Innovation Factory SOPHIE Commercialization Program
Can you win this grant?
Get your instant eligibility verdict plus a head start on the application. Free, no account needed.
Takes about 20 seconds. We use this program’s real eligibility rules.
Want your full match picture across 650+ programs? Take the 2-minute quiz →
Eligibility & Details
What this program funds and who can apply
Program Description
SOPHIE gives Ontario-based life science firms up to $100,000 in non-dilutive FedDev Ontario funding for a commercialization project run with a Hamilton-area academic or clinical partner — McMaster University, Mohawk College, Hamilton Health Sciences or St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton. The firm must match 1.25x the FedDev contribution in cash and in-kind, and identify a principal investigator or clinical champion at the partner institution. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.
Eligibility Requirements
- Must be a Canadian incorporated company with operations primarily based in Ontario.
- Must be a life science firm.
- Must be developing an innovative technology at the TRL-6 level or above.
- Must provide a 1.25x match as cash and in-kind contributions against the FedDev Ontario amount.
- Must identify a principal investigator or clinical champion at the academic or clinical partner institution where the proposed project will take place.
- The project must be a collaborative commercialization project with a Hamilton-area academic or clinical institution such as McMaster University, Mohawk College, Hamilton Health Sciences or St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton.
- Applications are accepted and reviewed on a continuous, rolling basis; there is no cost to apply.
- Funding is disbursed in stages on a reimbursement basis, so the firm must be able to carry project costs before being repaid.
Quick Assessment
Funding Details
- Amount
- Up to $100,000 in non-dilutive FedDev Ontario funding, requiring a 1.25x applicant match in cash and in-kind
- Type
- Grant
- Level
- Federal
- Co-Funding
- Up to 44% of eligible costs
- Deadline
- Rolling — applications reviewed continuously; program funding runs April 2024 to March 2028
Program Scorecard
Competition, effort, and approval at a glance
Everything you need to win Innovation Factory SOPHIE Commercializatio...
Not a marketing summary. The actual checklist, intel, and stack strategy reviewers look for.
- 9-document checklist with what each reviewer is actually checking
- 6-step application timeline with prep hours per step
- Insider tip from program officers on what separates winners
- Success profile + evaluation criteria — exactly what reviewers score on
How to Win
Insider tips, common pitfalls, and what successful applicants look like
Insider TipTwo things trip people up.
Evaluation Criteria
Application Playbook
Step-by-step process, required documents, and expenses
Application Steps
Required Documents 9
Eligible Expenses 5
Ineligible Expenses 4
Intake Periods
Deadline Notes
Ineligible Organizations
Applying for this program? Our Grant Proposal Template ($19) mirrors the section structure Canadian reviewers actually score on. Or get all 4 templates in the Founder Pack ($59 · saves $27) →
Funding Stack Strategy
Compatible programs, clawback risk, and combined funding potential
Stacking partner data not yet available.
Clawback Risk
Low RiskHow Innovation Factory SOPHIE Commercializatio... Compares
Side-by-side with similar programs
| Program | Amount | Difficulty | Payment | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Innovation Factory SOPHIE Commerciali... | Up to $100,000 | Moderate | Milestone-Based | Rolling — applications... |
| PrairiesCan (Prairies Economic Develo... | Varies | Hard | Reimbursement | Ongoing |
| InBC Investment Fund | $3M–$10M | Hard | Equity | Ongoing |
| Life Sciences Scale-up Fund (LSSUF) | Up to 33% of costs, to a max of... | Hard | Varies | 2026 intake open June 22... |
| Life Sciences Innovation Fund (LSIF) | Up to $500,000 | Moderate | Equity | Ongoing |
Related Programs
Other programs you might be eligible for
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the questions founders most often ask about Innovation Factory SOPHIE Commercializatio...