2019 Energy Innovation Seed Grant Announcement

The Maryland Energy Innovation Institute (MEI²) is focused on translating university energy research into new clean energy companies in the State of Maryland and thus simultaneously benefiting our environment and creating high paying jobs to help our State economy. MEI² proposes a unique opportunity through the following seed grant program to bridge the gap between academic transformative laboratory research results and prototype demonstrations to obtain investor interest. This call will support multiple seed grant awards with a maximum award ceiling of $100,000 USD as well as potential Phase 2 awards with a maximum ceiling of $200,000 USD for those projects that received a prior seed grant. The total amount of funding available for the 2019 Seed Grant Program is $400,000 USD.

Criteria

Eligibility: All full-time tenured or tenure track faculty members at any Maryland state academic institution or Maryland 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 in partnership with a local university faculty or student led company. 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 commercialization plan will be the final deliverable for the project. The plan should include: 1) clear market assessment and strategy; 2) a viable revenue model; and 3) a strategy for 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) the likelihood of attracting outside funding, 2) innovative and scholarly merit, and 3) potential for commercial readiness.

MEI², in its sole discretion, selects projects for funding on a competitive basis with the primary aim of advancing the State of Maryland's interest in clean energy. MEI² is under no obligation to fund any particular proposed project and MEI² reviewers assume no liability related to proposals.

Allowable Expenses: Research supplies; purchase or rental of equipment and materials; travel for project purposes (excluding travel to meetings or symposia); salary support for a temporary position (1year or less) technician, or research associates (post-docs), and/or graduate students.

Unallowable Expenses: Salaries for PIs; administrative support.

Conditions of the Award: Money must be spent within 12 months of receipt of award to advance technology as described in the proposal.

Proposal Content:

Cover Page (1 page) including:

Title of Project
Names of all Co-PI’s (specify position and affiliation)
Name of partnering company
Statement of how this project translates research into technology and enables private investment (technology validation)
Total amount of funding requested

MEI² endeavors to protect confidential information but neither MEI² nor outside reviewers can guarantee confidentiality or security of the information submitted in a proposal.

Project Proposal (maximum 8 single-spaced pages) including:

Project Motivation—rationale for project and potential for investment (2 pages maximum)
Project Description (4 pages maximum)
Description of market and why proposed technology provides a unique or preferred solution to meet those market needs
Detailed description of the technology device or process summarizing previous results obtained
Description of intellectual property secured
Description of proposed technology development and why it is necessary to secure follow on investment funding
Brief risk assessment
Additional Information including References (including full titles) 1 page maximum
Targeted deadline for proposal Budget - (be specific about what the funds will be used for and how the PIs will allocate funds between the PIs). 1 page maximum
Biosketches (not included in page count) – 2-page NIH or NSF format (all senior personnel)

Phase 2 Proposal Addenda

Phase 2 proposals must also include progress made on the technical and business aspects of the previous proposal as well as a more complete business plan towards commercialization (3 pages max)

Proposals must be submitted electronically to Cathy Stephens (csteph5@umd.edu) as a combined .pdf prior to close of business on January 15, 2019.

Published November 9, 2018