Internal Funding Opportunity

Proof of Principle Grant Competition

Internal Funding Opportunity

IP&C’s annual Proof of Principle (PoP) Grant Competition helps advance promising SickKids discoveries toward commercial products, with the goal of attracting investments, enabling partnerships, and supporting the creation of new life science ventures.

Transform your ideas into impact.

The SickKids Proof of Principle (PoP) Grant Competition provides targeted funding and strategic support to help advance SickKids discoveries and inventions toward commercializable technologies. The goal is to enable the development of innovations with strong potential to attract investment, catalyze high-value licenses, or lead to the creation of science-based companies. All applicants will receive constructive feedback, and selected proposals will proceed to a Pitch Day event, where finalists will compete for funding.

To be eligible for the PoP Grant Competition, projects must demonstrate clear potential for real-world impact, along with early evidence supporting further development.

Please review all competition guidelines and resources prior to applying. For questions, please contact ask.ipc@sickkids.ca.

2026 Proof of Principle Grant Competition

Call for Applications

IP&C is excited to open the call for applications for the 2026 PoP Grant Competition!

We encourage researchers with high-potential discoveries and a clear vision for translation to submit an application and take the next step toward impact.

The deadline to apply is 5:00 PM EST, May 18, 2026.

2026 Competition Guidelines

Applicants may request funding per the award threshold below for a project period of up to 12 months to support work that demonstrates proof of concept, reduces development risk, or otherwise advances the technology toward translational readiness.

  • Medical Device/Clinical Software/Diagnostics = Maximum $75,000
  • Pharma/Biotech = Maximum $125,000

Funding for successful projects will be released in installments as the project progresses and meets its agreed-upon milestones.

Eligible Costs:

  • Project consumables
  • Research materials
  • Applicable service fees (e.g. core facility fees, statistical services, clinical services, etc.)
  • SickKids personnel

Ineligible Costs:

  • Computer and equipment purchasing
  • Capital or overhead costs
  • Travel
  • Principal investigator or external collaborator salaries

To be eligible for the PoP Grant Competition, projects must demonstrate clear potential for real-world impact, along with early evidence supporting further development.

Projects must also fulfill the following conditions:

☐ An invention disclosure for the technology must be on file with the IP&C Office.

  • If one is not already on file, applicants should submit a new disclosure via the Inventor Portal before the SK POP application cycle closes.

☐ The proposed project should have fulfilled the requirements for Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 2.

☐ The proposed project must not already be supported by other PoP-type or industry funding.

Additional Details:

  • The Principal Applicant must hold a current SickKids appointment at one of the following levels:
    Technology Innovation Investigator, Scientist-track, Scientist, Associate Scientist, Senior Scientist, Senior Associate Scientist, or Project Investigator.
  • An individual may serve as Principal Applicant on only one submission per funding cycle. A Principal Applicant may be named as a Co-Applicant on other submissions.
  • Research Associates, Clinical and Research Fellows, and Residents are not eligible to apply as Principal Applicants but may be included as Co-Applicants.

Submit your application via the Microsoft Forms Portal by 5:00 PM EST, May 18, 2026

Note: Microsoft Forms only enables the save-and-edit function after an initial submission. To avoid losing work, prepare your responses separately and paste them into the form when ready. Preview the application questions below.

Application Questions:

* = required

Project Overview

  1. Project Title*
  2. Project Description*
    • Provide a concise lay summary of the unmet need and proposed solution. (Max 1000 characters)
  3. Project Objectives/Outcomes*
    • List 1-3 primary objectives/outcomes.
  4. Keywords*
    • Provide at least five keywords describing the scientific, technical, and clinical areas central to your project. These will be used to assign reviewers.
  5. Invention Disclosure*
    • Provide the title and submission date of the Invention Disclosure for the proposed technology.

Applicant Information

  1. Principal Applicant*
    • Please provide the Principal Applicant’s Full Name, Position, and Department at SickKids.
  2. Co-Applicants
    • List up to 5 co-applicants, including Full Name, Position, and Organization.

Funding Information

  1. Funding Amount*
    • Specify the total PoP funding requested.
  2. Other Funding Sources
    • List any previously received, pending, or other anticipated funding for the project.

Science & Innovation

  1. Needs Analysis*
    • Describe the unmet need your project addresses and current solution gaps. (Max 2000 characters)
  2. Technology Details*
    • Describe the novelty of the technology and summarize evidence supporting completion of TRL 2. Include any additional progress to date. (Max 2000 characters)

Commercialization Potential

  1. Intellectual Property Strategy*
    • Describe the IP strategy and status of any filings. Include inventors, pre-existing obligations, and ownership details. (Max 2000 characters)
  2. Market Analysis*
    • Describe the target market and highlight the technology’s competitive advantage. (Max 2000 characters)

PoP Potential

  1. Team Capacity*
    • Describe each team member’s expertise, role, and contributions. (Max 1500 characters)
  2. Development Plan*
    • Outline the key steps and de-risking activities planned during the 12-month funding period. Describe expected outcomes and identify milestones, decision points, and relevant regulatory considerations. (Max 2500 characters)

Supplementary Materials

  1. You may upload any supplementary figures or references here.
    • File number limit: 2, File size limit: 1GB, File type: PDF, Word

The SickKids PoP Grant Competition follows a two-stage selection process:

Internal Review

All submitted applications will be evaluated by a review committee comprised of subject matter experts and representatives from the Industry Partnerships & Commercialization (IP&C) Office. Projects will be assessed for their technical merit, potential for translation, and fit with the PoP program objectives.

