Protein Sequencing and Epitope Mapping Analysis Grant For Start Ups.

Grant Purpose

The purpose of this grant is to support early stage start-up companies by providing in-kind access to Rapid Novor’s cutting-edge Protein Sequencing and Epitope Mapping services. With these tools, scientists can accelerate discovery, validate results, and gain deeper insights into complex biology, driving impactful breakthroughs faster.

Grant Information

Eligibility

• Applicants must be employees of startup companies in the pharmaceutical or biotechnology sectors that are working on/with antibodies or related constructs to create therapies, diagnostics or other assets for commercially related purposes.
• For the purposes of this grant, ‘startup’ shall be understood in the general sense: a smaller number of employees, a fairly recent incorporation, a limited amount of funds raised or other revenues to support operations, mostly focused on R&D, and typically based in an incubator/accelerator/shared facility (or virtually).
• Projects should show a clear need for protein sequencing or HDX-MS to tackle impactful research questions in areas like therapeutics, diagnostics, immunology, oncology, structural biology, or related fields.
• Applicants may apply for a grant for protein sequencing, HDX-MS, or both. Please indicate your selection(s) on the application.
• International applicants are welcome, provided they meet the above criteria.

Application Requirements

Please include the following in your application:

1. Scientific Rationale and Goals: Outline the central research question, and how the data generated will advance your understanding or development efforts.
2. Startup Background: Provide a brief overview of your company, including your mission, stage of development, and technology focus.
3. Technology Fit: Justify the need for protein sequencing and/or HDX-MS in your project. Describe how these approaches are uniquely suited to address your R&D aims.

Application Timeline

Award Details

One award is available for protein sequencing and one for HDX-MS. These awards may be granted to the same applicant or to two different recipients.

Each award covers the full cost of service for one (1) sample for protein sequencing and/or one (1) HDX-MS project. HDX-MS projects may involve one pair, such as one antibody:antigen pair or one protein:protein interaction pair. Protein sequencing projects are limited to a single protein sample. If you require more analysis, you may still apply but additional charges may apply.

While the cost of experiments and analysis is covered, shipping and handling fees for sending samples to our laboratory in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada, are not included and must be covered by the applicant.

Recipient Obligations

Award recipients will be required to participate in an online webinar hosted by Rapid Novor, or a written case study within one year of project completion. Note: this does not imply sharing any confidential information publicly – targets, disease models, sequences, and exact epitopes can remain anonymous and confidential. The purpose is to provide educational content to the scientific community about the application of these technologies.

Submission

Applications should be submitted via the grant portal by September 30th, 2025 at 5PM EST. Incomplete or late applications will not be considered. For any submission concerns please contact us at science@rapidnovor.com

Selection Criteria

Applications will be evaluated based on:

1. Scientific Merit: Is the project of sound design to advance the stated research and development goal?
2. Relevance: Does the project have clear relevance to the mission of the company, it’s stage of development and technology focus?
3. Technical Fit: Is Rapid Novor’s REmAb sequencing and/or HDX-MS service appropriate for the sample type and research objectives?

Notification

Award recipients will be notified by October 31, 2025 at 5PM EST.

About Protein Sequencing

Protein sequencing with mass spectrometry (MS) is a powerful analytical technique used to determine the amino acid sequences of proteins, often without requiring prior genetic information. Protein sequencing is especially useful for determining sequences of antibodies, due to their high sequence variability and limited coverage in genomic databases.

Please review our service page for more details about how protein sequencing and antibody sequencing works.

Sample Requirements

• mAb or non-antibody protein <20kDa
• 100 micrograms
• >90% purity
• No protein contaminants or conjugates

If you are not sure your protein will meet the sample requirements, please contact us at science@rapidnovor.com before submitting your application. If your sample does not meet the requirements, please discuss with us – you may still receive support but additional charges may apply.

About HDX-MS, Epitope Mapping

HDX-MS is a mass spectrometry-based technique used to examine protein-protein interactions, including antibody-antigen interactions, protein conformational changes, multi-protein complexes, and small molecule interactions with proteins.

Please visit our service page for details about how hdx-ms epitope mapping works.

Sample requirements

• Protein Size: up to 50 kDa
• Number of disulfides: up to 3
• Number of N-linked Glycans = 0
• Kd range: affinity equal to or stronger than 100 nM
• Kinetics (KD) curves data
• SEC analysis for protein state (aggregation)
• Purity >90%, with gel image for sample purity
• In solution assays to confirm no protein ppt

If you are not sure your protein will meet the sample requirements, please contact us at science@rapidnovor.com before submitting your application. If your sample does not meet the requirements, please discuss with us – you may still receive support but additional charges may apply.

About Rapid Novor

Rapid Novor Inc., is the world’s leader in antibody protein sequencing technology. Specializing in the field of mass spectrometry-based proteomics, the team has developed the technology to directly sequence antibody proteins without needing access to genomic information. Located at the Kitchener-Waterloo high-tech hub, the company continues to build its technology portfolios based on years of scientific research and inventions. The company’s vision is to elevate human health by decoding immunity. For information, please visit https://www.rapidnovor.com. Follow @rapidnovor on X (formerly Twitter) or LinkedIn.