Author: innovosource

PepsiCo extends innovation fund to educational institutions

Eligible colleges and universities will have the opportunity to submit sustainability project proposals to PepsiCo Recycling that present tangible environmental, economic and social impacts. The proposals will also need to demonstrate the ingenuity, scalability and evident student community support for the proposed project to receive funding. PepsiCo recycling programme director Meagan Smith said: “Great ideas […]

U Queensland Inflazome closes US$17m Series A financing round from Novartis Venture Fund 

Inflazome (inflazome.com) has successfully closed a Series A financing round for up to US$17/€15 million. Two leading life sciences venture capital firms, Novartis Venture Funds and Fountain Healthcare Partners, co-led the financing. Inflazome is developing inhibitors of the inflammasome, a compelling biological target that regulates our innate immune response, now associated with a wide variety […]

Mind the Gap Summit: Create and Manage a Proof of Concept Gap Fund

From our analysis of over 50 University-affiliated Proof of Concept programs, we have observed their strength in moving technology to a point of commercialization, while acting as an effective means to leverage and attract outside capital and expertise.

Proof of Concept (POC) gap funds evaluate commercial potential, demonstrate the value, and generally de-risk (or perception of risk) the project to commercial partners or investors. Achievements like prototypes and commercial assessment help to identify and secure a route to commercialization, if one exists. POC funds also identify weakness in the technology for further development, or help avoid costs by deciding not pursue the technology
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.

$5.9 million for Red River College research, vehicle test facility

Red River College has received the largest influx of research funding since founding its research enterprise in 2004. This new investment will allow Red River College to boost innovation capacity in Manitoba’s vehicle technology and food development sectors. “This is a red-letter day for the College, our partners, and for Manitoba’s innovation outlook in general,” […]

University City Science Center Receives SBA Funding for Newest Commercialization Program

The U.S. Small Business Administration has awarded $50,000 to the University City Science Center’s newest commercialization program, Phase 1 Ventures. Soft launched in 2014 and formally rolled out earlier this year, Phase 1 Ventures (P1V) is a startup accelerator for “long horizon” technologies – those requiring significant development and/or regulatory approvals – such as healthcare, […]

Ottawa universities unveil 13 research fund winners 

Thirteen large-scale initiatives led by universities across Canada are the winners in a high-stakes federal competition aimed at helping the country’s top scientists make a mark in the global research arena. The projects will split a total of $900-million in federal funding to build on Canada’s existing strengths, and advance knowledge in fields as diverse […]

iBIO Institute’s PROPEL Center Is Winner of U.S. SBA’s Growth Accelerator Fund Competition

The PROPEL Center of the iBIO Institute, dedicated to increasing the number and success rate of early-stage life sciences companies in Illinois, announced today that it was a winner of the U.S. Small Business Administration’s 2016 Growth Accelerator Fund Competition, including a cash prize of $50,000. The SBA Office of Investment and Innovation, Office of Native American Affairs, […]

University of Calgary awarded $75-million research grant for cleantech, energy

The University of Calgary has been awarded $75 million over seven years from the Canada First Research Excellence Fund (CFREF) for its Global Research Initiative in Sustainable Low Carbon Unconventional Resources. The goal of this research is to dramatically reduce the impact of energy extraction and energy use on the environment. The funding is part […]

Oregon BEST, OSU Ventures back eChemion for Technology that Triples Battery Life

Oregon BEST has awarded follow-on funding to an Oregon startup and Oregon State University spinout that has developed a new clean technology that triples the life of redox flow batteries used for renewable energy storage. The company, eChemion, has a chemical treatment technology that solves a major issue with flow batteries: degradation over time of […]