Accelerating Innovation: Launching or Partnering with a University-affiliated Proof of Concept Gap Funding Program

The “gap” in gap funding refers to a vast shortage in capital and other commercialization support to transition early-stage technology to the marketplace.  To address this need, many research universities either directly manage or partner with government agencies, early stage investors, or corporations to create translational research, proof of concept, and pre/seed-stage gap funds that assist in evaluating, de-risking, or commercializing technologies and start-ups.

These funds are often administered centrally through the technology transfer office, research foundation, central research administration, or the equivalent at the college-level. Externally-partnered public funds, accelerators, and corporate funds run independently or in close collaboration with the research institution.

In this session, we will hear from leading fund managers: 

• Raising and sustaining POC funds
• Communicating the fund and sourcing projects
• Working with faculty/student inventors throughout the process
• Evaluating projects for funding
• External collaboration with industry, entrepreneurs, and investors as funding sources and advisory support
• Oversight and management of funded projects