The Entrepreneurial Launch Pad is a UC|21 program designed to advance innovation, commercialize technologies, attract new resources and expand partnerships with the community and industry.

The goal is to take a proactive approach to drawing out the significant innovation that exists within the university. By offering seed funding, we hope to advance the commercial potential of ideas or technologies.

The program is open to all full-time faculty and staff with ideas for potentially revenue-generating technologies and programs. Students working with faculty members are also invited to participate.

Examples of ideas that would be eligible for funding include early-stage work in the development of new devices, chemical products or novel materials, pharmaceuticals, research tools, diagnostic or testing kits, software or training systems, or services of any kind that would be useful to the larger community.

Funding will be awarded on a competitive basis and will consider the overall quality of the application and likelihood of commercial success. Eight to 10 proposals will be awarded each year in amounts ranging from $10,000 to $25,000. Funds must be used for technology validation or other business startup costs. Awards are provided in the form of loans to be reimbursed according to a milestone agreed on at the beginning of the project.

The next submission deadlines is September 5, 2008. Award winners will be notified on October 3, 2008.

The Launch Pad application and additional information is available from the links on the left.