Big ideas need serious backing, and that’s exactly what the University of Toronto’s Accelerate Grant Program is here to provide.
With over $1.5 million in funding available, this opportunity is designed to fast-track groundbreaking research and transform innovative thinking into real-world impact.
The program supports the work of the Acceleration Consortium (AC), which brings together scientists, researchers, and innovators from different disciplines to speed up the discovery process, particularly through self-driving labs (SDLs), AI-powered research tools, and data-driven automation in science.
Whether your research touches on materials discovery, sustainable technology, healthcare innovation, or the policy and ethics behind advanced automation, this program wants to hear from you.
Applications are welcome from a wide range of fields: physical sciences, life sciences, computer science, and even social science.
There’s also strong encouragement for Indigenous science and technology projects and community-engaged research.
Areas of Focus
You don’t have to be working in just one niche. The grant welcomes ideas that relate to:
- Developing self-driving laboratories or the AI tools behind them
- Using SDLs for discovering new materials or molecules
- Exploring the social, ethical, or economic impact of AI and automation
- Building policies or frameworks to ensure the responsible and inclusive adoption of these technologies
- Projects that support human health or sustainability outcomes
Grant Categories & Funding Amounts
1. Seed Funding
- Accelerate Seed Grant: Up to $125,000 (1 year)
- CRAFT-AC Seed Grant: Up to $100,000 (1 year)
Must involve microfluidics-based technologies and utilize NRC in-kind resources
- IVADO-AC Seed Grant: Up to $250,000 (2 years)
Co-led by faculty from U of T and one of IVADO’s partner universities (UdeM, Polytechnique, HEC, ULaval, McGill)
2. Moonshot Funding
- Accelerate Moonshot Grant: Up to $500,000 (2 years)
- Institut Courtois-IVADO-AC Moonshot Grant: Up to $400,000 (2 years)
Requires 3 co-investigators: one from Institut Courtois, one from U of T, and one from an IVADO partner university
3. Translation Funding
- Up to $500,000 over two years
- Additional $300,000 available for equipment, depending on project needs
Who’s Eligible?
Eligibility requirements aren’t the same across streams; it depends on the grant stream, but here’s a general overview:
- Lead Principal Investigators must meet U of T’s eligibility requirements for tri-agency funding
- AC Staff Scientists can join as co-applicants
- CRAFT-AC projects must align with microfluidics and include NRC research staff
- IVADO-AC and Institut Courtois streams must include co-leads from their respective institutions
How to apply
Start by submitting a 2-page Notice of Intent (NOI). This helps the review committee assess the scope and fit of your project and decide if applications can be merged for joint review.
Be as clear and concise as possible. This first step helps determine whether you’re invited to submit a full proposal.
To get more details about the program and specific requirements, visit the official Accelerate Grant Program page.