2019 Commercialization Grant ApplicationPlease refer to the Program Guide for instructions on applying for a FfT Commercialization Grant. Word counts will be strictly enforced. Any additional text beyond the limits will not be reviewed.Please use 10 pt Arial.

We strongly recommend you discuss your proposal (suitability, fit, focus and goals) with one of the staff at the Research Innovation Office, before starting your application!

1. PROJECT INFORMATION

Project Title:

Short Title: (10 words)

Total Project Funding Requested from Food from Thought: $

Project Start Date:(no earlier than 1 Nov 2019)

Project End Date: (no later than 31 March 2021)

Principal Investigator Information:

Name:

Department:

College

Email address:

Phone:

Co-Investigator Information (Optional but recommended):Collaboration among different UofG Departments, is recommended.List any co-investigators who will also be receiving funding through this proposed project.

Name Department & College E-mail Address Phone

Food from Thought – Commercialization Grant Application 1

Technology Readiness Level (TRL)On a scale of 1-9, what is the TRL of your MVP. See Appendix for reference

Industry Partner(s): Name

Address

Contact Person Email:

Type of Organization

Industry Partner Contribution Summary:Provide the amounts of Partner cash and/or in-kind contributions from all eligible sources. Totals must match those in the Budget Template. Signed letters of support from partner organizations must be submitted for all cash and in-kind contributions listed.

Total Partner Cash

Total Partner In-Kind

$ $

Food from Thought (FfT) MissionsWhich FfT missions are supported by your project (Mandatory – at least one – Y/N) Develop tools and technologies to leverage big data to improve food production and sustain ecosystems

Transform agriculture’s impact on biodiversity at the global scaleSustainably intensify food production at the landscape scaleEnhance food safety and livestock health at the micro-scale

OMAFRA Research Themes Which, if any, OMAFRA themes are supported by your project (Optional – Y/N) Reference if needed http://www.uoguelph.ca/omafra_partnership/research/en/themespriorities/ResearchThemes.asp

Agricultural and Rural Policy Food for HealthFood from Thought – Commercialization Grant Application 2

Project Purpose:Indicate the single main purpose of this project. Choose only ONE.Market Validation:Conduct market validation of your proposed MVP with external usersPrototype Development:Create, optimize and test prototypes based on your MVP Product Market Launch:Launch a new commercial product (or MVP) into the market

Minimum Viable Product:Briefly describe your existing or proposed minimum viable product that you plan to commercialize (25 words)

Bioeconomy - Industrial Uses Products and Value ChainsEmergency Management Production Systems - Animals

Environmental Sustainability Production Systems – Plants

New Intellectual Property (IP):Do you expect to create new IP by the end of this project (Y/N)

Report of Invention (ROI):Have you submitted a Report of Invention for your MVP? (Y/N) If not briefly explain.

Training Graduate Students and HQP (Required):How many graduate students will receive formal or experiential training during this project? (Min of 1)

Masters student DVSc studentPh.D. student Post-doctoral fellow

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Previous Funding and Third-Party Rights to the Technology:Briefly list any agencies, programs or companies that have provided funding to develop your MVP to its current level. Do any of these funders have any rights to use the MVP or base technology that will obstruct its future commercialization. If so explain. Funders:

Explain any third-party rights:

2. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Plain Language Summary:This public non-confidential summary will be used for initial public communications and inquiries about your project. As such, please use plain language to explain the value of your MVP, market demand, how you intend to advance commercialization of your MVP, the project deliverables, and the next steps required following the completion of this project, to advance to commercial success. (Max 300 words)

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3. CURRENT ACHIEVEMENTS

If this project is a continuation of research previously funded by Food from Thought (FfT), please provide a brief (point form) description of the progress achieved to date with respect to your original FfT project and how these achievements support future commercialization.

