What are Massachusetts Clean Energy Center ("MassCEC") Catalyst Program Awards?
MassCEC and the MTTC see a need to help researchers move their inventions into development. This will increase the value of their inventions and enhance institutions' ability to license them to existing companies or to create new companies in Massachusetts. The grants will be awarded to selected Principal Investigators at Massachusetts's institutions to undertake targeted development on technologies that have been disclosed to their institutions. All rights to intellectual property developed as part of these grants or resultant funding will remain with the PI's research institution.
While the grants are limited, it is the intention of MassCEC and MTTC to support researchers who want to demonstrate the feasibility of their technologies in specific industry applications in order to obtain increased industry and investor interest.
What is the Technology Investigation Awards Schedule?
Awards Schedule
August 18, 2010 Open Invitation to Apply
September 17, 2010 Statement of Intent Due
October 15, 2010 Applications/Proposals Due
December 13, 2010 Finalists Presentations
January 3, 2011 Announcement of Award Recipients
Who can apply?
Any researcher or faculty member at a Massachusetts-based nonprofit research organization is eligible to apply. This includes universities, hospitals, research institutes and federal research labs. The applicant must have Principal Investigator status in their home institution in order to apply for these funds.
Student teams may apply, as long as they have a faculty member or researcher who will be the Principal Investigator and will be responsible for the management of the grant and the reporting requirements.
The intention of these awards is to accelerate the commercialization of technologies that have been invented at research institutions in Massachusetts. Technologies that are not completely or partially owned by an institution are unlikely to be funded.
What technologies are eligible for funding?
We are looking for technologies in all fields of Clean Energy; however, they must have been disclosed to the institution. Particular emphasis will be placed on selecting technologies that could be a foundation for new companies or technologies that could improve the competitiveness of existing Massachusetts companies.
For the purposes of this program, Clean Energy technologies are defined as those that contribute to the advancement of one or more of the following clean energy or energy efficiency categories:
Technologies related to coal, oil, and natural gas, except where used in fuel cells or nuclear power, are not acceptable technologies for MassCEC funding.
How do I apply?
A Statement of Intent must be submitted by September 17, 2010 for MassCEC's Catalyst Program Awards. For those who submit a Statement of Intent, a completed application must then be submitted to companycatalyst@masscec.com by 5 PM on October 15, 2010.
Do I have to submit a Statement of Intent to apply?
A statement of intent is required for MassCEC's Catalyst Program Awards and must be submitted by September 17, 2010.
When do I apply?
The MTTC is accepting Statements of Intent for MassCEC's Catalyst Program Awards now until September 17, 2010. Once a Statement of Intent is accepted, full applications are due by October 15, 2010.
Is there a format for the submissions?
Yes. Submissions must be in MS Word or PDF format, using Arial 11-point font. The file should be no larger than 4MB. The maximum number of pages (including all attachments) is 10 pages for the $40,000 Catalyst Program Award.
What happens to late applications?
Applications that are not received by the closing deadline will not be considered in this solicitation. If you would like to be placed on an e-mailing list for receiving notification regarding other grant solicitations, contact Michele Bernier at mbernier@umassp.edu.
What if I have questions regarding the application process?
If you have any questions, contact Michele Bernier in the MTTC office at mbernier@umassp.edu or (774) 455-7278.
How are the funds allocated?
The funds are awarded through an external review process judged by a pool of independent experts. MassCEC and MTTC determinations are final. The steps in the process are as follows:
The MTTC Advisory Board and MassCEC's Investments in Clean Technology team oversee the process and approve the final recommendations from the external reviewers.
What are the evaluation criteria?
The reviewers will be asked to consider:
Must overhead be included in the budget?
If overhead is required by your institution then overhead must be included as a line item in the budget section of the application. The complete amount of the award will be $40,000 including overhead.
In what ways can inventors use the funds?
Funds may be used in many ways to move an idea or technology closer to commercialization. Examples of how the Catalyst Program Awards (maximum $40,000) funds can be used:
If your institution requires overhead on your award, this must be indicated in your budget.
Funds may not be used for:
If I have started a company or work closely with a company can they receive funding?
No. The funding is only for use by researchers who have disclosed inventions that have a potential for commercialization, not those that are already commercialized. Funds are awarded only to Principal Investigators at Massachusetts's institutions. The award will be made to the institution.
If you have started a company based on your research, the MTTC has other programs, which may be able to help you. Please visit www.mattcenter.org for more information.
What about proprietary information?
Our policy is to keep your information confidential, but we cannot guarantee its security. It is strongly urged that applicants submit publicly available information about their technology and/or application. Generally, technology can be described in broad terms that do not require submittal of proprietary information. The technology's commercial potential is the most important issue for selection for MassCEC and MTTC support. However, limited information on the actual technology or experimental data should be included in the application to allow reviewers to assess the maturity and validity of the technology. Discuss any concerns with your technology transfer office, and work with them on the contents of the application.
Do I have to disclose the technology to my technology transfer office?
Yes. If you have not already disclosed your technology to your institution's technology transfer office, you will be required to make a disclosure prior to the review of the expert panel. Include all contact information for your technology transfer officer with your application. If you are chosen to receive an award, your technology transfer office will also be notified of the award.
Can these grants be used with other funding?
Yes. If you can use these funds to augment or to attract other commercialization funds, we would like you to show this in your proposal. If you are awarded funding from multiple sources for the same project, we will want to see budgets and milestones showing which parts of the projects will be paid for by this award and which will be paid for by other funding sources.
What are the post award requirements?
Award recipients must submit a formal six-month report and a final report on the research completed, milestones achieved, new technologies disclosed and use of funds. (If the funding is spent within six months, this is the only report that will be required.) It is also anticipated that throughout the award period the recipient will maintain contact with MassCEC and MTTC on commercialization plans for the technology.
What is the timeline of the award contract?
The contract for award winners will start on February 1, 2011 for one year.
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MTTC is financially supported by the Commonwealth of MA and
