Research Institution Gap Funding and Accelerator Programs (GAP) Insights

The European Research Council (ERC) has today announced funding totalling €27.3 million for the first-round of 2026 Proof-of-Concept Grants to enable ERC-funded ideas to progress on the path from ground-breaking research towards innovation. University College Dublin (UCD) researcher Professor Niamh Nowlan, UCD School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, and a

Three University of Bonn researchers have been awarded a Proof of Concept Grant by the European Research Council (ERC). Neuroscientist Professor Dominik Bach, chemist Assistant Professor Ala Bunescu and radiologist Professor Philipp Vollmuth (from the University Hospital Bonn) are each receiving €150,000 over a period of 18 months. This program

TEDCO, Maryland’s economic engine for technology companies, and the Maryland Business Innovation Association (MBIA) announce the fiscal year 2026 (FY26) awardees of the MBIA Commercialization Innovation Grant (MCIG). This competitive program was open to startups participating in one of MBIA’s member entrepreneurial support organizations. A volunteer team of 13 industry

A $2.5 million gift from the Draper Foundation is helping The University of Texas at Dallas expand its entrepreneurial ecosystem — from early-stage student ventures to high-profile startup competitions designed to launch companies into the marketplace. Founded by Silicon Valley venture capitalist Tim Draper, the Draper Foundation is committed to

In a move that will provide a major boost to life sciences startups in Ontario and the Canadian health economy overall, the University of Toronto, McMaster University and Venture Ontario announced they are joining with veteran investor Genesys Capital to create a new life sciences venture capital fund. The Genesys

At Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, the Cactus Capital student venture fund and Cactus Academy have become a unique hands-on model for entrepreneurial education and early-stage investment.  As part of the program, students are selected for the Cactus Academy, where they undergo intensive training to become startup analysts, learning how

Ever wonder how inventors and startups turn an idea into reality? In Alaska and the Arctic, innovation plays a critical role in building resilience in environments defined by climate, distance and limited resources. Many promising ideas never move beyond the research stage because they lack the funding needed to test