Innovation Enterprise

Funding Opportunities

Funding for USF Start-Ups

The USF Innovation Enterprise offers several funding and support opportunities for faculty and start-up companies interested in bringing USF innovations to market.

NSF I-Corps at USF

Who Can Apply: USF faculty and graduate student research teams
Funding Available: Up to $3,000 at the USF I-Corps Site, which then qualifies you to apply to the National I-Corps program with funding of up to $50,000 available to further refine your business model.

With the National Science Foundation I-Corps Site program at USF, you have a unique opportunity to learn and explore the commercial potential of your idea. The program will teach you, through its unique curriculum, how to find the business model behind your idea, with hands-on, real-world experience with faculty and business experts. It is about the customer discovery process — the first step towards your startup or commercialization.

The Corridor Early-Stage Innovation Fund

Who Can Apply: USF Researchers
Funding Available: Up to $25,000

The Florida High Tech Corridor Early-Stage Innovation Fund supports early-stage innovations and research with significant potential for commercial or community impact. These funds are meant to seed faculty-developed technologies that could lead to industry investment, community engagement, start-up creation, and/or licensing opportunities.  

Foundation Bull Ring Accelerator Grant (BRAG) 

Who Can Apply: Tampa Bay Technology Incubator affiliated start-up companies formed on the basis of licensed USF technologies
Funding Available: Up to $25,000

The Foundation Bull Ring Accelerator Grant program (BRAG) provides up to $25,000 of grant funding to support the entrepreneurial ecosystem at USF and help bridge the “valley” or “ditch” of death experienced by early-stage technology companies.

The Corridor Matching Grant research Program

Who Can Apply: USF Faculty in Collaboration with Local Industry Partners
Funding Available: Up to $150,000

The Matching Grant Research Program, a collaboration between the Florida High Tech Corriodor and the University of South Florida, can provide up to $150,000 in matching grant funds for collaborative research projects between local industry partners and USF researchers, including Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) / Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) funded projects. 

Federal small business innovation research & tech transfer ProgramS

Who Can Apply: USF start-ups and small businesses bringing innovative tech to market
Funding Available: $150,000 to $1.5 million

The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs provides non-dilutive federal funding to U.S. small business bringing innovative technologies to market. USF start-up companies and collaborating companies are well-suited to tap into this funding program, but some safeguards may be required to ensure eligibility and protect against conflict of interest. Faculty are also welcome to serve as subcontractors on external company's proposals. In both scenarios, matching funds through the Florida High Tech Corridor may be available.  

FL FAST Technical Support

Powered by a grant from the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Federal and State Technology (FAST) Partnership Program, The Corridor’s “FL FAST” initiative is Florida’s first centralized support system for companies pursuing SBIR/STTR awards. To recieve access to on-demand training materials, webinars and other resources, use the FL FAST interest registration form to register for the program.