TO BE RESCHEDULED

Navigating NSF Programs & Non-Dilutive Pathways in a Government Shutdown

Your research may be the foundation of a disruptive new startup — but translating your research and ideas into a successful startup venture requires an understanding of customers, competitors, channels, business basics, and fundraising fundamentals.

Join MIT CSAIL Alliances and the NSF New England I-Corps Hub for a research and deep-tech startup strategy session designed for first-time and aspiring technical founders. If your research is at the frontiers of AI, Compute, Quantum, Robotics, Health, Bioinnovation, Manufacturing, Energy, Materials, or other “key technology focus areas” this session is for you. 

​What to Expect:

• Navigating Uncertainty: the federal government may be closed, but you can still act to be ready when agencies reopen soon.
• How to build a roadmap: sequence your funding, discover your customers, create milestones, derisk your development, leverage non-dilutive funding.  
• Actions you can take now: NSF programs and pathways from local $1k SPARK microgrants for customer discovery and market analysis leading to $2M SBIR or TTP programs to support the commercialization of your research and idea.
• The benefits of government funding: Learn from founders that used non-dilutive federal funds to build out their technology, extend their runway, and scale up without selling ownership early.
• Grant writing: Learn about the upcoming IAP workshop “How to Write Winning SBIR Grants”
• Meet 1:1 at end of session with NSF I-Corp team members and recent NSF grant awardees

Note: NSF New England I-Corp Spark/Fusion programs and micro-grant offerings are open and operating through the government shutdown. NSF, NIH, and other agencies are still holding to current published proposal submission deadlines (e.g. SBIR/STTR and TTP).