VRQ call for projects

• Financial support ranging from $20,000 to $50,000 per project.
• 2 to 4 projects selected per competition cycle, with a total maximum of $100,000 awarded each cycle.
• Annual funding allocation does not exceed $200,000 across all selected projects.
• For projects exceeding $25,000, a support letter from a critical commercialization partner is mandatory; this is not required for projects under $25,000.
• Indirect research costs are eligible but must not exceed 27% of the requested amount, and total aid per project cannot exceed $50,000.

• The applicant must be a researcher affiliated with one of the following institutions: CCSMTL, CHUM, CIUSSS EMTL, CIUSSS NIM, HEC Montréal, CHU Sainte-Justine, IRCM, Polytechnique Montréal, or Université de Montréal.
• The project must be derived from technology transfer activities of member institutions formerly affiliated with Univalor and have an invention disclosure submitted to the applicant's institution or Axelys before the submission deadline.
• The project must be at the valorization stage and not fundamental research.
• The project must not be eligible for an existing PSO technology maturation program.
• The project cannot use received funds as a matching contribution for other public funding from the Government of Quebec.

Who is eligible?

• Research teams affiliated with CCSMTL
• Research teams affiliated with CHUM
• Research teams affiliated with CIUSSS EMTL
• Research teams affiliated with CIUSSS NIM
• Research teams affiliated with HEC Montréal
• Research teams affiliated with CHU Sainte-Justine
• Research teams affiliated with IRCM
• Research teams affiliated with Polytechnique Montréal
• Research teams affiliated with Université de Montréal

Who is not eligible

• Companies whose projects are eligible for the PSO (Programme de soutien à l'innovation) technology maturation program.
• Organizations seeking funding for fundamental research rather than for innovation maturation and commercialization.
• Projects that intend to use VRQ funding as a matching contribution for a public funding program managed by the Government of Quebec.

Eligible expenses

• Salaries of personnel assigned to the project.
• Purchase of consumables required for project maturation.
• Fees for external consultants.
• Field experimentation costs.
• Other expenses supporting project maturation, except patent fees.
• Indirect research costs (up to 27% of the total budget).

Eligible geographic areas

• Organizations affiliated with the following institutions located in Quebec: CCSMTL, CHUM, CIUSSS EMTL, CIUSSS NIM, HEC Montreal, CHU Sainte-Justine, IRCM, Polytechnique Montréal, Université de Montréal.

• Relevance and impact of the project (35 points), including how well the innovation addresses a concrete problem, its contribution to bringing the solution closer to adoption, and its demonstrated social, environmental, and/or economic impact.
• Research team and deployment plan (25 points), covering the credibility of the team, adequacy of the transfer and valorization strategy, and the robustness of the intellectual property management plan.
• Project quality (40 points), considering the overall quality of the project approach, clarity and feasibility of objectives, coherence between project objectives and financial planning/timeline, and clear demonstration of financial need for the grant.

• The maximum project duration allowed under this funding is 24 months.
• For requests above $25,000, a letter of support from a critical commercialization partner is required.
• Indirect research costs are eligible up to a maximum of 27%, but their inclusion is not generally recommended.
• The announcement of selected projects will be made no later than January 23, 2026.