The Pivotal Experiment Fund (PEF) is a strategic and competitive program intended to advance translation of Medicine by Design’s team projects portfolio. The PEF aims to build a robust, pre-clinical pipeline of regenerative medicine-based therapies, enabling technologies and ventures that have strong potential for clinical, socio-economic and/or commercial impact. Medicine by Design will invest up to $3 million in the PEF.
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About the Pivotal Experiment Fund
The PEF will bridge a critical gap within the innovation ecosystem by supporting early-stage regenerative medicine research discoveries to a point where follow-on investment from third parties is attractive. A pivotal experiment is one that enables a “go/no go” decision on the merits of a product concept based on outcomes that drive a value inflection in the development plan. The PEF is a strategic and competitive program intended to advance translation of select Medicine by Design team (Cycle 2) projects.
The PEF will
- Provide project funding of up to $250,000 over 6 to 12 months. In exceptional cases, consideration may be given to a larger investment, subject to discussions with Medicine by Design during the proposal development process.
- Support the generation of pivotal proof-of-concept and/or validation data, enabling the first steps towards demonstrating therapeutic potential and/or technological utility.
- Support projects that are defined by clear, milestone-driven (clear go/no go) decision points over a 6 to 12 months period.
- Encourage projects that leverage co-investment from ecosystem partners and programs (e.g. Connaught Innovation Award, UHN Innovation Acceleration Fund, CCRM, TIAP/LAB150, industry partners, etc.).
Project activities can include but are not limited to:
- Generation of preclinical, pivotal in vivo efficacy and/or proof-of-concept data.
- Demonstration of a technology for a regenerative medicine application.
- Critical, pivotal experiments to support the early stages of target validation.
- Drug screening on a validated target.
- Demonstrating feasibility of cell manufacturing scale-up.
News
Investment Review Committee
Bharat Srinivasa
Co-Founder and Principal, Amplitude Ventures
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Glenn Maclean
Director, Technology and Venture Development, CCRM
Jacques Sayegh
CEO and Managing Partner, Samuel Capital Partners
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Jamie Stiff
Managing Director, Genesys Capital
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Matthew Mistry
Market and Equity Analyst, CCRM Enterprises Inc.
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Parimal Nathwani
CEO, Toronto Innovation Acceleration Partners (TIAP)
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How to apply
Please note: Applications are currently not being accepted, as the latest round of funding has been awarded. Dates for future funding rounds are TBD. Contact awards.mbd@utoronto.ca with any questions.
Application documents can be found at the links below: