1. Program Overview

Program description

Targeted at faculty members of Polytechnique Montréal, Inflexion provides a structured environment to explore novel scientific ideas, clarify underlying fundamental challenges, and steer their development with rigor.

Positioned upstream of technological development, the program prioritizes bold approaches where value lies as much in the quality of the questions posed as in the results achieved.

The Institute and its network support teams in structuring their work, fostering a disciplined, methodical, and impact-oriented progression.

The program primarily targets early-stage (pre-POC) ideas, while allowing for the consideration of existing initiatives that meet these criteria.

2. Eligibility Conditions

Project eligibility criteria

Proposals must:

• Be led by a minimum of two faculty members from different disciplines and departments;
• Address one of the targeted societal challenges: Security, Environment, Health;
• Be at a pre-POC stage;
• Be based on a scientific intuition or hypothesis that remains largely unexplored;
• Demonstrate strong disruptive scientific or technological potential;
• Enable the formulation of critical, testable hypotheses.

A faculty member may be involved in multiple proposals. However, only one project per faculty member may be selected for funding.

The involvement of graduate and/or undergraduate students is strongly encouraged to support execution and research capacity.

It is preferable, but not required, that students come from diverse disciplines or departments.

3. Definition of disruptive potential

Conceptual framework

Within the Inflexion program, disruptive potential refers to the capacity of a scientific or technological idea to significantly transform a field by moving beyond existing approaches.

An initiative demonstrates disruptive potential when it:

• Explores scientific or technological spaces that remain largely uncharted;
• Proposes mechanisms, principles, or approaches that differ fundamentally from current solutions;
• Enables meaningful qualitative leaps rather than incremental improvements;
• Is grounded in a credible intuition that can be structured and experimentally tested;
• Shows strong potential for scientific, technological, or societal impact.

4. Non-Eligible Initiatives

Exclusions

The following proposals are not eligible:

• Initiatives lacking significant disruptive potential;
• Purely incremental approaches;
• Initiatives that cannot be structured into a rigorous scientific trajectory;
• Projects that are too mature and oriented toward advanced validation or pre-commercialization;
• Initiatives with no clear linkage to a relevant societal need or challenge;
• Initiatives unrelated to the targeted themes.

5. Funding

Financial support

Each selected initiative may receive up to:

$450,000 over 3 years ($150,000 per year)

Funding may cover:

• Personnel;
• Experimental activities;
• Scientific and technical services.

The purchase of equipment is not eligible.
Funding for years 2 and 3 is conditional upon progress evaluation, at the discretion of the Institute’s operational team and, where appropriate, the selection committee.

6. Expectations, Terms And Support

Team commitments

Selected teams commit to:

6.1 Structuring their research trajectory

• Formalizing critical hypotheses;
• Defining relevant experimental milestones;
• Progressively clarifying key scientific barriers.

6.2 Participating in Institute activities

• Structured progress reviews every six months;
• Participation in workshops and program activities;
• Engagement with the Institute’s support mechanisms.

6.3 External positioning

• Submitting an application for complementary funding at the end of year 1;
• Submitting a second application at the end of year 2.

Submission of applications is mandatory; successful funding outcomes are not required.

7. Expected Deliverables

Expected outcomes

Teams must demonstrate:

• Clear structuring of critical hypotheses;
• Progressive understanding of scientific barriers;
• A coherent and evolving research trajectory;
• A rigorous assessment of disruptive potential;
• Clear articulation of alignment with a societal challenge;
• Progress toward, and ideally the achievement of, a proof of concept (POC) with strong disruptive potential, which constitutes the program’s primary objective.

8. Timeline

Key milestones

• Submission of proposal (letter of intent & CCV): July 31, 2026
• Preliminary evaluation of submissions: August 2026
• Project presentations to the jury (with PowerPoint support): September–October 2026
• Start of funding: Fall 2026
• Duration: 3 years

9. Selection criteria

Evaluation framework

Proposals will be assessed based on:

• Disruptive potential and impact (33.3%)
• Originality of the research (33.3%)
• Alignment with the Institute’s mission (33.3%)

These criteria also inform the composition of the evaluation committee.

10. Application Components

Required materials

Applicants must submit:

• A letter of intent - see template (.pdf)
  • Font: Arial Size: 11 points
  • Line spacing: single
  • Margins: at least 1.9 cm (¾ inch) on all sides
  • Paper size: Letter (8.5 × 11 in.)
  • Page numbering: required
  • Black text only
  • Figures and tables are permitted, using a clearly legible font.
• A single PDF document containing the Canadian Common CV (CCV) of all faculty members participating in the application. The CCV must correspond to the format used for Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) competitions.
• A project presentation (PowerPoint format), to be submitted two weeks prior to the jury for review, including:
  • Description of the scientific intuition;
  • Analysis of disruptive potential;
  • Identification of critical hypotheses and scientific barriers;
  • Proposed trajectory and milestones;
  • Team composition;
  • Summary budget and justification.

11. Acknowledgement of receipt

Confirmation

A confirmation email will be sent upon receipt of each application.

12. Review Process

Evaluation process

Applications will be reviewed by an external jury composed of experts from academic and industrial sectors.

The committee may include individuals with a strong understanding of application contexts and adoption challenges.

All members are bound by strict confidentiality requirements throughout the evaluation process.

The process includes:

• Review of submissions;
• Oral presentations supported by submitted materials;
• Deliberation;
• Communication of decisions.

In exceptional cases, ongoing initiatives may be considered, provided they fully meet program criteria.

13. Frequently Asked Questions

FAQ

Is the program limited to projects close to application?
No. The program prioritizes exploratory ideas, as long as a credible trajectory toward a proof of concept can be established.

Is success defined by achieving a POC?
Yes. A credible trajectory must lead to the realization of a proof of concept.

Is external funding required?
Yes. Applications for complementary funding are required at the end of years 1 and 2. Success is not mandatory.

Why require two faculty members?
To ensure genuine interdisciplinarity and complementary perspectives.

Should the letter of intent be written in French or English?
The letter of intent may be submitted in French or English. Applications submitted in English will be evaluated by a French-speaking panel. To facilitate the evaluation, the panel may translate all or part of the content into French. Any translation carries the risk of losing nuances or leading to misinterpretations that could affect the evaluation of the application.

14. Equity, Diversity And Inclusion

Commitment

The Lassonde Institute adheres to the principles of equity, diversity, and inclusion promoted by Polytechnique Montréal.

Teams are encouraged to:

• Promote diversity of profiles and perspectives;
• Ensure equitable distribution of responsibilities;
• Contribute to an inclusive and collaborative research environment.

For more information: https://www.polymtl.ca/edi/

Contact 

Thibault Bloyet 
thibault.bloyet@polymtl.ca 
Lassonde Institute for Deep Technologies