As part of New York University’s commitment to research excellence, technology transfer, and entrepreneurship, NYU’s Offices of Research Development and Technology Opportunities & Ventures (TOV) is pleased to announce a call for proposals for the Technology Acceleration & Commercialization (TAC) Awards for 2025. The TAC Awards are designed to foster applied research and technology projects with near-term potential for commercialization, either through start-up creation or licensing.
TAC Applicants may request up to $75,000 in direct costs for up to one year. Proposals should address the detailed technical, commercial, and financial aspects of the work to be funded (details below). Successful applications should include work for which intellectual property has been obtained, or will be sought, by NYU, and should advance commercialization potential through proof-of-concept studies, prototype development, advancing technology readiness level, etc. Funding can be used for professional research staff, postdoctoral, and student salary; materials and supplies; equipment, computers, software, market research and customer discovery; prototyping development and testing, and graphic design. We encourage ambitious proposals across fields, with a focus on interdisciplinary and cross-school collaborations, as meaningful breakthroughs come from integrating multiple perspectives.
2025 TAC Awards will be funded along two tracks:
TAC Awards – General
3 awards up to $75,000 in direct costs for up to one year for projects of any field having commercial potential.
Discovery Research Fund TAC Awards – Human Health
3-5 awards up to $75,000 in direct costs for up to one year for projects aligned with the Discovery Research Fund for Human Health launched by The Office of Research Development. The DRF TAC Award was established to help make substantial progress toward understanding and improving health through research and innovation.
Eligibility
The TAC Awards support projects from NYU’s Washington Square, Abu Dhabi, and Shanghai campuses. NYU full-time faculty (including tenured, tenure-track, and contract faculty) in New York (not including Grossman School of Medicine [GSOM faculty]), Abu Dhabi, and Shanghai are eligible. GSOM researchers are permitted to be co-PIs and other key personnel, but the lead PI should have a primary appointment in NYU’s Washington Square, Abu Dhabi, and Shanghai campuses.
Timeline
Application Deadline: Monday, August 26, 2024
Award Announcement: Friday, November 1, 2024
Informational webinar
Watch the recording of our informational webinar to learn more about the TAC Awards and how to apply.
How to apply
Please provide the following application materials in a single PDF document and email it to TACFund@nyu.edu and include “TAC Awards – 2025” in the email subject line. If you are already working with a TOV business development manager, please reach out to them with any questions and copy them in your submission. You should expect to receive a confirmation of receipt within one business day.
Complete proposal requires ALL sections outlined below
- Cover page/proposal overview
- “‘Title’_TAC2025”
- Investigator/s name, signature, and date
- Department affiliation, department head signature, and date
- Abstract (<500 words – project, goals, methodology, and commercial application)
- Project description (up to 3 pages)
- Background (state of the art, key innovations, present challenges, work completed)
- Objectives of the project (challenges/opportunities, goals, milestones both technical and commercial)
- Methodology (statement of work, techniques, personnel, project plan, and milestones)
- Specific goals TAC fund will achieve to advance technology toward commercialization
- Commercialization (up to 1 page)
- Commercial potential (describe markets, size, timing, risks), competitive landscape
- Commercial pathway and plan (TOV commercialization, startup, or another commercial plan)
- Solution differentiation – unmet need, improvement, competitive approach
- Invention disclosure to TOV (required), IP disposition, and progress
- Other risks/hurdles – regulatory, investment, funding
- Budget (up to 2 page)
- Requested fundingBudget breakdown and justification, if possible, breakdown by project phase and milestone
- How does requested funding meet project goals?
- Relevant background information
- Current and pending fundingCollaborations outside NYU
- Brief bio of all PIs and co-PIs (highlight relevant commercialization experience)
Review procedures, criteria, and compliance
- Review: Panel of technology commercialization experts
- Criteria: Merit and rigor of technical activity, commercial potential, plan for achieving commercial goals
- Compliance: Mid-term and final progress reports
- Outcomes: Follow-on funding, publications, IP, investments, etc.
- Recipients are expected to engage with relevant offices within OVPR
Review the TAC Awards FAQs
Contact
For questions, please contact TACFund@nyu.edu