University of Utah hosts second annual Startup Launchpad
On Friday, April 17, the University of Utah Technology Licensing Office hosted the second annual Startup Launchpad, featuring panels discussing various topics and resources useful to researchers, startup founders, and others locally involved in commercialization and innovation. The keynote speaker was Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall, who spoke with Troy D’Ambrosio, VP for Innovation […]
New American Heart Association accelerator targets real world adoption of health innovations
DALLAS, April 24, 2026 — Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death in the United States and drives nearly $415 billion in annual health‑related costs, according to the American Heart Association, highlighting the need for scalable, real‑world health innovation. In response, the American Heart Association is investing in early-stage health innovators and collegiate entrepreneurs […]
GAP Pipeline Brief: Tulane University / Provost’s Proof of Concept Fund Awards
Program Overview The Tulane Innovation Institute, in partnership with the Office of the Provost, established the PPOC Fund to address the gap between research discovery and market readiness. The program provides grants of up to $50,000 to support: • technical development and prototyping• customer discovery and market validation• commercialization pathway planning The Spring 2026 cycle […]
GAP Pipeline Brief: UC Berkeley / Biodegradable Fiber Innovation Initiative
Award & Program Overview The Bezos Earth Fund has awarded $10 million to support a UC Berkeley–led research program developing biodegradable textile fibers derived from waste-based proteins. The initiative is led by Ting Xu, professor in Materials Science and Engineering and Chemistry, and includes collaboration across: • Six departments at UC Berkeley• Stanford University• California […]
GAP Pipeline Brief: University of Waterloo / QuantumCore Quantum Amplifier Technology
Award & Investment Overview QuantumCore has raised $10.7 million through a combination of: • $9 million in private placements (brokered and non-brokered)• $1.7 million in non-dilutive funding through the NSERC Alliance Grant The company has also completed a public listing on the Canadian Securities Exchange, providing access to broader capital markets early in its lifecycle. […]
New UH office launched to boost research capacity in Hawaiʻi
The University of Hawaiʻi has launched a new office that will serve as a central hub for grant support, research development and funding opportunities to help boost scientific discovery, increase research capacity and stimulate workforce development in the state. Backed by the Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) from the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the […]
Proof-of-Concept Programs Are Under-Resourced for the Job They Carry
Proof-of-concept programs (POC) sit at the center of most GAP strategies, but the amount of work they are expected to do has expanded significantly. They are not just funding early validation. They are expected to reduce technical risk, shape market applications, support early team formation, engage external stakeholders, and prepare opportunities for downstream investment or […]
GAP Insights: Pre-POC Programs / Expanding the Front End of Commercialization
A strong piece in Nature Biotechnology highlights a challenge that continues to surface across research institutions: the gap is not a lack of ideas, it is what happens before commercialization even begins. Technology transfer offices play a critical role, but they are structurally designed to engage once intellectual property is formed and opportunities are more […]
GAP Pipeline Brief: Texas Medical Center Venture Fund / $300M CrossBridge Bio Acquisition
Investment & Exit Overview CrossBridge Bio has been acquired by Eli Lilly and Company for $300 million, representing a significant exit for the Texas Medical Center Venture Fund. The company was founded in 2023 through the TMC Innovation Accelerator for Cancer Therapeutics, with the venture fund serving as lead and initial investor. The startup was […]
Wright State students will compete for startup funds in annual Wright Venture entrepreneurial competition
Five Wright State University students will pitch original business ideas to a panel of experts — and compete for $5,000 in startup funding — during Wright Venture, the annual entrepreneurial competition hosted by the Raj Soin College of Business. The event takes place on Wednesday, April 15, from 4 to 6 p.m. in the Rike Hall Lobby. […]