Campus Alberta Neuroscience (CAN) is pleased to present the NeuroSpark Innovation Grants, a program designed to foster and encourage neuroscience innovation and entrepreneurship in Alberta. 

Overview

Brain and mental health disorders affect 1 in 3 Canadians, and aside from personal and societal impact, have an economic cost estimated at $61 billion annually according to the Canadian Institute for Health Information. This massive burden is increasing each year due to an aging society and population growth.

NeuroSpark Innovation Grants offer financial support to individual, business and/or company projects with novel ideas, technologies, or approaches that have the potential to advance the understanding and translation of neuroscience research, reducing the burden of brain disorders while driving economic growth and diversification in Alberta.

CAN has a history of facilitating neuro-entrepreneurial excellence, with a track record of securing over $22 million in funding for brain health research and translation. CAN’s entrepreneurial seed grant program supported the development of 11 Alberta-based companies over just two years, creating more than 70 jobs and catalyzing a further $33 million in follow-on investment. CAN is committed to supporting innovation and connecting Albertan entrepreneurs to a strong and diverse network of academic institutes, NGOs, government bodies, health system agencies, and industry partners. 

In this spirit, the scope of activities eligible for NeuroSpark Innovation Grants includes a variety of development and growth activities, from Intellectual Property Protection to General Business Development. For more information regarding eligible activities and for additional program details, please refer to the full Program Guidelines.

The NeuroSpark Innovation Grants program is an initiative of the Brain Innovations Program, the first neuroscience-focused, end-to-end commercialization and talent development program in Western Canada. 



The full Program Guidelines are available here.

Program Guidelines

Key Dates

Program Launch July 17th, 2023
Application Deadline Applications are currently being accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis. The submission period will end once funding is expended OR on December 15, 2023, whichever comes first.

For the best chance at receiving funding, please apply as soon as possible.
Application Review Period August  – December 2023
Funding Decision notifications August – December 2023

Thank you for your interest in the NeuroSpark Innovation Grants.

Submissions to this program are now closed, but stay tuned for future opportunities!

Program Summary

Program Launch: July 17, 2023
Application Submission Deadline: Applications are currently being accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis.
The submission period will end once funding is expended OR on December 15, 2023, whichever comes first.
For the best chance at receiving funding, please apply as soon as possible.
Award Notifications: August through December 2023

Please note that applications are accepted on a rolling basis.

For more information, please see the Program Guidelines.

Applications may request any amount between $1,000 to $50,000 CAD and upon review, may be approved for either full or partial activity costs. Once the activity has been approved for funding and has been completed, applicants will submit receipts to CAN to receive reimbursement for actual costs.

For more information, please see the Program Guidelines.

The Primary Applicant is responsible for completeness and accuracy of the grant application. The Primary Applicant must be:

  • Affiliated with the University of Alberta, University of Calgary, or University of Lethbridge (affiliation may be through a co-applicant or by alumni status)
  • A CAN member (join here)
  • A key contributor to a small- or medium-sized neuroscience company, or in the process of creating a neuroscience company, which:
    • Is actively engaged in the development of neuroscience innovation
    • Has potential for generating revenue and/or training and employing high quality personnel in Alberta

All proposed project activities must fall under one of the following categories:

  • Business Development
  • Market Penetration
  • Intellectual Property Protection
  • Prototype Iteration
  • Technology Validation

For more information, please see the Program Guidelines.

Applications must be submitted electronically through the Online Application Submission Form. Please proofread applications before final submission as changes to the application after submission or after the application deadline will not be permitted. Only a single copy of the application will be accepted.

Grant requests will be processed and reviewed on a rolling basis, so the program end-date will either be December 15, 2023 by 12:00PM MST (noon) OR once program funding has been expended – whichever comes first. Therefore, please submit your application as soon as possible.

For more information, please see the Program Guidelines.

The CAN Review Committee will review all completed applications. Decisions will be based on satisfying the eligibility and adjudication criteria and the potential to create positive impacts in the neuroscience industry in Alberta. The Review Committee will provide comments for the applicant and a recommendation for funding to CAN. Final decisions will be made based on the level of funding available and in consultation with scientific and business experts.

Adjudication criteria includes:

  • Overall scientific and technical merit of the project/company
  • Entrepreneurial potential and significance to the Alberta neuroscience industry
  • Feasibility of the proposed activity/activities to produce the desired outcome(s)
  • Collaboration and partnerships across, or outside of, the neuroscience industry in Alberta
  • Clarity and appropriateness of the budget proposed for the activity

For more information, please see the Program Guidelines.

Applicants will be notified of the decision in writing by CAN. The Notice of Decision normally takes 20 working days following submission of the application and/or the submission deadline, but may vary. All decisions are final and cannot be appealed. The number of applications supported is dependent upon the availability of funds.