If this project is not a continuation of a FfT project, then briefly describe (point form) the three most important achievements to date that demonstrate the current state and TRL of your MVP. (For example: completion of a feasibility study, market assessment, customer feedback survey, safety testing, in vitro or in vivo experimental results, efficacy evaluation, quality assessment, pilot plant production simulation, laboratory trial, field trials, clinical trials, creation of a useable fully functioning prototype, or demonstration of your technology at manufacturing scale. (Max 100 words)

4. EXPECTED DELIVERABLES AND TIMELINES

List only the main deliverables to be completed: Deliverables are tangible results to be achieved regarding products, technology, information,

reports, best practices, investments, contracts, business relationships etc. These outcomes should be simple, measurable, achievable, realistic and timely.

Sub-Tasks are activities that must be completed to maintain progress towards the deliverable. Target Completion Date is the latest date the deliverable must be achieved.

# DeliverableTarget

Completion Date (d/m/y)

Sub-Tasks Person/Party Responsible

1

2

3

Additional comments (only if required):

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5. MARKET DEMAND FOR YOUR MVP

Clearly describe your primary customer segments and how the value proposition your MVP supports the agri-food market. What is new, novel or technically innovative about your MVP? How does it compare with competitive products in the market? What is the main competitive advantage of your MVP?

What are the main features of your MVP and what DATA or EVIDENCE do you have to support your belief that these features are valued by customers?

Considering the current state of development of your MVP, explain why this project (solving the problem or removing specific obstacles/hurdles) is essential to enable commercialization of your MVP.

(Max 200 words, and if needed, references may be included in the Appendix - References).

6. DETAILED WORK PLAN TO ADVANCE COMMERCIALIZATION

Work Plan:Provide a detailed (point form) description of your work plan to achieve your deliverables and advance the commercialization of your MVP. (Max 300 words)

Project Management and Monitoring:List (point form) how you will manage the project to ensure it proceeds on time and on budget and achieves the deliverables for the benefit of the stakeholders participating. (Max 100 words)

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7. EXPERTISE OF THE RESEARCH TEAM AND INDUSTRY PARTNER

Why are these people best suited to Maximize the probability of commercialisation of your MVP, to increase knowledge mobilization, and to train HQP? (Max 200 words total) Research Team:

Industry Partner:

8. TRAINING OF HIGHLY QUALIFIED PERSONNEL

Describe the role of students and other HQP in the project. How will the project provide innovative, unique, and multi-disciplinary training opportunities for students and HQP (examples: innovative agri-food research, the commercialization of research, entrepreneurship in general and business leadership). (Max 200 words)

9. FUTURE IMPACT OF THIS PROJECT

Provide a list (point form) of the probable future impacts of this project if completed as planned. These can be short, medium, or long-term outcomes. Please try to estimate when these impacts will be achieved.

For example: adoption of new technologies and practices by industry, follow-on funding, additional products launched, start-up companies created, jobs created etc.) and any broader impacts on the agri-food sector, society, environment, and/or economy (e.g., improvements in human, animal or environmental health, improvements to productivity, resilience, etc). (Max 200 words)

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10. KNOWLEDGE MOBILIZATION STRATEGY

KM to Support Commercialization:Identify the parties or agents expected to use the results from this project to advance the commercialization of your MVP. Describe the activities, with associated timelines, the team (or industry partner) that will help share the results with end users to accelerate commercialization. (Max 100 words)

11. SUPPORT FOR EQUITY, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSIVITY

EDI Plan:If not already described in your work plan, briefly describe how this project will support and enhance Diversity, Equality and Inclusivity. (MAX 100 words)

12. BUDGET

The funds requested must match your project goals and not exceed:

$20,000 for Market Validation, or$50,000 for Prototype Development, or$20,000 for Product Market Launch

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Complete the budget in the Excel template provided AND transfer the final values to this summary below.

Indirect cost rate (overhead) is zero 0% and does not need to be included in your budget.

Budget items must be fully justified and represent good value for funds requested. Use the Budget Notes section at the bottom of the budget to provide more details on any expenses which require explanation, such as the number of grad students/technicians (salary) you intend to hire for the project and their compensation. Reviewers will use this information when evaluating your proposal.

