How much funding can be received?

Funds up to 33% of admissible expenses, capped at $1500000 per project.

What is the deadline to apply?

The deadline to apply is not specified.

Who are the financial supporters of the Quantum Leap?

Quantum Leap is funded by Quebec Consortium for Drug Discovery (CQDM)

What are Quantum Leap's eligibility criterias?

Open to all Canadian SMEs. Open to public research institutions in Canada.

Quantum Leap

Last Update: June 23, 2025

Canada

Funding for biopharmaceutical R&D

Quantum Leap at a glance

Eligible Funding

From $500,000 to $1,500,000
Up to 33% of project cost

Timeline

Continuous Intakes

Financing Type

Grant and Funding

Eligible Industries

Health care and social assistance

Grant Providers

Quebec Consortium for Drug Discovery (CQDM)

Status

Open

Overview of the Quantum Leap program

Get a grant between $500,000 and $1.2 million for R&D related to innovative technologies, tools and platforms that facilitate the drug discovery/development process and new therapeutic approaches.

Financing terms and conditions

Typical project budgets range from $500,000 to $1,500,000; exceptions may be made for justified cases exceeding this limit.
CQDM generally provides financial aid representing one-third (1/3) of the total project budget, though this percentage may vary depending on the project's specifics.
Pharmaceutical partners are expected to contribute approximately one-third (1/3) of the project value as financial support.
Candidates are responsible for securing the remaining project funding from other sources or partners.

Eligible projects & activities

Innovative translational R&D projects in collaboration with large biopharmaceutical organizations.
Development of cutting-edge technologies for enhancing R&D activities.
Creation of enabling technologies, pioneering platforms, and innovative therapeutic methods targeting drug development stages.
Projects aimed at considerably accelerating the discovery and development of safer, more effective drugs.

Examples of admissible projects:

$ 900,000

Creation of a computational platform for drug-target interaction studies

$ 750,000

Development of AI-driven drug discovery platform

$ 1,000,000

Implementation of a high-throughput screening system for drug candidates

$ 900,000

Design of a nanotechnology-based drug delivery system

$ 1,100,000

Development of genomic analysis tools for personalized medicine

$ 850,000

Creation of a biotechnological tool for faster drug development

Eligibility criteria of the Quantum Leap program

The applicant must be a Canadian SME or a public research institution.
The project should involve innovative translational R&D in collaboration with large biopharmaceutical organizations.
The project must aim to develop enabling technologies, pioneering platforms, or innovative therapeutic methods targeting all stages of drug development.

Who is eligible?

Canadian SMEs (Small and Medium-sized Enterprises)
Public research institutions

Eligible expenses

Grants, salaries and social benefits for research staff working on the project, including technicians, assistants, and research associates, post-doctorates and students.
Equipment, consumables, and laboratory supplies, including platform and animal fees.
Travel fees for project-related travel, collaborations, and conferences, as well as fees associated with the dissemination of knowledge.
Costs related to intellectual property, such as patent applications and maintenance fees for the duration of the project.
Purchase or rental of small pieces of equipment with a maximum value of $25,000.
Payments made to subcontracted businesses not project partners when the activity is essential and cannot be performed by the research institution or SME.

Eligible geographic areas

Canadian SMEs (Small and Medium-sized Enterprises).
Public research institutions based in Canada.

Eligibility criteria of the Quantum Leap program

Impact on the potential development of new drugs and ability to address critical needs in the biopharmaceutical field.
Scientific excellence, including the innovative aspect of the research and the quality of the experimental plan.
Feasibility, assessed by the current development status of the technology, preliminary data, milestones, and planned deliverables.
Positioning and competitive advantage, evaluating the innovation's uniqueness and its benefit over international competitors.
Marketing potential, with a focus on developing a suitable maturation plan and fulfilling biopharmaceutical needs, including main milestones and required funds at each stage.
Quality of the business plan, where applicable for SMEs.
Economic benefits, such as potential gains for all partners and strategic alignment with SMEs' corporate objectives.
Team quality, relevance, and synergy of the project partners.

How to apply to the Quantum Leap program

Fill Non-Confidential FormDownload and complete the summarized non-confidential form.

Ensure all required fields and information are provided accurately.

Submit Preliminary ApplicationEmail the completed form to [email protected].

Submission can be done at any time.
Contact Jesse Paterson for any queries about the application process.

Video PresentationIf pre-selected, prepare a video presentation of your project.

The video will be shared with CQDM's pharmaceutical members.

Comprehensive ApplicationInvited candidates will prepare a full confidential application.

Incorporate feedback, questions, and concerns from pharmaceutical members.

Additional information

Projects must generate tangible deliverables to benefit CQDM's pharmaceutical members.
Engagement with CQDM's pharmaceutical members is crucial for developing the final project and experimental design.
Grants may include funds from various national and international partnerships coordinated by CQDM.
The opportunity is available for projects to secure future collaborations with the global industry.
Final terms for intellectual property and licensing policies are negotiated prior to project start, based on existing property and party contributions.
Submissions do not constitute licensing commitments at the initial application stage.