THE SPARK FUND

Funding Northeastern’s transformational technologies

The CRI Spark Fund helps Northeastern researchers bridge the gap between promising lab results and demonstrating a commercially viable prototype. Our grants and programs catalyze state-of-the-art technologies, advancing Northeastern inventions through prototyping, validation, and industry input.

 

Meet the SPRING 2022 Spark Fund Awardees

SPARK FUND AWARDS

One year,  $50,000 | Up to 7 awards available

Awards support commercially valuable inventions (from any field) in early stages of proof-of-concept development.

VALIDATION AWARDS: For inventions at Technology Readiness Levels 2 – 3, successful applicants will have formulated novel concepts, applications, methods or compositions and partially validated their theories. In the life sciences, experimental proof-of-concept has been established via in vitro results. In all other fields, laboratory-based studies and validating strategies should be underway.

COMMERCIAL PROTOTYPE AWARDS: Technology Readiness Levels 4 – 5.

For successful life science applicants, the invention has been validated in vitro with in vitro testing underway or complete. For all other fields, technologies are approaching near final commercial performance and will use the Spark Fund to complete minimum viable commercial products.

Special Awards: 

    • The CRI is partnering with the College of Science on an award earmarked for COS researchers.
    • The College of Engineering is joining with the CRI to co-sponsor an award dedicated to advancing research from the lab of a COE Assistant Professor.

Spark Fund Uses

Spark Fund grants may be used to advance the commercial prospects of inventions in many different ways, including:

Building a commercially ready prototype

Animal testing to generate in vivo data needed to attract commercial partners

Developing manufacturing processes that enhance yield, speed, or cost

Repurposing or enhancing technology to meet industry-specific needs

ELIGIBILITY

Eligible applicants include Northeastern University Principal Investigators (PIs) with novel, pioneering, and commercially valuable technologies currently in the proof-of-concept stage. Your technology must be disclosed to the Center for Research Innovation before applying. At least one Northeastern PI with the duty to assign must either lead or oversee the proposed project. No outside PIs will be allowed. Any prior intellectual property required to implement the technologies must also have been assigned to Northeastern.

Questions about eligibility? Contact Joel Bresler.

For additional Northeastern funding programs and entrepreneurial resources visit the CRI website.

Deliverables

Show me the information needed to apply.

CHECK OUT THE DELIVERABLES

SELECTION CRITERIA

Principal Investigator

  • How well qualified is the PI to oversee and successfully execute the proposed activities?

Team

  • Does the proposing team have the expertise and experience to conduct and successfully execute the proposed activities?

Intellectual Merit

  • Does the proposed activity have the potential to significantly advance the knowledge and understanding within the relevant field of study?

Novelty and Technical Advantages

  • How technically significant are the novel and/or disruptive aspects of the proposed technology compared to the current state of the art?

Market Opportunity

  • Is there a significant market opportunity that could be addressed by the proposed technology?
  • How large is the market for the proposed technology and the current products that are derived from similar technologies?

Commercialization Strategy

  • Does it seem reasonable that this research can be translated into a product or service that will have high commercial success?
  • Does it seem reasonable that the resulting intellectual property (e.g. patents) will be licensable externally?
  • If a future spin-out is contemplated, is a spin-out strategy the best commercialization path for this technology?

Broader Impacts

  • How significant are the potential societal benefits of this technology?

Project Feasibility

  • Is it likely that the project milestones will be achieved within the proposed budget and timeline?
  • Is the project plan reasonable, well-organized, and well-justified?
  • Will the project likely result in Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 4 – 5 upon completion?
  • Does the project have access to the required materials, equipment, personnel, compounds, etc.?

Letters of Support

  • How relevant are the letters of support to the proposed project?
  • Are the letters just from academic and technical collaborators, or also commercial and industry sources?
  • How strong are the letters?

Budget

  • Is the budget reasonable?
  • Are the project costs limited to what is deemed reasonable and allowable?

2021 AWARDEES

Representing multiple colleges and disciplines, the first cohort of Spark Fund awardees presented diverse and exciting projects to the Center for Research Innovation.

With expert assistance from the Spark Fund strategic advisory board, the CRI carefully evaluated all thirty applicants and selected six research opportunities and ventures to fund and grow.

LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR SPARK FUND AWARDEES

CONTACT

JOEL BRESLER

JOEL BRESLER

DIRECTOR, GAP FUNDING & SPECIAL PROJECTS

Center for Research Innovation
(617) 373-7891
[email protected]