Apply for Sprout
Up to $100,000 in Sprout funds are distributed each year, in the spring. The amount of funding will be commensurate with the scope of the project. Smaller budgets are encouraged. The key is to match your budget request to the funding you need to get your idea off the ground.
To see the types of projects that typically receive funding, please see last year's Sprout recipients.
Learn all about Sprout by visiting our overview page.
Apply to Sprout by March 29
Sprout is designed to encourage and support translational research activity within the Brandeis community for faculty, postdocs, and student researchers (graduate and undergraduate) in the Division of Science. The awards (up to $25,000) are intended to help to advance early-stage technologies to industry adoption thereby bringing your research and entrepreneurial ambitions to life.
Apply Here by March 29
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Undergraduates, graduate students, post-doctoral fellows, faculty and staff from any Brandeis department or school are eligible to apply for the Sprout Program. Please note that at least one team member must be a Brandeis affiliate.
The Sprout Program at Brandeis will provide pilot funding for innovative scientific projects within the Division of Science that require bench research, lab space, and/or lab equipment. The projects should further have a positive impact. Applicants will be judged and awards of varying amounts will be presented to winning teams based on the specific needs of the respective projects. Some examples of Sprout projects would be the development of an enzyme, a drug or compound, a new material, and alternative fuel sources.
The Sprout application process has three parts: 1) preliminary application, 2) full application and 3) final pitch. After the preliminary applications are reviewed, selected participants are invited to continue the application process. These applicants are coached and mentored (individually and in group sessions) throughout the entire process. Final pitches are given to a panel of advisors including entrepreneurs, investors, and industry professionals.
Sprout Program Final Proposals will be judged by a panel of independent, outside advisors. Applications will be judged using the following criteria:
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Overall quality of proposed research plan
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Potential commercial importance of the proposed project;
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Competence, balance and completeness of entrepreneurial team;
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Possibility of attracting future development funding to advance the proposed project;
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Degree of innovation and novelty in the proposed project
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Potential for commercially significant inventions, copyrights and patents;
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Probability of achieving proposed goal with the award resources and in the time proposed.