Pitch Day

Applications selected from the internal review will advance to the Pitch Day stage. At this point, applicants will receive support from an IP&C Business Development representative to refine the project scope and commercialization strategy. Projects will be scored based on the following criteria:

Science & Innovation

    • Evaluates the novelty of the technology, its alignment with a defined unmet need, the quality of supporting evidence, and the soundness of the proposed development approach.

Commercialization Potential

    • Assesses market opportunity, competitive positioning, intellectual property strategy, and awareness of the regulatory pathway required for successful translation.

PoP Potential

    • Examines team capacity, feasibility of the project plan, appropriateness of the budget, and the alignment of de-risking activities with TRL advancement.

During the project funding period, the successful principal applicants will be required to:

  1. Participate in quarterly progress meetings with IP&C and a designated faculty representative (e.g. Roman Melnyk, Faculty Liaison for Commercialization & Innovation).
  2. Submit a final progress report no later than 30 days following project completion
  3. Deliver a final presentation to select Research Institute leadership

 

Additional Funding Opportunity: Breakthrough Fund

One or more PoP-funded projects may be selected for additional support through the SickKids Foundation Breakthrough Fund. No changes to the current application process are required to be eligible. If selected, additional engagement with SickKids Foundation donors will be required.

 

Acknowledgement Requirement

All publications, presentations, or media coverage related to the funded project must include the following statement: “Funds for this research were provided by a Proof of Principle Grant from The Hospital for Sick Children.”

Resources

Full Application Guidelines

Technology Readiness Level (TRL) Information Sheet

Link to Application Form

$0
Total funds awarded through PoP to support innovation at SickKids

Past PoP Grant Recipients

YearAwardPrincipal InvestigatorProject TitleClassification
2016$100,000Dr. Charles DeberDevelopment of novel antimicrobial peptides against bacterial biofilmsTherapeutic
2017$100,000Dr. Brian KavanaghNegative abdominal pressure for injured lungsMedical Device
2017$100,000Dr. Roman MelnykAdvancing the development of a potent RAS-targeted therapeuticTherapeutic
2018$56,000Dr. Adrian JamesSteerable Endoscopic Ear Surgery InstrumentMedical Device
2018$99,680Dr. Jason MaynesMachine Learning Algorithms for Toxicity and Cardiac Health (MATCH)Therapeutic
2018$148,199Dr. Jean-Philippe JulienIn vivo evaluation of the multabody platform for cancer immunotherapyTherapeutic
2019$100,000Dr. Robert HamiltonAutoantibodies to Actin, Keratin and Connexin as biomarkers/mechanisms for Brugada SyndromeDiagnostic
2019$99,800Dr. Cynthia HawkinsClinical development of liquid biopsy for cancer detection and monitoringDiagnostic
2019$100,000Dr. Lynne HowellBioactive surfaces to prevent microbial biofilmsMedical Device
2021$100,000Dr. Christine BearDeveloping a small molecule CFTR potentiator as a therapy for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) or bronchitisTherapeutic
2021$100,000Dr. Maryse BouchardNovel Dynamic Foot Abduction Bar for Clubfoot Brace TreatmentMedical Device
2021$100,000Dr. Xi HuangTreating glioblastoma using an ion channel-targeting designer interference peptideTherapeutic
2022$100,000Dr. Roman MelnykAdvancing the development of gut-restricted bile acid derivatives to treat C. difficile diseaseTherapeutic
2022$100,000Dr. Steve PrescottAutomated pain behavior testing in miceMedical Device
2022$100,000Dr. Xi HuangIdentifying potassium channel modulators to target brain tumor-initiating cellsTherapeutic
2023$100,000Dr. Lu-Yang Wang​Innovating Positive Allosteric Modulators of Potassium Channels to Treat EpilepsyTherapeutic
2023$100,000 Dr. Xi Huang​Identifying Small Molecule Potassium Channel Inhibitors as Novel Cancer TherapeuticsTherapeutic
2023$100,000Dr. John ParkinsonSmart Capsule for Non-Invasive Targeted Sampling and Delivery in the GutMedical Device
2024$100,000Dr. Christine BearComparison of SickKids CFTR Potentiator to Ensifentrine in Ameliorating COPD in In-Vitro and In-Vivo ModelsTherapeutic
2024$100,000Dr. Jayne DanskaPlatform Conversion of Novel Antibody Biomarkers for Type 1 Diabetes and Patient Response to Preventative ImmunotherapyDiagnostic
2024$100,000Dr. Lynne HowellIn Silico Designed Glycoside Hydrolases for Treatment of Biofilm InfectionsTherapeutic
2025$100,000Dr. Dale PodolskyStreamlining a Novel Minimally Invasive Cranial Bone Cutting ToolMedical Device
2025$100,000Dr. Robert HamiltonCongenital Heart Block in Autoimmune-Related Maternal Conditions (CHARM)Diagnostic
2025$100,000Dr. Christopher PearsonDeveloping AI-Screened Slipped-DNA Ligands that Target Expanded Repeats for Therapeutic BenefitTherapeutic
TOTAL$2,403,679   

PoP Grant Recipient 2021, 2022

“The SickKids Proof of Principle grant is the reason that our discovery can move along the preclinical-commercialization-clinical path. With it, we are making significant progress to provide a new therapy for brain cancer patients.”

Dr. Xi Huang

Senior Scientist, Developmental and Stem Cell Biology | Canada Research Chair in Cancer Biophysics

“PoP Funding allowed our team to conduct a clinical study for our orthopaedic medical device, with results demonstrating the device’s efficacy and indicating significant patient demand, With licensing on the horizon, this work has inspired us to continue innovating to bring novel ideas to the orthopaedic device market”
Dr. Maryse Bouchard, Paediatric Orthopaedic Surgeon, SickKids Project Investigator