Quantum Leap

• The applicant must be a Canadian small or medium-sized enterprise (SME) or a public research institution (such as a university or affiliated research centre).
• The project must be an innovative translational R&D initiative in biopharmaceutical research carried out in collaboration with one or more large biopharmaceutical organizations.
• The project must focus on enabling technologies, pioneering platforms or innovative therapeutic approaches that improve, facilitate or significantly accelerate drug discovery and development.
• The project must aim to generate tangible deliverables that CQDM’s pharmaceutical members can use at the end of the project.
• The applicant must be able to secure counterpart funding from other sources (private, semi-private or not-for-profit public organizations), in addition to CQDM and its pharmaceutical members.

Who is eligible?

• Canadian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)
• Canadian public research institutions
• Canadian universities

Eligible expenses

• Salaries and social benefits for research personnel working on the project (technicians, assistants, research associates, post-doctoral researchers and students).
• Equipment, consumables and laboratory supplies required for the project, including platform usage fees and animal facility fees.
• Travel costs directly linked to the project (project meetings, collaborations, conferences) and expenses related to dissemination of research results.
• Costs related to intellectual property, such as patent application fees and patent maintenance fees for the duration of the project.
• Purchase or rental of small equipment items with a maximum unit value of $25,000.
• Payments to subcontracted companies that are not project partners, when their contribution is essential to the project and cannot be carried out by the SME or research institution.

Eligible geographic areas

• Companies and public research institutions located anywhere in Canada.

• Impact on the development of new drugs and ability to significantly advance biopharmaceutical R&D.
• Scientific excellence, including the innovative nature of the research and quality of the experimental plan.
• Feasibility of the project, based on current technology status, preliminary data, clear milestones, deliverables and project management.
• Positioning and competitive advantage compared to existing or emerging international technologies, and potential to transform the biopharmaceutical field.
• Marketing potential and economic benefits, including a credible development and commercialization plan, required funding, expected timeline, and alignment with partners’ business objectives.

• The next known selection round is scheduled for February 12, 2026.
• Projects are developed in close collaboration with representatives from one or more CQDM pharmaceutical members, who may help refine the final project and experimental design.
• Selected candidates must sign a research agreement with CQDM within three months of funding confirmation, including milestones, timelines, and deliverables.
• Intellectual property remains with the researchers or their institutions, while participating pharmaceutical members typically obtain privileged, usually non-exclusive, R&D access to resulting technologies.