2025 Call for Letters of Intent (LOI)
LOI submissions are closed
UMass Amherst invites submissions for the 2025 Translational Seed Awards of up to $100,000 for translational research and/or development to move UMass research, scholarship and creative works towards impact through research-based startup ventures, out-licensing of patented or copyrighted work, scalable community engagement, social impact ventures, or other vehicles.
These awards are funded by the Manning/IALS Innovation Program, which is designed to help advance UMass Amherst translational and applied R&D through the development of startup companies or the out-licensing of UMass IP and by the U.S. National Science Foundation Accelerating Research Translation Program (award #2331351), which seeks to increase the scale and pace of advancing translational discoveries made while conducting academic research into tangible solutions that benefit the public.
Scope and Eligibility
Eligibility: UMass Amherst faculty members from all disciplines are eligible to submit a Letter of Intent for consideration. Faculty invited to submit full applications may be asked to join the Institute for Applied Life Sciences (if not already a member). Applicant team members may include co-founders/leadership teams of a UMass startup venture. Attendance at a 2025 Translational Seed Awards information session is a prerequisite to submit a letter of intent (more information and registration information below).
UMass faculty are welcome to join IALS at any time by submitting an IALS membership form found on the IALS website: https://www.umass.edu/ials/about-ials/joining-ials
Funding: Up to $100,000 of direct cost funding based on milestones. Translational Seed Awards should be expended within 12 months.
Information Sessions & More Information
We will be holding information sessions for the Translational Seed Awards. Attendance by lead faculty PIs is mandatory at one of the sessions as a prerequisite to submit a letter of intent. (Prior year attendance does not replace this year's sessions.) Affiliated graduate students, business mentors, and/or startup co-founders are welcome to attend with the PI. Registration is required. Registration information is below.
Registration for Information Sessions:
- Tuesday, April 15, 2025 @ 2-3 p.m.
- Thursday, April 17, 2025 @ 3-4 p.m.
- Friday, April 18, 2025 @ 10 a.m.
- Thursday, April 24, 2025 @ 3-4 p.m.
After attending the information sessions, if you have additional specific questions regarding your application, please make an appointment during LOI Office Hours.
Award Terms & Conditions: Please review the full terms and conditions for this award.
Letters of Intent (LOI) submissions are closed.
Only Letters of Intent from PIs who attended an information session will be considered. LOIs will be reviewed administratively for compliance and fit with the objectives of this program. Submit LOIs online through the LOI Application Form (below).
Fill out a short LOI application form.
- Brief description of unmet real-world needs/opportunities to be addressed and why current solutions fall short. (up to 100 words)
- Brief description of project objectives and milestones to be reached by the end of the funding period. (up to 100 words)
- List and briefly describe invention disclosures submitted, provisional patent applications, non-provisional patent applications, and/or issued patents and/or copyrighted materials related to this project. If there are no such documents, briefly describe any discussions you have had with the Technology Transfer Office staff. (up to 100 words)
- Describe steps beyond the award that will be needed to realize your ambitions, including your plans for extramural funding, industry engagement, investment, and/or sales. (up to 100 words)
Once review of LOIs have been completed, you will receive an email notification. We expect to complete reviews of LOIs on or before May 19, 2025. Instructions on how to submit full proposal applications will be provided in the invitation to submit full proposal. If you have specific questions regarding your LOI submission, please make an appointment during LOI Office Hours.