Deshpande Center for Technological Innovation offering Fall 2010 grants

Do you need resources to further an unproven concept or invention with market potential? Is your technology getting close to the commercialization stage, but you need help determining the right application or connecting with the business community?

The Deshpande Center for Technological Innovation can help. The Center supports leading-edge research in emerging technologies and cultivates interactions between MIT and the entrepreneurial business community.

Since 2002, the Deshpande Center has:

• funded 75 research projects providing more than $10 million in grants;
• helped 25 percent of the research teams, that it supported, commercialize their technologies by forming new companies and raising funding, or licensing their innovations to existing companies;
• mentored 20 spin-outs that have raised more than $160 million in capital;

The Deshpande Center for Technological Innovation announces a call for proposals for its Fall 2010 round of grants. Funds will be granted in a broad range of disciplines, for research done at MIT, with the objective to ultimately license the technology to an outside company or create a start-up that will commercialize it. Proposals must be submitted by a faculty member of MIT.

You are encouraged to apply for either of the following types of awards:

IGNITION GRANTS

If you have an idea that you believe could address a significant market need if successful, and you believe you could achieve a proof-of-concept in less than a year with a grant of up to $50,000.

INNOVATION GRANTS

If you have a technology that you think could be brought close to commercialization within a year or so with some additional funding, connections and advisory support, and you are eager to see your technology applied to the real world. Innovation grants start at $50,000. (The committee will consider proposals up to a maximum of $250,000 with strong budget justification).

Along with funding, the Deshpande Center grant recipients receive:

• Exposure through Deshpande Center events and opportunities to connect with investors, entrepreneurs, the business community, and the media as appropriate.
• Support through our Catalyst Program, including customer contacts, business advice, market input, and IP strategy.
• Opportunity to participate in i-Teams, a cross-campus course that involves highly qualified teams of pre-screened graduate students in Deshpande Center projects.

IMPORTANT DATES

• April 20, 2010 — Pre-proposals due 5 p.m.
• June 4, 2010 — Full proposal notification
• July 6, 2010 — Full proposals due 5 p.m.
• July 13-14, 2010 — Proposal presentation sessions, 2-5 p.m.
• August 27, 2010 — Notification of Grant Recipients
• October 2010 — Public announcement of Grant Recipients

For detailed information about the grant program, funded projects, and instructions on submitting a proposal, please visit our web site, e-mail us, or call 617-253-0943.