If successful, you will be required to complete an online final report for CAN before March 31, 2024, which will include:

  • If the funded activity achieved the intended results
  • What was learned and next steps
  • Financial information, as agreed upon administration of award
  • Additional evaluation questions from CAN

For more information, please see the Program Guidelines.

Frequently Asked Questions

Applications are currently being accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis.

The submission period will end once funding is expended OR on December 15, 2023, whichever comes first.

For the best chance at receiving funding, please apply as soon as possible.

There are eligibility requirements for the Primary Applicant, the Company, and the project activities.

The Primary Applicant must be:

  • Affiliated with the University of Alberta, University of Calgary, or University of Lethbridge (affiliation may be through a co-applicant or by alumni status)
  • A member of CAN
  • A key contributor to a small- or medium-sized neuroscience company, or in the process of creating a neuroscience company

The Company must:

  • Be actively engaged in the development of neuroscience innovation
  • Have potential for generating revenue and/or training and employing high quality personnel in Alberta

All proposed project activities must fall under one of the following categories:

  • Business Development
  • Market Penetration
  • Intellectual Property Protection
  • Prototype Iteration
  • Technology Validation

Activities considered for funding may include:

  • Business development: developing and implementing business strategies for growth and expansion
  • Market penetration: marketing and promotional activities to facilitate market entry and adoption
  • Prototype iteration: iterating and improving a product or service based on user feedback and market demands
  • Technology validation: testing and demonstrating effectiveness and performance of a technology
  • Intellectual property protection

Activities that will not be considered for funding include:

  • Basic research without a clear translational application
  • Capital expenditures
  • Projects not related to neuroscience

Applicants can request funding from $1,000 to $50,000 CAD. The application may be approved for either full or partial funding.

Applications are accepted through an Online Submission Portal. Before applying, please read the full Program Guidelines to ensure that your project and/or activity meet the eligibility requirements.

All eligible and complete applications submitted during the submission period will undergo review by the CAN Review Committee. Reviewers will have access to the full application. Conflict of Interest will be taken into account when assigning reviewers.

Applications will be evaluated on:

  • Overall scientific and technical merit
  • Entrepreneurial potential and significance to the Alberta neuroscience industry
  • Feasibility of the proposed activity/ies to produce the desired outcome(s)
  • Collaboration and partnerships across, or outside of, the neuroscience industry in Alberta
  • Clarity and appropriateness of the budget proposed for the activity

Reviewers will evaluate applications using a scoring system. Applications with scores falling within the fundable range may be approved for either full or partial funding. Decisions will be based on review committee evaluations, availability of funds, and alignment with the objectives of the program. All decisions are final and cannot be appealed.

Applications selected for funding will be notified approximately 20 working days after submission of the application (timeline may vary). It is the responsibility of the Primary Applicant to ensure that CAN is provided with current contact information and to notify of any changes to information provided in the original application.

Notices of Decisions will be returned approximately 20 working days after submitting the application (timeline may vary). Applicants will be notified regardless of the decision for funding and may receive comments from the Review Committee.

Applications selected for funding will be notified in writing to the Primary Applicant approximately 20 working days after submission (timeline may vary). It is the responsibility of the Primary Applicant to ensure that CAN is provided with current contact information and to notify of any changes to the information provided in the original application.

Successful Applicants must accept the offer by notifying CAN within ten (10) business days of receiving a notice of decision; failure to comply with this requirement may lead to withdrawal of the offer.

All successful Applicants, as part of their acceptance of funding, are required to submit a final report to CAN before March 31, 2024, which includes:

  • If the funded activity achieved the intended results
  • What was learned and next steps
  • Financial information, as agreed upon administration of award
  • Additional evaluation questions from CAN

An online reporting form will be provided by CAN.

Knowledge Translation, Science Education, and Public Engagement are key goals for CAN. Therefore, awardees may be asked to attend and/or participate in events and media to showcase the importance of neuroscience research, innovation, and entrepreneurship, provide education to both academic and lay audiences, and demonstrate the quality of neuroscience work being done in the province of Alberta.

Please ensure you have read the full Program Guidelines for any information you may need to complete your application.

If you are interested in applying for a NeuroSpark Innovation Grant and require further information, please contact Campus Alberta Neuroscience at abneuro@ucalgary.ca with the subject line “NeuroSpark Innovation Grants”.

About NeuroSpark Innovation Grants

The NeuroSpark Innovation Grants Program is an initiative of the Brain Innovations Program, which is funded in part by PrairiesCan. Learn more about the Brain Innovations Program here.

About CAN

Campus Alberta Neuroscience, established in 2012 with support from the Government of Alberta, is a province-wide neuroscience network connecting the Universities of Alberta, Calgary and Lethbridge to increase the impact of neuroscience and mental health research, education and translation, developing the province as an epicenter for neuroscience excellence. Through collaborative partnerships with researchers, government and health system stakeholders, industry and community organizations, CAN supports and accelerates innovative brain and mental health advances that improve brain health, patient care and quality of life in Alberta and beyond. For more information, please visit albertaneuro.ca.