The Innovation Catalyst Grant is a proof-of-concept program managed by the Innovation & Business Engagement Hub, focused on providing targeted gap funding, training, mentorship, and support to UC Santa Cruz researchers in order to help de-risk and/or validate the implementation and adoption potential of early-stage technology innovations.
The overall objective of the program is to better position innovations to move out of the university, and catalyze the process leading to transformative change and societal impact.
The Innovation Catalyst Grant helps to fill the longstanding gap in the innovation capital landscape between basic research funding and early-stage investment, while also providing university researchers with the knowledge and tools necessary to navigate the pathway to innovation implementation and adoption.
The 2024/25 application window will be open September 27 through November 4.
Any UC Santa Cruz employee with principal investigator (PI) status leading an eligible project is welcome to apply. An Innovation Catalyst Grant project must focus on a technology innovation that:
- has already advanced beyond the basic research stage at UC Santa Cruz;
- has no existing intellectual property license obligations; and
- now requires proof-of-concept support to demonstrate implementation, adoption, and
commercial feasibility.
There will be an information session on Thursday, October 10th, 2024 at noon (to receive a Zoom login, please register here)
Download the Request for Proposals, containing full program details.
Access the InfoReady application page.
Read more about the 2024 recipients. Please reach out to blegum@ucsc.edu with any questions.
If you are unable to attend the information session, the Innovation & Business Engagement Hub recorded an online information session.