Ontario Genomics Industry Challenge 2020 Program

Sponsor

Ontario Genomics

Program

Industry Challenge Program 2020

For More Information

Industry Challenge Program 2020 Website

Industry Challenge Program 2020 Program Guidelines

Description

Ontario Genomics is pleased to announce that applications are now open for the Industry Challenge 2020 Program: Healthy Lives, Healthy Economy, Healthy Planet through Genomics. This program will provide teams with funding for novel and innovative projects to solve pressing challenges and address industry opportunities through the application of genomics-based solutions across key sectors of the Ontario economy with the intent to drive economic growth, improve quality of life and Ontario’s global leadership.

Ontario Genomics is issuing an “Open Call for Challenges” for genomics and engineering biology innovators to solve industry and other end-user identified challenges within and across agriculture and agri-food, human health, industrial biotechnology and natural resources and the environment in one or more of the five areas identified below.

• Sustainable Food and Biomaterials Production
• Rapid Genomic Diagnostics in Healthcare, Food Safety & Agriculture, and the Environment
• Biomanufacturing and Scale Up from the Lab to the Factory
• Roadmaps for Reducing Red Tape, Regulatory Burden or other Barriers
• New Paradigms for Rare Disease Treatment

The Industry Challenge 2020 Program intends to catalyze and support collaboration in the application of genomics and engineering biology solutions to solve challenges identified by industry. This “industry-pull” approach is designed to enable market-informed outcomes and maximize the impact of these projects. This program is open to creative partnerships and collaborative teams (e.g. teams comprising industry, industry-academia, industry—industry, industry-other) that are in the position to address the identified challenge or opportunity and implement the results from the project.

Eligibility

Please note, Academic Researchers cannot serve as the lead applicant for this program. Ontario Genomics funds must flow to the industry team member. In exceptional cases it may go to another team member and only if agreed upon by all parties.

To be eligible for Industry Challenge 2020, a proposal must conform to the following criteria:

• The proposal must respond to the objectives and intent of the Industry Challenge 2020 program
• The project must address an industry-identified challenge within one or more of the five areas identified that can be solved with a genomics or engineering biology solution
• The team must comprise of an Ontario-based industry or other industry partnerships (teams comprising industry, industry-academia, industry—industry, industry-other)
• If the industry is a company, the company must be incorporated prior to the application date
• Funded research must be performed in Ontario and awarded funds will not flow outside of Ontario
• Ontario Genomics funds must flow to the industry team member
• Co-funding is required from the industry, at a minimum of $25,000 (cash and in-kind acceptable)

Funding Availability

Ontario Genomics will provide up to twelve (12) individual awards under the 2020 call.

Maximum Project Value

Ontario Genomics will provide $25,000 for each successful proposal. Each project must be matched with a minimum of $25,000 contribution from the industry (cash and in-kind acceptable), to a total project size of $50,000 or more. Higher funding could be requested in exceptional cases and would have to be matched dollar for dollar by the industry partner.

Indirect Costs

0%

Project Duration

12 months

Special Notes

The proposals demonstrating the highest degree of overall fit with the Evaluation Criteria will be the most competitive and the top-ranked applicants will be invited to the Pitch phase of the program. Those invited to the pitch phase will be critiqued based on the additional details provided via the pitch, strength of the project overall and fit within the evaluation criteria.

If considered eligible, project proposals will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

• Genomics or engineering biology solutions that addresses an industry-identified challenge
• Fit of the proposed solutions in the challenge areas
• Pathway towards implementation is clear and feasible e.g. research progression, mechanism for funding, partner engagement and collaboration, uptake of technology (new products, scale-up, improved process) etc.
• Team has the expertise and resources necessary for the proposed project and the overall likelihood of success of the proposed research
• Reasonableness of the project plan and budget
• The potential to drive investment, create jobs and improve lives throughout Ontario in the near to long-term

How to Apply

The Industry Challenge Competition will consist of a three-stage gated application process:

Stage 1: Intent to Apply

Potential applicants must contact Elaine Corbett, Director, Sector Innovations & Programs at ecorbett@ontariogenomics.ca to discuss their project idea. OG will help determine eligibility, positioning of the project and will provide an invitation to apply for eligible applicants.

Stage 2: Submission of Written Application

Applicants must use the Industry Challenge 2020 Program Application Form, supplied following Step 1,  to describe the project per the following sections:

• Project Summary
• Project Proposal
• Industry Summary and Next Steps
• Budget and Justification

This form must be submitted electronically as a single PDF file by the application deadline (9:00am, Monday March 9, 2020) to ecorbett@ontariogenomics.ca referencing Industry Challenge 2020 in the subject line of the email.

Stage 3: Pitch

 Based on initial reviews, the top-ranked applications will be invited to pitch their proposal for funding. 

• Applicants selected to advance to the pitch phase will be notified by March 13, 2020.
• Invited applicants will pitch over video conferencing on March 20, 2020.
• Applicants will deliver a 15-minute slide presentation followed by a Q&A session with an expert panel.

Further details on the pitch will be provided to invited applicants.

Information For Co-applicants

Please note, Academic Researchers cannot serve as the lead applicant for this program. Ontario Genomics funds must flow to the industry team member. In exceptional cases it may go to another team member and only if agreed upon by all parties.

Academic co-applicants will be required to provide a letter of support with the final application package.

Attachment(s)

Attachment	Size
Industry Challenge 2020 Program Guidelines	254.11 KB