QED Funding

QED: Elements of the Program - Science Center

Introduction

Elements of the Program

How to Apply

Awardees

Market Representation

 

The QED Program integrates four elements that are critical to successfully and efficiently performing early-stage proof-of-concept technology development:

  • Grant Funding: Project support will be awarded in the form of $200,000 grants to scientists at affiliated regional research organizations, to be made to early R&D projects completed over a 12-month period. Funding for each project will be contributed equally by the Science Center, and by the research organization executing the project. In-kind contributions by the participating organizations may be considered in lieu of cash. Ownership of all intellectual property is retained by the research organization, and transitioned into licensing opportunities and Regional new ventures according to institutional policies.
  • Business Advice:Projects that are funded by the QED Program are milestone-driven, and focused on answering key questions that help to bootstrap technologies from academia into the commercialization cycle. To achieve this, Business Advisors (“BAs”) with appropriate domain expertise are recruited from the Science Center's network to assist Principal Investigators (“PIs”) through project development and implementation. The PI-BA team works closely with the Technology Transfer Office of the participating research organization.
  • Market Drivers: Projects are selected for funding and development via a market-driven process that involves representatives of the Regional investment community and industry, supported by scientific reviewers. Proposals are evaluated in a 2-stage, competitive review of both written and presentation components.  
  • Guidance to Exit: The QED Progam continues to engage its industry and investment partners throughout the implementation of funded projects, conducting periodic review, and facilitating follow-on funding opportunities for sucessful projects.

The QED Program model seeks to actively facilitate technology commercialization cooperation between stakeholders that seek to 1) accelerate technologies out of the research organization labs, and 2) pull these technologies into the marketplace.