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
Princeton’s IP Accelerator Fund supports six innovations with potential for societal impact
Six research-stage technologies with promise to benefit society as future products or services have been selected to receive funding through Princeton University’s Intellectual Property Accelerator Fund. The selected technologies range from ones aimed at treating human disease to ones that improve
Univ. of Tokyo startups are targets of new $220m tech fund
A venture capital firm affiliated with the University of Tokyo has established a fund that ranks among Japan’s biggest in targeting startups with roots in higher education, eyeing ambitious candidates offering cutting-edge technologies developed at the school. University of Tokyo Edge Capital plans
Purdue, NSF ‘Phase 0’ pilot program to benefit Indiana startups
Purdue University and the Krannert School of Management will help early stage startups in Indiana commercialize their technology through the National Science Foundation’s “Phase 0” pilot program. Purdue is one four institutions that make up NSF’s Midwest Innovation Corps (I-Corps) Node, which is one
GV co-leads $27.1M Series A in Oxford Uni life sciences spinout Vaccitech
Leaning on its in-house life sciences expertise GV has backed another biotech startup in the UK, co-leading a £20 million ($27.1M) Series A in Oxford University spinout Vaccitech, which is developing a universal flu vaccine. Sequoia China, another new investor, is also co-leading the round,
Utah’s Kickstart launches state’s richest seed investment fund
While investment deals in startup companies are down signficantly among North American venture capital firms, one Utah company that specializes in early funding is on an arc of success that is showing no signs of slowing down. Kickstart Seed Fund
U Michigan startup SkySpecs lands $8 million investment
This time, it’s SkySpecs, which provides an inspection service for wind turbines using drones, eliminating the need for technicians (often called “skyworkers”) to conduct the high-risk job hundreds of feet in the air. It raised $8 million in a Series B

The Community of Action: A Consortium of University-affiliated Gap Funding and Accelerator Programs
Innovations come at a high cost and are often derailed momentarily by numerous challenges. Filling the gap between great ideas and the final product or service is a complex endeavor for any innovator. University technology and startups face wider and
U California Riverside Highlander Venture Fund Makes Its First Investment
The University of California, Riverside’s Highlander Venture Fund (HVF) announced its first investment today. The $250,000 investment was for NanoCellect Biomedical Inc., a developer of microfluidic cell-sorting technologies for cell-based assays. The San Diego-based firm was founded in 2009 by
University of Oregon joins a regional partnership that is helping fuel innovation
The University of Oregon has signed on as a founding member of an innovation network that will connect scientists, entrepreneurs, and investors and bring research institutions, industry associations and other regional players together. The Cascadia Venture Acceleration Network includes more
Shaw University Receives $50,000 Grant for Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center
Shaw University last week announced the receipt of a $50,000 grant from the Annie E. Casey Foundation in support of its Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center and its efforts to boost small business in Raleigh. “The Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center is