GAP Community News
The University Gap Funding/Accelerator Weekly update, a resource for those interested in university-affiliated translational research, proof of concept, startup, and venture gap fund/accelerator program
University Gap Funding and Accelerator Community News

From Lab to Startup: Harvard’s Office of Technology Development Paves the Way for Research Commercialization
After Harvard graduate students Benjamin C. Schaefer and Angela Feldhaus spent six years studying the physical mechanisms behind lightweight flight devices, they decided to translate their findings into a new invention. With their research in hand, they approached Harvard’s Office

Blazing a new trail for early-stage innovation: Purdue announces creation of Low Institute for Therapeutics (LIFT)
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Prostate cancer. Malaria. Influenza. All diseases one step closer to eradication thanks to the tireless, lifelong efforts of professor Philip Low. Now he’s planning to usher his world-changing innovations into a new era. The creation of
Mayo Clinic Platform_Accelerate Showcase celebrates promise of health tech innovation for improving patient care
Mayo Clinic Platform_Accelerate celebrated the program’s most recent cohort of health tech startups, including 15 innovative businesses from around the world. During the showcase event, held April 23 in Eagan, Minn., each company presented progress and outcomes from the 30-week accelerator

UC Davis Health Ventures Launches Health Venture Studio
UC Davis Health is unveiling two brand-new initiatives — the Health Venture Studio and the Investing in the Future of Medicine (IFM) Fund — to more quickly translate university research into real-world solutions that improve human health. Both initiatives are
MTRAC awards $2.1M to biomedical research projects | The University Record
Twelve innovative biomedical research projects including novel therapeutics, diagnostic tools and medical devices have received more than $2.1 million from the Michigan Translational Research and Commercialization Life Sciences Innovation Hub. These projects, led by researchers from the University of Michigan,

U Nebraska New Venture Competition awards $82,500 to student startups
Sixty-four student teams recently competed for $82,500 in prizes during the 38th annual New Venture Competition at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. Hosted by the Center for Entrepreneurship, the two-day business plan tournament featured undergraduate and graduate students from every college at the university,
Rice Business Plan Competition 2025 winners announced
Celebrating its 25th year, the Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship hosted the celebrated Rice Business Plan Competition this month, doling out more than $2 million in investment and cash prizes to the top-performing teams. “For 25 years, the Rice

Enterprise Ireland launches Proof of Concept Funding initiative
Enterprise Ireland has announced today (17 April) a new stream of funding under its Commercialisation Fund to help researchers bring their innovations to market. The Proof of Concept Funding initiative offers up to €100,000 over a 12-month period, bridging the

McMaster University Entrepreneurial faculty receive pre-seed funding for research commercialization
The Faculty of Science is backing four entrepreneurial professors as they take their research out of the lab and into the marketplace. Cecile Fradin, Jose Moran-Mirabal, Suleiman Igdoura and Mike Brook have been awarded a total of $180,000 in pre-seed funding plus an additional $100,000
Cincinnati Children’s and GE HealthCare build collaborative research program to drive pediatric imaging innovation
CHICAGO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Apr. 10, 2025– Cincinnati Children’s and GE HealthCare (Nasdaq: GEHC) will form a strategic research program focused on driving clinical and technical research to advance innovation for pediatric care delivery across modalities, including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), ultrasound, molecular imaging (MI),