平特五不中

William and Rhea Seath Awards in
Engineering Innovation

On this page:听WRSA Timeline听触听Eligibility/Requirements听触听Evaluation Criteria 触听How to Apply听触听Terms of the Award

Winners of the WRSAs (2012-2024)

Profile photo of William and Rhea Seath
William and Rhea Seath

The William and Rhea Seath Awards (WRSAs) have been made possible thanks to the generosity of Faculty of Engineering alumnus, the late Mr. William Seath (B.Eng. 1952). These awards support 平特五不中 Faculty of Engineering tenure-track professors and their graduate students by enabling them to accelerate their technology that is听reported as an invention听but needs further validation prior to commercialization.

Call for Applications: November 1, 2023

Up to two equal awards of $25,000 for projects up to 12听months is given as part of this annual competition. They听are reviewed by the 平特五不中 Engine Director and awarded by the Dean of the Faculty of Engineering based on the recommendation of a committee composed of faculty, industry and alumni members. Recipients use the awards to support the commercialization of their technologies. Examples of eligible support activities: development, testing, prototype construction, salary stipends for students.

Program Objectives

  1. Validate early stage technologies
  2. Advance the invention's听
  3. Accelerate the technology鈥檚 commercialization and development plan - achieve product-market fit faster
  4. Further develop the research to strengthen eligibility for additional funding
  5. Research team works听closely with the assigned Ronald Chwang Entrepreneurs-in-Residence, gaining from their experience, knowledge, and industry connections

WRSA Timeline听

Date Description
November 1, 2023 Call for applications -听File wrsa_application_process_2023.docx

January 14, 2024 at 11:59 PM ET

Application deadline听

January and February Applications are reviewed and evaluated
Mid February Applicants informed of review and evaluation outcomes. Winners announced.听
March 1, 2024 WRSA project begins
March 1, 2025 WRSA project ends (projects can last up to 12 months, projects can be completed earlier)

Application Details

Eligibility/Requirements

  • Application:听Late or incomplete applications will not be reviewed.听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:听Only candidates who are full-time members of 平特五不中 Faculty of Engineering are eligible as lead applicants for the WRSAs. Lead applicants can be graduate students or professors. Students must be registered full-time in a Faculty of Engineering program. Professors must hold an appointment in a department or school formally affiliated with the Faculty of Engineering.听 Professors cannot听hold another Engine gap funding grant (TechAccelR, Innovation Fellowship) for the same invention at the same time as this project grant.

  • Invention:听The technology must be reported as an invention to听平特五不中's听Office of Innovation and Partnerships. Your Technology Transfer Manager鈥檚 assessment and commercialization plan will need to be included in this grant application.听听

  • Project Timeline:听Projects can last up to 12听months maximum, projects can be completed earlier.

  • Project Expenses: Applicants must use the funds to advance the technology in accordance with their project technical milestones.听The 平特五不中 Engine team can make recommendations for changes to the budget and uses of funds that are required for the acceptance and funding of the project.听Once the grant is awarded, if your milestones and project expenses change significantly from what was in your project proposal (e.g. greater than 10% on any allowed budget item), you must discuss with your mentor and provide the revised milestone(s) and budget to Engine's Associate Director for approval.

    • Eligible Expenses:
      • Product and process development costs towards achieving technical milestones (e.g., materials, equipment, personnel).
    • Non-Eligible Expenses:
      • Costs related to non-technical milestones
        • publication costs
        • patent fees
        • incorporation fees
        • travel costs听

Evaluation

  • Applications will be judged and ranked according to the following criteria.

    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 30% 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? What is the latest commercialization plan as developed in collaboration with your Technology Transfer Manager? Have the business challenges been identified? Is there a strong potential impact or market need?

    What external/market validation is there that your technology development plan may attract and accelerate follow-on funding from other sources (e.g. other awards/grants, licensing, customers, investors)?

    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 any additional talent needed throughout the project been identified?

