Technology Gap Innovation Fund

Preproposals for the next round of the Technology Gap Innovation Fund
(TGIF) are due on March 2, 2009. This University of Washington UW
TechTransfer (UWTT) program assists UW researchers in pursuing
commercializing of their innovations. A panel of venture capitalists,
veteran entrepreneurs, and UWTT leadership evaluate proposals to fund
additional research, prototype development, or market investigation. They
select those that best make the case that the funds will convert a UW
innovation into an attractive candidate for licensing opportunities or
venture capital investment. Along with funding, UWTT works to match
winning researchers with industry experts, entrepreneurs in residence, and
Business School interns.

The TGIF is a Royalty Research Fund. For this academic year $750,000 is
available to fund projects under the TGIF. The UW has committed $500,000
from royalty and licensing fee income generated by the University's
technology transfer program, and the Washington Research Foundation has
increased their support of the program to match that gift of $250,000.
Maximum awards are $50,000.

The TGIF welcomes applications for commercially-oriented research and
development on UW innovations from all faculty and professional staff. We
expect that most applications will address inventions or copyright-based
projects, but eligibility extends to all forms of intellectual property that
have been disclosed or reported to UW TechTransfer. Undisclosed inventions,
unreported intellectual property, or intellectual property of any kind that
is not held by the University of Washington are not eligible for this
program. However, interested faculty and professional staff are encouraged
to disclose discoveries and innovations with commercial potential to UW
TechTransfer in anticipation of making an application.

Two-page pre-proposals are due in the offices of UW TechTransfer by 5:00 PM
on March 2, 2009. A more extensive explanation of the TGIF and an
application form are available at
http://depts.washington.edu/techtran/aboutus/au_tgif.php. Questions
regarding the application procedure should be directed to Ms. Cathy
Manzanares Herda, UW TechTransfer, Box 354990, 206-543-0905,
TGIF@u.washington.edu.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact tgif@u.washington.edu