Technology Commercialization is excited to announce the spring 2026 Early Innovation Fund, a competitive grant program to fund short-term projects that advance early-stage innovations. The program provides funding of up to $10,000 per project. The spring 2026 Early Innovation Fund (EIF) cycle is exclusively dedicated to biological inventions. We are seeking projects that require "wet-lab" validation or scale-up.
This opportunity is open to all UMN researchers and employees, including faculty, postdocs, graduate students, and staff. Funding is offered twice a year, in the spring and fall, with a goal of advancing a diverse portfolio of innovation opportunities across all campuses, colleges, and disciplines. We encourage all to apply, especially those who have never worked with the Tech Comm office previously.
See a full list of technology development activities that are in scope and learn more about past award recipients and their projects.
The application opens April 13. Applications are due May 22. Awards will be announced July 1, 2026.
We will hold an online information session Tuesday, April 28, 10–10:30 a.m. to provide an overview of the program and answer your questions. All are welcome, and registration is not required. Join this session via Zoom.
Visit the Early Innovation Fund web page to learn more and apply.