The Vanderbilt Innovation Catalyst Fund, launched in 2023, bridges the gap between academic research and real-world applications by supporting projects with commercial and societal potential. To date, the fund has completed six award cycles, distributing 39 grants to VU and VUMC awardees across diverse disciplines. Already, 16 projects have reported significant progress, including five new intellectual property disclosures and eight startup companies that have secured over $4.5 million in follow-on funding in the form of grants and capital investments.
Robert Webster, Senior Associate Provost for Commercialization and Technology Transfer, states, “Innovation Catalyst funding enables Vanderbilt faculty and students to turn their groundbreaking research into real-world solutions that make a difference. By fueling entrepreneurship, it sparks high-tech startups, creates jobs, and strengthens the innovation ecosystem in Nashville and Middle Tennessee.” He continues, “This program is an important component of Vanderbilt’s broader commitment to fulfill the promise of federal research, transforming discoveries into innovations that drive economic growth and improve lives.”
New Review Committee Announced
All submitted applications undergo a rigorous peer review process by the Catalyst Fund Review Committee to advise funding decisions made by a council of Vanderbilt leadership in research and innovation. The fund welcomes 40 faculty members to its 2025-2027 Peer-Review Committee. These faculty volunteers will evaluate submissions across four research domains:
- Arts and Sciences: Jad Abumrad, Michael Bess, Leah Lowe, Ole Molvig, and Paul Stob
- Bioscience & Healthcare: Justin Balko, Colin Barker, Rob Carnahan, Shabnam Eghbali, Daniel Fabbri, JoEllen Holt, Tae Hyun Hwang, Douglas Kojetin, Alex Langerman, Ken Lau, Taekyu Lee, John McLean, George Nicholson, Kevin Sexton, Ravi Shah, Gitanjali Srivastava, Sahar Takkouche, Alex Waterson, Matthew Weinger, Lauren Williamson, and Adam Yock
- Engineering & Physical Science: Abishek Dubey, Lindsey Fox, Gabor Karsai, Yiorgos Kostoulas, Laurie Novak, Jesse Spencer-Smith, Sonya Sterba, Kenny Tao, and Jim Weimer
- Social Sciences: T. S. Harvey, Chris Vanags, Steven Wernke, Elizabeth Zechmeister, and J.B. Ruhl
Alan Bentley, Assistant Vice Chancellor of Technology Transfer and Intellectual Property Development states, “The Catalyst Fund is truly critical to enabling the advancement of promising innovations, and our faculty volunteers are an essential element of the process. They make this funding mechanism work for everyone involved. We are so grateful for their service and trust they find enrichment from the experience.”
The Innovation Catalyst Fund is led by the Office of the Vice Provost for Research and Innovation, with program management by the Center for Technology Transfer and Commercialization and support from the Brock Center and the Wond'ry. This fund represents Vanderbilt’s commitment to transformative research and innovation.
Learn more and apply here. The next funding cycle opens on October 1.