E-Team Grant Program

Grants and In-Kind Services to USA Colleges to Support
Students in the Development of Technology-Based Innovations

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Agency Type:

Foundation / Corporation

Funding Source:

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VentureWell

LOI Date:

03/20/20

Deadline Date:

04/15/20 11:59 PM ET

Description:

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Grants of $5,000, grants of $20,000, and in-kind services to USA and territories colleges and universities to support students in the development of technological innovations with market potential. Funding is intended to support engineering or science based innovations that have a positive impact on the world, are commercially promising, and scalable. Funds, training, immersive workshops, and specialized coaching are provided to student innovators and entrepreneurs to help them move their inventions into the marketplace.

An E-Team, or Entrepreneur-Team, is a multidisciplinary group of students, working with a faculty mentor, to bring an invention to market.

Stage 1

The product is a fit for the E-Team program if:

It is an engineered, physical product that is different from other competing technologies
It addresses a large commercial problem or opportunity
It addresses a large social, environmental, or economic problem
There is a plausible path to commercialization

Many E-Team inventions and innovations fall into one of the following categories:

Biomedical devices, health care diagnostics, and/or global health technologies
Clean technologies related to renewable energy, energy storage, agriculture, or water
Green chemistry and sustainable materials
Technologies for low-resource settings (US and/or internationally) that address poverty and basic human needs such as affordable energy, clean water, sanitation, health and medical devices, agriculture, and other income-generating tools
Other compelling technologies beyond those listed above that meet the program criteria will also be considered if there is a strong and logical description of the product’s social or environmental impact.

E-Teams have the opportunity to secure up to $25,000 in grant funding, attend training workshops (Pioneer and Propel), and receive individualized coaching from VentureWell.

Stage 2

Program Overview: Stage 2 of the E-Team Program is intended to support teams in further developing their inventions/innovations and plans for commercialization

You may apply for Stage 2 if:

You have successfully completed the Pioneer workshop associated with your Stage 1 grant
You demonstrate continuing commitment to move your technology towards commercialization
You have at least two students on your team for the duration of the grant OR your academic institution agrees to continue administering the grant funds on your behalf
You have university support in the form of a Principal Investigator and an Administrative Contact

GrantWatch ID#:

GrantWatch ID#: 181079

Number of Grants:

Each year, VentureWell funds approximately 50 Stage 1 teams and 20 Stage 2 teams.

Estimated Size of Grant:

There are two stages in the E-Team Program:
- Stage 1 grant: $5,000 + Pioneer workshop
- Stage 2 grant: $20,000 + Propel workshop + three months of coaching

Term of Contract:

The Foundation requires at least two active and enrolled students on the team for the duration of the grant
- Stage 1 = 6-12 months
- Stage 2 = 18 months

Eligibility:

See RFP and/or Grant Guidelines for full eligibility

Additional Eligibility Criteria:

To be considered for this grant program, applicants must:
- Be US-Based. This program is open to US-based college or university student-led teams, not for individual inventors. Grant funds are awarded to the college or university, not directly to teams or ventures. VentureWell does not accept international universities at this time.

- Be from a VentureWell Member institution. Your university must be a VentureWell member at the time you submit your proposal. If members of your team come from different universities, at least one of these schools must be a VentureWell member and administer the grant.

- Be a Team of two or more. Teams must include at least two active students (undergraduate, graduate, doctoral, or a student in some fellowship programs) for the duration of the grant period. Students should serve as the entrepreneurial leader(s) of a team, and should have a role in decision making and leading venture development, regardless of the origin of the idea or invention.

Other team members should include advisors from within and outside the institution who have experience, knowledge, and network connections that will contribute to the team’s success. VentureWell strongly recommend that both technical and business expertise is represented on the team.

There is no maximum team size, although successful teams usually have fewer than six members. However, only two members from your team may attend our workshops; in rare cases we may accommodate three members from one team but only after a special request is made and when VentureWell has sufficient venue space.

