Eligibility: All full-time tenure-track or professional track faculty members at any higher education institution with graduate program(s) and relevance to energy technology within the state of Maryland or Maryland based companies affiliated with and commercializing inventions created by those faculty.
Program Focus: The intent of the program is to foster commercialization by translating energy research into a prototype device or process through technology development, creation and/or advancement of university start-up companies within the state of Maryland.
Expectations: The project should advance energy technology and economic growth in Maryland. The device or process should have appropriate intellectual property protection (invention disclosure, patent application, or patent) filed with the applicant institution. At the end of one year, a report that describes work done and includes a plan for the next steps toward commercialization will be the final deliverable for the project. The plan should include: 1) clear assessment of technical readiness (including ultimate cost and scalability) of the product; 2) a survey of potential customers for the product; and 3) a strategy for next steps in financing the plan.
Review: Funding for the seed grants will be awarded on a competitive basis. The MEI2 Investment Committee will review and select proposed projects. Applicants should not expect detailed written critiques of their proposals. Proposals will be reviewed for: 1) innovation and technical merit, 2) the likelihood of attracting follow-on funding, and 3) potential for commercialization.
For the full announcement and requirements click here.