Lab Venture Challenge Application

Welcome to the online application for the Lab Venture Challenge program.

General Instructions

Budget is due to the Office of Contracts and Grants (OCG) by 5pm August 15, 2019.

Application entries close at 5pm August 30, 2019

The applicant must be an eligible principal investigator. To check for eligibility, click here.

Funding may be used for Proof of Concept work and  Business Development expenses.  The total amount requested may be up to $125,000 if both Proof of Concept and Business Development activities are included.

Proof of Concept.  Funding of up to $100,000 is available for answering critical experimental questions that will help to validate the technology for commercial applications. 

Business Development.  Up to $25,000 is available in support of early commercialization activities. Funds may be used for customer discovery, market assessment, startup formation expenses, website development, intellectual property ($10,000 max), travel ($5,000 max), and accelerator fees.  If patent expenses are anticipated during the award term, then applicants must include such expenses in the budget, up to the $10,000 maximum. Other business expenses may be eligible upon specific request.  Need guidance?  Your Venture Partners case manager can provide you with details on IP expenses and specific opportunities with Innosphere and Rockies Venture Club.

Project duration can be up to 24 months for physical science awards, and up to 36 months for bioscience awards.  

Please adhere to space limits; answers in excess of limits will be automatically truncated.

The reviewers are a selection of business leaders, entrepreneurs, investors, intellectual property experts, and faculty.  While each will have experience within the relevant technical field, please note that this is not the same as a panel of academic peers with intimate knowledge of your research area.  Please communicate your proposal in a manner considering the audience.

Note that applicants selected for an award must also complete a short, web-based application on the State of Colorado website, per State requirements. OCG will provide web portal access to awardees.  

Click HERE to get started

If you need assistance, please contact Angela Skovira at 303-735-6645 or angela.skovira@colorado.edu OR Dipika Singh at dipika.singh@colorado.edu