Brandeis Innovation

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has launched a new American Made Challenge Competition: The Community Energy Innovation Prize, with a dedicated track to support student-led community energy innovation initiatives. Program staff, faculty, or student club/group leaders (with their institution's support) are eligible to apply. Ten prizes of up to $10,000 are offered. 

The Power Forward Small Business Grant is targeted at black-owned small businesses that can showcase how they intend to use the grant to further their impact on their community. Approved applicants receive $25k in funding, along with the opportunity to be featured in natural programming and resources for both marketing and design. There is no deadline; rewards are granted on a rolling basis.

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P&G Ventures is an early stage startup studio within Procter & Gamble that partners with entrepreneurs to  accelerate billion dollar ideas that improve consumers’ lives. Focus areas include nontoxic home and garden, women’s health, anti-aging, daily wellness, and cleaning/sanitizing.

The Seed Investments Program is a two-stage investment program that provides up to $250,000 in convertible notes to pre-seed or seed-stage clean energy startups. The program exists to support companies as they advance and commercialize clean energy technologies and business models.Massachusetts-based applicants whose primary business fits the MassCEC definition of “clean energy” (defined in the MassCEC Enabling Legislation), and that are currently based in, or intend to relocate to Massachusetts, are eligible to apply.

For: Undergraduate and graduate-student entrepreneurs
Rolling Deadlines

The .406 Ventures Student Fellowship is a two-year program for exceptional student entrepreneurs. Selected students are given access to mentorship from experienced venture capitalists, $20k+ in vendor credits, and a dedicated network of founders. Former fellows have gone on to IPOs, acquisitions, and top companies such as Google and Amazon. Please note that this fellowship is only for students who have already started a company or plan to within the next two years; students with a primary interest in Venture Capital should look elsewhere. To apply, you must have at least two years left at your current academic institution.

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For: University researchers in a range of disciplines, including data science, epidemiology, biochemistry, and more

Deadline: Rolling

Rapid diagnosis and treatment of infectious diseases are critical to both the patient and the broader community. Early Notification to Act, Control, and Treat (ENACT) partners with innovators to develop disruptive technologies that detect, prognosticate outcomes, and enable early intervention following exposures to both natural and man-made infectious threats.

Are you an inventor, entrepreneur, or startup founder interested in accessing the resources, networks, and knowledge of a multibillion-dollar company? If so, you may be interested in applying for a partnership with the Procter & Gamble studio. They are specifically interested in startups in the fields of chronic conditions, non-toxic home and garden, personal performance, male and female wellness, sleep, active aging, or menopause with patents or pathways for such.

They describe themselves as a different type of Venture Capital firm that is interested in a partnership rather than a traditional VC investment. Many of the details of said partnership are left up in the air and open for negotiation.

Join iFundWomen if you are a Boston-area women-led startup to fundraise for your business and get your ideas launched.