastest growing company in 2014, and now has 85 employees deployed worldwide. 38