A Smarter Way to Spot Bacteria
What if your phone could detect bacteria in minutes? That's exactly what BactiSee does. Developed by UMass Amherst postdoctoral researcher Yuzhen Zhang, this smartphone-powered technology lets users quickly visualize and measure bacterial contamination on-site. No lab required.
Designed for food production facilities, commercial kitchens, and other environments where cleanliness is critical, BactiSee helps identify contamination faster—supporting health standards, quality control, and quicker decision-making.
How does venture funding work?
Venture funding supports early-stage and growing businesses. Companies with strong long-term potential may receive backing from individuals or venture capital firms, often alongside mentorship and expertise. Funding can occur at multiple stages and varies by company. Common stages include:
Pre-Seed
An early stage focused on turning an idea into a viable business, often supported by accelerator programs that provide initial funding, guidance, and mentorship.
Seed Funding
An early-to-mid stage that supports the development and launch of a first product, typically before a company begins generating its own revenue.
Institutional Funding
A later stage that provides additional capital to scale production and expand sales for companies with an established product and revenue stream (often held in rounds called Series A, Series B, etc.).
Maroon Venture Partners Fund
The Maroon Venture Partners Funds is a for-profit venture fund that invests in early-stage companies linked to UMass Amherst. Students, faculty, and alumni may qualify. Companies approved for funding typically receive between $100,000 and $300,000 in outside equity.
Institute for Applied Life Sciences Funding
The UMass Amherst Institute for Applied Life Sciences (IALS) offers seed funding of up to $100,000 for translational research and development. In partnership with the Manning Innovation Program and the U.S. National Science Foundation Accelerating Research Translation program, IALS funds collaborative ventures that promise to move UMass research and creative works toward startup companies and licensed intellectual property.
IALS funding opportunities include:
IALS midigrant funding of up to $25,000 for early-stage translational research
Incentive funding for researchers who use the IALS Core Facilities, and subsidized training for students
The IALS Translational Graduate Student Assistantship for graduate translational research
Any Questions?
Our university-wide network of innovation, entrepreneurship, and creativity advisors and mentors is here to help you grow your ideas—whether you’re exploring a new interest or preparing to launch. Reach out to find support, guidance, and opportunities to get started.