Description Amount $FUNDING REVENUEPartner Cash $Partner In-Kind Value $FfT Funds Requested

Note: Total Project Value = Total Expenses + In-Kind Value Total Project Value

SUMMARY OF EXPENSES1 Salaries and Benefits2 Travel, Subsistence, per diems3 Equipment and Supplies 4 Computers and Communications5 Dissemination of Research Results, Networking; Knowledge Mobilization 6 Service and Miscellaneous

Total Expenses

Budget Notes: Explanation of unusual items

13. ADDITIONAL DATA REQUIREMENTS

If your proposal is selected for funding, you will be asked to submit additional information such as a Data Management Plan. After the completion of your project, you will be required to submit additional metrics (data) describing the actual deliverables, MVP or commercial products developed and the impact they have had in the market. Do you acknowledge and agree to provide this additional information to the FfT administration – if your project is funded? Y/N

14. CONFLICT OF INTEREST - DECLARATION

Definition of Conflict of Interest:

When you, or any member of your research team, or any direct family member is:(i) an officer, director, partner, trustee, employee, advisory board member, or agent of any company or

organization that is (a) funding this project in whole or in part (cash or in-kind); or (b) from which goods or services will be obtained for this project (including sub-contractors); or

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(c) whose financial position could benefit from the results of this project (ii) an actual or beneficial owner of stock or controlling interest in any company or organization as defined in

(a), (b) or (c) above? (iii) employed by or deriving income or a personal benefit within the past year, or anticipate being employed by

or deriving income or a personal benefit, from any company or organization as defined in (a), (b) or (c) above?

(iv) holding an interest in or entitled to receive revenue from any intellectual property (e.g. patents, copyrights, trademarks, plant breeders’ rights) owned by or licensed to any company or organization as defined in (a), (b) or (c) above?

When funding for this project is used to employ or otherwise compensate any direct family member of you, the Co-Investigator or any family member of your research team?

Any Conflict of Interest must be declared, according to Tri-Agency funding policy.

Do you (Primary Investigator), the Co-Investigator, or any active member on your research team have any potential Conflict of Interest, if this project is awarded funding? Y/N.

If you suspect so, briefly explain.Explain:

15. SIGNATURES

I hereby certify that I, and the Co-Investigators listed on this application, are eligible to hold Tri-Agency awards, and that I have read and understand the PI Responsibilities as set out in the Food from Thought - Commercialization Grant - Program Guide.

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR:

Signature: ______________________________________________ DATE: _____________________

DEPARTMENT CHAIR:

Signature: ______________________________________________ DATE: _____________________

Appendix - References

Include all references cited in the sections above in the space provided here.

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Appendix - Technology Readiness Levels-

Use the following scale to determine the current Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of your product or technology according to the definitions below:TLR-1 Basic Principles Observed: The translation of basic scientific research into applied research. This is mostly the exploration of a technology’s basic properties.

TLR-2 Technology Concept Formulated: The study of how technologies could be applied in the market. This is the point where the project’s direction takes form.

TLR-3 Experimental Proof-of-Concept Created: At this phase, active product development begins, and a technological solution is developed. This stage looks at the critical function of the technology and attempts to determine what is required for this technology to meet the end user’s requirements.

TLR-4 Prototype Validated in the Lab: The integration and testing of basic components in a laboratory environment. This can be done multiple times during technology development to ensure that the technology is progressing toward its desired purpose.

TLR-5 Prototype Validated in the Field: The integration and testing of basic components in a real or simulated field environment. This is done following lab testing and usually involves accessing better testing equipment to identify potential issues in the field.

TLR-6 Prototype Demonstrated in an Industrial Relevant Field: Upon completion of the technology’s design, more thorough testing under industrial conditions can commence. This will provide data critical to the commercialization phase for which the technology is applied.

TLR-7 Prototype Demonstrated under Industrial Operational Environment: Using the prototype in an operational environment to understand how well it performs in non-simulated testing. Further development and optimization may be required to address performance issues.

TLR-8 Final Testing and Evaluation: Upon further testing and commissioning under all predicted operating conditions, the technology has proven itself to be successful.

TLR-9 Successful Deployment: The technology, in its final form, is manufactured and deployed to end users for use in real-life conditions.

The completed application package must be submitted electronically by email to:Research Innovation Office: accel@uoguelph.cacopy Michelle Ebling ebling@uoguelph.cacopy David Hobson dhobson@uoguelph.ca

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