Get Started with the SPROUT Program

The SPROUT Program, funded by the Provost’s Office and the Office of Technology Licensing (OTL), is designed to encourage and support entrepreneurial activity within the Brandeis community for students (graduate and undergraduate), postdocs, faculty and staff in the Division of Science.  The awards are intended to help bring your research and entrepreneurial ambitions to life. 

Types of Projects Encouraged to Apply 

SPROUT teams represent a diverse array of scientists working on solutions to the world's most challenging public health and environmental issues, as well as innovating new methods of scientific research. Our funded teams from the last fiscal year include:

• Nobel Prize Winner Michael Rosbash's lab, for work on discovering the genetic causes of ALS, Parkinson's and other neurological conditions. They strive to understand the mutations that give rise to these illnesses. 
• Lizbeth Hedstrom and Deviprasad Gollapalli and their team, working on treatments for antibiotic-resistant chronic infections. By allowing antibiotics to attack even dormant bacteria, they aim to prevent lingering organisms that can evolve into resistant strains. 
• Isaac Krauss and his team, who are seeking an HIV vaccine using a specific vulnerability of the virus that is also present in cancers, making the vaccine potentially preventative of several life-threatening diseases.

Together, these and all of our current SPROUT teams continue the Brandeis tradition of innovating to improve the world. 

Read About All Current SPROUT Teams

Benefits of SPROUT:

• Industry-leading mentorship program to help you get your idea off the ground
• Training in innovation, business strategy, and more
• Free access to Amazon Web Services infrastructure
• Networking and visibility for your startup throughout the year
• Potential opportunity to participate in the Brandeis NSF I-Corps™ program

Important Dates 

• March 11 - Preliminary Applications Due
• March 14 - Semifinalists Announced
• March 20  -SPROUT bootcamp - final application support, market research, pitch training. 
• March 25 - April 5 - Individual industry mentoring meetings
• April 17 - Final applications due
• April 29 - Slide decks due
• May 3 - SPROUT pitch day