- Demonstrate Institutional Support. All teams are required to obtain verifications of support from a Principal Investigator (PI), Administrative Contact (AC), and Department Chair (DC).

- Be Committed. You intend to commercialize your innovation where possible.

- Demonstrate their innovation is a fit. VentureWell supports the development of science/engineering-based innovations that are scalable, commercially promising, and have a positive impact on the world.

Examples of projects that are not a fit for the E-Team Program and additional eligibility requirements, see the following link: https://venturewell.org/wp-content/uploads/E-Team-Stage-1-guidelines%E2%80%94Spring-2020-1.pdf#page=3

Pre-proposal Conference:

Informational webinars will be held on March 17 and April 14.

To register for March 17: https://go.venturewell.org/l/388732/2020-03-03/p53pt7

To register for April 14: https://go.venturewell.org/l/388732/2020-03-03/p53pwy

Pre-Application Information:

2020 Timeline:

Spring Deadlines:
Qualification phase: April 15
Stage 1 & stage 2: June 3

Workshop Dates:
Pioneer Workshop: July 23-25, 2020
Propel Workshop: August 7-9, 2020

The E-Teams Qualification Phase application is the first step in submitting a full Stage 1 grant application. Student teams complete a short online application and submit an Executive Summary through our online portal. Teams will receive feedback within a week detailing whether their innovation is eligible and a good fit for the E-Team program. VentureWell membership is NOT required to submit an application for the Qualification Phase.

While the Qualification Phase application is optional, VentureWell strongly encourages teams to take advantage of this opportunity to check your eligibility and strengthen your full Stage 1 application prior to submission. If your Qualification Phase application is a good fit for the E-Teams Program, you will be formally invited to submit a Stage 1 application.

All program applications must be submitted via the online system. All deadlines end at 11:59 pm Eastern time unless otherwise indicated. Anyone on the team may serve as the applicant on a submission.

Applicants will need to confirm multiple items with your institution prior to applying. VentureWell recommends you begin these steps up to eight weeks before the proposal deadline and no later than two weeks before the deadline. The most common mistake applicants make is underestimating the time it takes to navigate their institution’s administrative structure--make sure you give yourself plenty of time to compile the required materials.

Proposal Roadmap: https://venturewell.org/student-grants/guidelines-stage-1/
FAQs: https://venturewell.org/student-grants/e-team-program-frequently-asked-questions/
Grant Writing Tips: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/six-points-help-startups-write-winning-grant-dave-d-angelo/?utm_source=venturewell&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=eteams+

Contact Information:

Before starting your grant application, please review the funding source's website listed below for updates/changes/addendums/conferences/LOIs.

Apply: https://community.venturewell.org/VWCommunitiesLogin?target=proposal

If you have any questions about the E-Team program, please email:
David D'Angelo
ddangelo@venturewell.org

For questions about the grant or proposal process please email or call:
grants@venturewell.org or 413-587-2172

VentureWell
100 Venture Way
Hadley, MA 01035

URL for Full Text (RFP):

See the full text of this grant

Geographic Focus:

USA: Alabama; Alaska; Arizona; Arkansas; California; Colorado; Connecticut; Delaware; Florida; Georgia; Hawaii; Idaho; Illinois; Indiana; Iowa; Kansas; Kentucky; Louisiana; Maine; Maryland; Massachusetts; Michigan; Minnesota; Mississippi; Missouri; Montana; Nebraska; Nevada; New Hampshire; New Jersey; New Mexico; New York City; New York; North Carolina; North Dakota; Ohio; Oklahoma; Oregon; Pennsylvania; Rhode Island; South Carolina; South Dakota; Tennessee; Texas; Utah; Vermont; Virginia; Washington, DC; Washington; West Virginia; Wisconsin; Wyoming

USA Territories: American Samoa (USA) Guam (USA) Puerto Rico (USA) Virgin Islands (USA) Northern Mariana Islands (USA)

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