Proof of Concept Grant Program: Criteria

Research Funding Sponsored by CU TTO

The POCg is a research grant to enhance the commercial potential of CU inventions. Applicants should stress the potential for each award to bridge the gap between promising academic research and commercial application. MATCHING FUNDS ARE VIEWED FAVORABLY.

Key questions to consider include:

• What is the technical merit of the invention and the current state of development? If the project aims are achieved, how will scientific knowledge or clinical practice be advanced?
• What is the commercial potential for the technology? How can the proposed project lead to a marketable product, process, or service?
• What are the competitive advantages of the technology? How sustainable are those advantages? What may be the anticipated commercial and societal benefit derived from the proposed research?
• Can the invention be practiced freely or would commercialization require additional licenses from other companies/institutions?
• How would the POCg funds be applied to advance the technical or scientific aspects of the invention? What specific experiments or product development activities would be enabled by the POCg award? How would those results affect the commercial and/or clinical viability of the invention?
• Would successful completion of the proposed research position the technology to be licensed to an established firm? Alternatively, could the invention become the core technology of a new company, and how would completion of the research position the new company to attract additional funding, such as the POCi, SBIR/STTR, or angel/VC investment?
• Is there a likely commercial partner for further development of the technology?

Selection Process

POCg applications are judged by the TTO on the value proposition for the use of the funds, i.e. validating the commercial opportunity and advancing the technology to the marketplace.

Criteria:

• Leverage of other concurrent or future sources of funding
• Societal impact of product or service
• Stage of development
• Clarity of commercial development
• Impact of funding on advancement
• Market potential

How to Apply:

1. Make sure you have filed an Invention Submission Form.
2. Review the selection criteria above and contact your TTO case manager for feedback on the next commercial steps for the technology and how this project would get us to the next step. 
3. Download this POCg Application Template and, if not previously filed, and complete them as your application.
4. Work with your Departmental Administrator to attach the appropriate proposal summary, routing and/or budget forms required by your Office of Contracts and Grants.  Work with your Departmental Administrator to submit the proposal and forms to the Office of Contracts and Grants. 
5. Send a copy of the proposal to your TTO case manager.

NOTE: THIS PROPOSAL WILL NOT BE MADE PUBLIC, EXCEPT FOR A NON-CONFIDENTIAL EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.