Funding Available
USF Innovation Ecosystem Funding Available
The USF Innovation Ecosystem offers several funding and support opportunities for faculty and start-up companies interested in bringing USF innovations to market.
NSF I-Corps at USF
Who Can Apply: USF faculty and graduate student research teams
With the National Science Foundation (NSF) I-Corps Site program at USF, you have a unique opportunity to learn and explore the commercial potential of your idea. The program will teach you, through its unique curriculum, how to find the business model behind your idea, with hands-on, real-world experience with faculty and business experts. It is about the customer discovery process — the first step towards your startup or commercialization.
Funding Available: Up to $3,000 at the USF I-Corps Site, which then qualifies you to apply to the National I-Corps program with funding of up to $50,000 available to further refine your business model.
Florida High Tech Corridor Early-Stage Innovation Fund
Who Can Apply: USF Researchers
The Early-Stage Innovation Fund supports early-stage innovations and research with significant potential for commercial or community impact. These funds are meant to seed faculty-developed technologies that could lead to industry investment, community engagement, start-up creation, and/or licensing opportunities.
Funding Available: Up to $25,000
Foundation Bull Ring Accelerator Grant (BRAG)
Who can apply: Tampa Bay Technology Incubator affiliated start-up companies formed on the basis of licensed USF technologies
The Foundation Bull Ring Accelerator Grant program (BRAG) provides up to $25,000 of grant funding to support the entrepreneurial ecosystem at USF and help bridge the “valley” or “ditch” of death experienced by early-stage technology companies.
Funding Available: Up to $25,000
Florida High Tech Corridor Matching Grants Research Program
Who Can Apply: USF Researchers in collaboration with an industry partner located in the Corridor’s 23 county region
The Matching Grant Research Program provides matching grant funds for collaborative research projects between local industry partners and USF researchers, including Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) / Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) funded projects. Corridor funding is used to expand the project's scope of work and support student involvement in cutting-edge research endeavors.
Funding Available: Up to $150,000 match to the industry partners investment
Federal America Seed Fund Program (SBIR/STTR)
Who Can Apply: U.S. small businesses
The America Seed Fund Program, also known as Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs, provides non-dilutive federal funding to U.S. small business bringing innovative technologies to market. USF start-up companies and collaborating companies are well-suited to tap into this funding program, but some safeguards may be required to ensure eligibility and protect against conflict of interest. Faculty are also welcome to serve as subcontractors on external company's proposals. In both scenarios, matching funds through the Florida High Tech Corridor may be available.
Funding Available: ~$150K - $1.5M
FL FAST Technical Support: Powered by a grant from the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Federal and State Technology (FAST) Partnership Program, The Corridor’s “FL FAST” initiative is Florida’s first centralized support system for companies pursuing SBIR/STTR awards.
Faculty interested in internal USF awards to fund conferences or interdisciplinary research, should review the USF Internal Awards program.