Innovation Catalyst Fund Application Preview

The following information will be collected via the InfoReady platform three times per fiscal year during the months of October, February, and June:

1. Team – name of applicant and all collaborators illustrating diverse and relevant experience, expertise, and collaborative potential (800-character limit).
2. Technology/Innovation – a description of the technology/innovation, including any patentable inventions or copyrightable works, that will be developed under the project (1400-character limit).
   • Technology ID (VU#) of any relevant IP already disclosed to Tech Transfer, if any
   • Relevant IP obligations resulting from external funding sources or partnerships.
   • Description of any IP generated outside of Vanderbilt to be used in the project.
   • Projects do not have to develop a pre-existing technology but could instead be designed to lead to new inventions and discoveries.
3. Predicted Outcome – brief description of the product or process to be developed as an end goal of the funding (1200-character limit).
4. Commercial Targets – a list of companies or other external entities that may be interested in commercializing the project outcomes (1800-character limit).
5. Scope of Work – a detailed description of the project to be performed, including methods and materials (500-word limit).
   • The work plan should describe any internal Vanderbilt non-Fund resources that will be utilized in performance of the plan (e.g., machine shops, CRISS, CORE labs, VICB, antibody core, synthetic chemistry core, VINSE, VUIIS).
6. Deliverables – a description of what deliverables will result from the funding and how the deliverables will have a significant impact on commercialization (800-character limit).
   • Deliverables should be tangible (e.g., prototypes, samples, data, software, incipient products, or written reports of results).
7. Schedule – a timeline for execution and completion of the project.
8. Budget Justification – an estimate of the funds required and how they will be spent (800-character limit).
   1. This should only include direct expenses, not facilities or overhead charges
   2. Budget estimates should be based on actual costs needed (e.g., specific prices of supplies, hours worked at hourly rate)

For Projects larger than $10,000, additional information will be quested:

9. Significant interim milestones to be integrated into the Scope of Work and Budget (400-character limit).
10. Intended populations of impact with demonstrated unmet need (e.g., patients, users; 500-character limit).
11. Description of current competitive landscape and competitive advantage (1500-character limit).
12. Description of current development stage and target stage (400-character limit).
    • Total funding to-date related to the project and list of past, current, and future funding sources (400-character limit).
    • Name of any internal or external programming (e.g., entrepreneurship, prototyping) already leveraged (300-character limit). Work product(s) from these activities may be requested by the review committee.