Research Institution Gap Funding and Accelerator Programs (GAP) Insights

Award & Investment Overview Senticell has closed an oversubscribed seed financing round approaching $7 million to advance a liquid biopsy platform exclusively licensed from the University of Pennsylvania and based on research pioneered at Penn Medicine. The financing included participation from The Venture City, Capital Factory, Scalpel Ventures, Evoce Capital,

Award & Investment Overview The MSU Research Foundation announced 23 startup investments completed through Red Cedar Ventures and Michigan Rise between April and June 2026, extending its coordinated venture funding model across a broad portfolio of early-stage technology companies. The investments span healthcare, artificial intelligence, financial technology, advanced manufacturing, energy,

Award & Investment Overview Northwestern University’s N.XT Fund has selected Amino Cosmetic Peptides Inc., AtomoAI Inc., and GoEco Inc. as its newest portfolio companies, providing GAP funding and venture-readiness support to help the research-based startups advance toward commercialization and external investment. The three companies span regenerative biotechnology, AI-enabled healthcare, and

What Happened Cornell University’s Center for Advanced Technology has selected seven research teams for its 2026-27 funding cycle, deploying state-backed proof-of-concept funding alongside direct contributions from biotechnology companies across New York. The projects represent more than $1.2 million in combined support. NYSTAR, part of Empire State Development, is contributing $562,258,

What Happened Portland State University has secured a $5.9 million NSF Accelerating Research Translation award to expand its ability to translate university discoveries into commercial and economic outcomes across Portland and Oregon. The three-year award comes during a period of significant growth in PSU’s research enterprise. Annual research expenditures increased

Award & Investment Overview Two startups built on Virginia Commonwealth University research have each received $800,000 from Virginia Catalyst to advance healthcare technologies toward clinical testing. Pascal Medical Corp. will use its award to advance ClickGel, an injectable surgical biomaterial designed to seal wounds and deliver therapeutics at the surgical

Award & Investment Overview The University of South Florida is providing Innovation Fund support to faculty-led projects advancing technologies in healthcare education, neurological monitoring, and gene therapy. The funded portfolio includes CaseyMD, a healthcare education platform; NeuTrode, a flexible dry electrode for electroencephalogram testing; and a gene therapy being developed

Award & Investment Overview NeuroPred, a Coralville-based spinout from the University of Iowa, has won first place and $40,000 in the 21st John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Venture Competition. More than 60 teams entered this year’s competition, with 11 advancing to the final presentation round. NeuroPred took the top prize with an