October 18-20 | Tucson, AZ

The Research Institution GAP Fund and Accelerator Program Summit

LAUNCH event highlights UND’s growing culture of innovation

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October 16-17, 2025 / Seattle, WA

The annual summit for research institution gap fund and accelerator programs, including proof of concept programs, startup accelerators, and university venture funds

The Story

Innovation took center stage at the second annual LAUNCH showcase, where 10 student and early-stage founders presented ventures developed through UND Center for Innovation programs, including the Runway Accelerator and the National Science Foundation’s Innovation Corps or I-Corps.

The showcase on the Memorial Union’s Social Stair showed how participants transformed early ideas into real-world, high-impact ventures. The lineup highlighted the university’s growing role as a launchpad for such ventures.

Now in its second year, LAUNCH featured founders from across several disciplines, including health care, engineering and aerospace. Their ventures addressed challenges ranging from maternal mental health and dairy safety to satellite refueling and career-support platforms for both collegiate athletes and immigrant communities.

Source: LAUNCH event highlights UND’s growing culture of innovation – Press Releases

Consortium For Gap Fund and Accelerator ProgramS

The Consortium provides a dedicated, institutional coordinating forum for collective insight, program refinement, and structured engagement with aligned commercial, investment, and philanthropic partners.

GAP are an interdependent institutional innovation and capital strategy that includes:

  • Translational research

  • Proof of concept programs

  • Startup accelerators

  • University venture funds

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