Managed by the Polsky Center, the George Shultz Innovation Fund provides up to $250,000 in co-investment funding for early stage tech ventures coming out of University of Chicago, Argonne National Laboratory, Fermilab, and the Marine Biological Laboratory.
What makes a successful application?
The George Shultz Innovation Fund looks for projects that have a high chance of commercial viability and large potential for impact. Past successful applicants have shared the following characteristics:
- Committed team with dedicated technology and business founders
- Significant technical milestones have been achieved:
- Drug: Lead candidate(s) identified (or nearly)
- Device: Initial prototype completed
- Software: MVP released to initial customers
- The technology is demonstrably better/different than what is already available.
- The value proposition of the technology has been validated with end customers
- The work to be funded will likely lead to outside funding, customers, or other engagement.
Spring Deadline
February 12, 2024