Proposal Guidelines

Trask Innovation Fund Eligibility:

• Open to all Purdue Researchers, faculty and staff at all campuses.
• Proposals must be related to a Purdue technology for which Office of Technology Commercialization has received a disclosure.
• Depending upon technology domain and commercialization opportunities, applicants must choose between one of the following three tracks.
  • Innovation Sparks (Life Science and Medical Devices): Technologies with applications in life science and/or medical devices including but not limited to, therapeutics, drug discovery and development, Diagnostics, and Agriculture. The technology must not be encumbered under any Option/ License to be eligible for this application track.  
  • Innovation Sparks (Physical Sciences): Technologies with applications outside of life sciences and medical devices such as engineering, chemistry and computer sciences. The technology must not be encumbered under any Option/ License to be eligible for for this application track.  
  • Commercialization Partner Sparks: Technologies in any technology domain for which, (a) OTC has either signed an option agreement with a potential licensee or (b) the applicant is engaged with Purdue Research Foundation to establish a commercialization partnership and will sign an option for technology before receiving Trask funding.
• One applicant can apply only under one application track during each cycle.
• To determine the right application track, applicants should work with the Business Development Manager responsible for the technology.
• Proposal must target specific and significant milestones that are achievable within 6 months.