How to Apply

  • Please fill out the application template:听File wrsa_application_process_2023.docx
    and submit your application (maximum 3 pages not including cover page nor appendix) by e-mailing the pdf version to the 平特五不中 Engine Associate Director, Katya Marc, katya.marc [at] mcgill.ca

  • If you have any questions and/or wish to have your application reviewed prior to final submission, please contact katya.marc [at] mcgill.ca

  • Application Deadline: January 14, 2024, 11:59 PM (ET)

Terms of the Award

  • Award: The award will be dispersed into a new account under the PI and entitled W&R Seath Award.Once the grant is awarded, if your milestones and project expenses change significantly from what was in your project proposal (e.g. greater than 10% on any allowed budget item), you must discuss with your mentor and provide the revised milestone(s) and budget to Engine's Associate Director for approval.

  • Reporting: Mid-term and final reports are due to the Engine's associate director and the team's assigned mentor showing the project鈥檚 current status, status of IP, commercialization and development plan progress/next steps, and the use of funds.

  • 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 平特五不中 Engine in outreach activities pertaining to technological innovation and entrepreneurship.

  • Promotion: Acknowledgement and promotion of the award and the 平特五不中 Engine in publications and communications arising from the project through your own networks and events.

  • Giving back:听The 平特五不中 Engine does not take equity in 平特五不中 spin-off companies. There is an expectation, but no requirement, that participating researchers will make a non-binding charitable pledge听to 平特五不中 Engine aimed at sustaining the activities of the 平特五不中 Engine Centre and helping the next generation of technological innovators and entrepreneurs that the Centre supports.听Funding is听not听conditional on a researcher signing a pledge.

Only candidates who are full-time members of 平特五不中 Faculty of Engineering are eligible as lead applicants for the WRSAs. Lead applicants can be graduate students or professors. Students must be registered full-time in a Faculty of Engineering program. Professors must hold an appointment in a department or school formally affiliated with the Faculty of Engineering.

A candidacy must be based on a current technologically-based project that the candidate has been actively involved in and that they have reported as an invention to 平特五不中's Office of Innovation and Partnerships.

For students, an up-to-date CV must accompany the application. The CV should provide information on contributions to publications (including patents) and collaborative research activities. For professors, an up-to-date NSERC Personal Data Form 100 (or Common CV equivalent) must accompany the application. All applicants must also complete the three听page application form (details under "How to Apply").

Applications will be judged and ranked according to the following criteria.

Evaluation Criteria Percentage Allocated Description
The Innovation 20% Is this a novel, not obvious, and potentially disruptive technology?
The Impact 20% Is there a strong potential impact or market need? Does the proposed solution fill an unmet need?
Stage of Development and Progress to Date 25% Is there a proof of concept already? What progress has been made so far? Any customer/end user validation?
The Likelihood of Success 35% Does the proposal clearly identify the technical and/or business challenges that must be faced and milestones to be achieved before commercialization? Will this Award greatly help move the technology towards commercialization? Is this technology likely to be spun-out of 平特五不中 within 2 to 5 years?

Please fill out the application template:听File wrsa_application_process_2023.docx
and submit your application (maximum 3听pages not including cover page nor appendix) by e-mailing the pdf version to the 平特五不中 Engine Associate Director, Katya Marc, katya.marc [at] mcgill.ca

If you have any questions and/or wish to have your application reviewed prior to final submission, please contact katya.marc [at] mcgill.ca

    Terms of the Award:

    • Award: The award will be dispersed into a new account under the PI and entitled W&R Seath Award.

    • Reporting: Mid-term and final reports are due to the Engine's associate director and the team's assigned mentor showing the project鈥檚 current status, status of IP, commercialization and development plan progress/next steps, and the听use of funds.

    • Mentorship: A mentor will be assigned to help progress your project鈥檚 commercialization and development plan.

    • Willingness to assist the 平特五不中 Engine in outreach activities pertaining to technological innovation and entrepreneurship.

    • Acknowledgement and promotion of听the award and the 平特五不中 Engine听in publications and communications arising from the project through your own networks and events.

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