Scientific and Innovative Venture Program (SIVP)

• An annual FRQ excellence fellowship of $50,000 awarded to the individual for one year, with the possibility of renewal.

• The candidate must hold a PhD (third cycle) obtained within the last 5 years from the year the competition opens, or have submitted their doctoral thesis before starting in the program.
• The candidate must have legal status to work in Canada for the duration of the funding period.
• The candidate must be domiciled in Quebec for the funding period and available for in-person meetings.
• The project must involve the creation or development of a scientific business based on a research-driven innovation requiring research and development.
• The candidate must commit to founding the company and, upon entry and for the entire duration of funding, must own more than 15% of shares, with the founding entrepreneurs collectively holding over 50% of the company's shares and voting rights.

Who is eligible?

• Scientific enterprises derived from public research
• Startups centered on innovative research and development projects
• Companies in the fields of science, technology, health, or society and culture

Eligible expenses

• Personal stipend for the individual to dedicate full time to business creation and development (equivalent to a postdoctoral fellowship).
• Expenses related to business strategy, commercialization, business development, partnership building, and market validation activities.
• Costs for acquiring key skills through business coaching, transversal skills coaching, and training in intellectual property management.

Eligible geographic areas

• Quebec

• Quality of the entrepreneurial project (20%): Clarity in identifying the problem to be solved, clarity and relevance of the proposed entrepreneurial solution, and the innovative character of the project.
• Impact of the project (20%): Potential societal, economic, and environmental impact at local, national, or international level.
• Demonstration of project and team advancement (40%): Project progress according to the six KTH Innovation readiness levels, with concrete examples supporting the identified stage of development.
• Expected benefits of participating in the CESI program (20%): Potential impact of funding and support for the candidate, for the creation of the company, and for the evolution of the entrepreneurial solution in relation to the action plan; motivation for integrating entrepreneurship into the candidate's career plan and demonstrated necessity for partnership with a university.

• Candidates must attend bi-weekly follow-up meetings with V1 Studio and participate in a quarterly review of objectives.
• An information webinar is available as a recorded resource to assist with preparing an application.
• Annual renewals of the grant are possible and will be evaluated based on progress and updated objectives.
• A final experience report must be submitted to the Fonds de recherche du Québec following the completion of the grant period.