ASCENT call for proposals

The ASCENT Call for Proposal addresses key challenges in university-led dual-use research, innovation and technology development. ASCENT invites researchers to advance applied research and technologies that support both civilian and security applications by fostering partnerships among academia, industry, government and community organizations.

ASCENT will support experimentation, testing, rapid-prototyping, validation, maturation and security of dual-use applied research. The program also encourages equity, accessibility, public policy and governance, and knowledge mobilization to help ensure that emerging technologies are developed and implemented responsibly and effectively.

Each selected ASCENT project will be awarded up to a maximum of $2 million in research funds. Projects are expected to be 2 years in length with a grant start date of January 2027.

Application submission deadline: August 31, 2026, 1:00 p.m. EST 

• Followed by a compliance check by Volt-Age

Final deadline (for compliance-related requests only): September 11, 2026, 1:00 p.m. EST 

Results announcement: November 2026 

Project start: January 2027 

ASCENT projects are expected to contribute to a fair and just energy transition and have impact by:  

• Advancing the development and responsible deployment of clean energy and decarbonization solutions with dual-use applications, ensuring benefits across civilian applications and broader strategic national contexts; 
• Translating research to commercialization through creation of intellectual property and nurturing entrepreneurial ventures; 
• Incorporating diverse perspectives, experiences, and knowledge systems; 
• Supporting societal acceptability and social integration of new technology throughout the research process; 
• Seeking to make lasting change beyond the scope of the project. 

Proposals must exhibit the potential for significant, sustained, scalable and replicable impacts, aligning with Canada’s sovereign and decarbonization goals and setting a benchmark for future initiatives. A broad range of academic, public, community and private partners must be involved in the project to demonstrate real and significant impacts focusing on innovation, economic viability, equity and the security and well-being of society, through the responsible advancement of dual-use technologies. 

Applicants must be affiliated with Concordia University. All project funds must remain at Concordia University.  

Co-Applicants must be affiliated with Concordia University or a Volt-Age Partner Institution or other post-secondary institutions chartered in Canada. Volt-Age Partner Institutions: University of Calgary, Dalhousie University, Toronto Metropolitan University. 

Eligible Partner(s) must be one of the following:  

• Canadian incorporated for-profit organizations 
• Canadian incorporated not-for-profit organizations 
• Canadian provincial, territorial and municipal government organizations 
• Indigenous organizations 
• Crown corporations

• Application Guide
• Core Team Member Form

Submitting your application

1. The Applicant must submit a completed Core Team Member Form to volt-age@concordia.ca with the filled Core Team Member Form attached as a pdf file. The Core Team consists of the Applicant and all Co-Applicant(s).  
2. Each Core Team member listed in the Core Team Member Form will receive a link to a self-identification survey. 
3. The Applicant and the Co-Applicant(s) must complete the self-identification survey.  
4. The Applicant will receive the Application Form, the Budget Template and the Risk Assessment Form (RAF) only upon completion of both the above-mentioned requirements.  
5. The Applicant is responsible for ensuring that all Core Team members of the project have completed the self-identification survey.  
6. The Applicant will then receive the ASCENT Application Form. 
7. The Applicant must complete and submit the required documents to volt-age@concordia.ca by August 31, 2026 at 1:00 p.m. EST:
   • ASCENT Application Form
   • Budget Template
   • Risk Assessment Form
   • CVs of Applicant and Co-Applicant(s)
   • Letter(s) of Support from Partner(s)

The Applicant will receive an email confirming the receipt of the application.

Following your submission

Volt-Age will perform an administrative review of all received application documents. This review will include compliance checks, such as observing the eligibility elements, team size and makeup, and budget template formatting. This review is not evaluative.  

Based on this review, application documents will be returned to the Applicants along with an administrative review report. Applicants will be requested to perform revisions to the application documents based only on the requests made in their respective administrative review reports. No other additions or changes can be made. The Applicants will resubmit their revised application documents by the re-application deadline (September 11, 2026 at 1:00 p.m. EST). 

All eligible applications will then proceed to a two-step evaluation process involving Master Reviewers and a separate Adjudication Jury.