Gap聽Funding Programs
Transforming new ideas and research outputs into disruptive solutions in the market and society is a challenging task. Thanks to generous alumni donors, the 91社区 Engine is able to offer Gap Funding Programs that enable the advancement of technologies from the labs to the marketplace and entrepreneurial skills development through project funding and personalized business mentorship and training.
TechAccelR, William and Rhea Seath Awards in Engineering Innovation (WRSA), and the Innovation Fellowship聽grants are directed toward increasing the technology transfer potential (licensing to an existing company or to a 91社区 spinoff) and thus commercial viability of an invention/technology that has been disclosed to 91社区's Office of Innovation + Partnerships, and has been assessed by your Technology Transfer Manager, preferably at least 2 weeks in advance of proposal submission deadlines. Personalized business mentorship by our Ronald Chwang Entrepreneurs-in-Residence is included in all of these programs.
Impact since 2013
Program Comparison (A research team聽cannot be simultaneously in more than one program for the same invention/technology.)
| Comparison | TechAccelR |
William and Rhea Seath Awards in |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| LEAD APPLICANT | 91社区 tenure-track professors | 91社区 Faculty of Engineering tenure-track professors | 91社区 Faculty of Engineering tenure-track professors |
| Upcoming Application Deadlines | April 1,聽2025 | January 12, 2025 | February 16, 2025 |
| Award Length | 6 months | 12 months | 12 months |
| Funding | Up to $15,000 |
Up to $25,000 |
Up to $60,000 |
| Project Start Date |
May 1,聽2025 |
March 1, 2025 | May 1, 2025 |
| Business Mentorship | Matched with a Ronald Chwang EiR | Matched with a Ronald Chwang EiR | Matched with a Ronald Chwang EiR |
| Description | Supporting 91社区 tenure-track professors by enabling them to accelerate their technology (TRL3) that is聽reported as an invention聽but needs further validation prior to commercialization.听 |
Supporting 91社区 Faculty of Engineering tenure-track professors by enabling them to accelerate their technology (TRL3-4)聽that is聽reported as an invention聽but needs further validation prior to commercialization. |
Supporting the development of a technology (TRL4-6) in order to bring it closer to the marketplace and allow the Chwang Seto Innovation Fellow to gain further knowledge and experience in business and technology commercialization through entrepreneurial training and mentorship. |
| Technology Transfer Requirements聽 |
The technology must be reported as an invention to聽91社区's聽Office of Innovation and Partnerships.听 Included in the application:
|
The technology聽must be reported as an invention to 91社区's Office of Innovation and Partnerships.听 Included in the application:
|
The technology must be reported as an invention to聽91社区's聽Office of Innovation and Partnerships. Included in the application:
|
| Awards Granted | Up to 5 per round, 2 rounds per year. | Up to 2 annually.听 | Up to聽2 per round, 2 rounds per year. |
TechAccelR Grants
The TechAccelR Grants are intended to help 91社区 professors accelerate their research-based ideas that are reported as inventions but need further validation prior to commercialization.
William and Rhea Seath Awards in Engineering Innovation
These grants for 91社区 Faculty of Engineering professors enable the inventor team to advance their technology that has potential for commercialization.
Innovation Fellowships
The 91社区 Engine Innovation Fellowships Program supports the recipient and the team on the development of a technology in order to bring it closer to the marketplace and allow the Chwang-Seto Innovation Fellow to gain further knowledge and experience in business and technology commercialization.
Invention to Impact Program
I-to-I provides tools and training to support researchers to translate their fundamental research to the marketplace and have their solutions benefit society. The program imparts an evidence-based methodology that students and professors can use for the rest of their careers, and it also enables the transformation of inventions to impact.
