Advancing Discovery to Market

The purpose of the Texas A&M University Advancing Discovery to Market (ADM) investment (with support from The Texas A&M University System) is to provide researchers, faculty, staff, and students with the resources to advance the development or demonstrate the commercial potential of recent discoveries to advance such discoveries to market that will enable a better product-market fit and successful commercialization (or licensing). It is suggested that proposers familiarize themselves with the I-Corps program (https://beta.nsf.gov/funding/initiatives/i-corps) to refine their commercialization strategy before submitting a proposal to this program. If you have any questions about the program, please contact Dr. Henry Fadamiro, henry.fadamiro@tamu.edu.

Results from 2023 Proposals

Sixteen teams of Texas A&M University researchers shared awards totaling more than $3.55 million from the university’s Advancing Discovery to Market (ADM) program, the Division of Research announced on Sept. 22. For a complete list of award recipients and their projects, view the announcement online.

Eligibility

The program is open to researchers, faculty, staff, and students of Texas A&M University, and its Texas A&M System partner research state agencies: the Texas Engineering Experiment Station, the Texas A&M Transportation Institute, and Texas A&M AgriLife Research. The ability to translate new and enhance the ability of the new discovery for licensing or investment are key components of the evaluation process.

Size of Award

A total of $5,000,000 is available annually in this fund. There are two award levels based on the maturity of the discovery:

• Type 1 awards targeting a total request of $99,000 or less, which focus on immature discoveries where an innovation has been formulated with the understanding that the application may still be speculative
• Type 2 awards targeting a total request of $100,000 to $500,000, which focus on discoveries where a concept is established, but refinement is necessary to advance towards the market or a start-up

Funding may be distributed over 24 months. The specific funding award level will be proposal dependent.

Note that accounts containing financial awards for undergraduate and graduate students will be established in the university’s Division of Finance and Business Services. Accounts containing financial awards for staff and faculty will be established in the appropriate department.

Requirements

Note that this program adheres to System Policy 17.01 – Intellectual Property Management and Commercialization and its regulations (“System IP Policy”). Individuals should review this system policy and its regulations prior to submission of a proposal.

Under Texas A&M System policy, ADM funds can only be awarded where the Texas A&M System (“System”) has ownership of the intellectual property (“IP”). A researcher, faculty member, staff member, or student (“Person”) with IP not owned by the System can submit proposals under this program. If the submission is successful, that Person will be required to assign that IP to the System before funds are awarded. Once the IP is assigned to the System, that Person will be entitled to share in the royalties that the System receives from the commercialization of that IP. Please see Section 1 – Intellectual Property Offers in Exchange for Royalty Sharing of System Regulation 17.01.05 – Charitable Gifts and Assignment of Ownership Rights.

The description of the discovery should include the proposed innovation, background IP, any blocking IP, intellectual merit, anticipated commercial applications, the current state of innovation, work to be completed, methodology, roles of key personnel, and the proposed budget (with justification) as described below. The proposal, where applicable, should also include existing funding sources, existing business structure, and existing agreements.

Proposed goals must be attainable within 24 months of award.

Awardees must commit to protecting the IP, such as filing an invention disclosure as appropriate.

Note that all proprietary information should be identified and highlighted as such in the proposal.

Awardees must complete a Texas A&M training module related to IP and commercialization.

Participants of the ADM program, including submitters of proposals identified for presentation, reviewers, and facilitators, are required to sign a non-disclosure agreement to ensure the confidentiality of the discovery.

Awardees are required to submit a semiannual progress report.

Budgeting

Funds may be requested for advancing the conceptual design or prototype for commercialization of the discovery. Funds may be used for supporting faculty, graduate students and other research staff, salary support, materials and supplies, and limited travel for justified purposes. Funds cannot be used to secure IP or to purchase equipment.

Review

Initial proposals will be screened for technical-readiness level and completeness as well as potential market viability. Proposals that meet these requirements will be advanced to the Review Committee (RC) for initial review and ranking. The principal investigators of the highest-ranked proposals will be required to present a 15-minute conceptual design to the RC. Note that the RC members will consist of entrepreneurs external to Texas A&M.

Proposals will be assessed based on the follow elements:

• Merit and Significance: Does the discovery solve a significant problem? Does it challenge the current state-of-the-art? Is the discovery unique to other current solutions to solve the same problem? Will the proposed project overcome a barrier to advancing research in this field and broaden the horizon for future research, as well as non-research-oriented markets.

• Market Viability:  Is there a clear customer base or market need for the product or service created by your discovery? Does the product address an unmet and scalable need? Are there current competitors in the same space? If available, provide information about potential distribution channels, pricing, marketing needs, and the like? What will the commercialization strategy after successful completion of this award and completion of the proposed tasks?

• Feasibility: What is the maturity of the discovery? What is the technical soundness, feasibility, likelihood of success(risk), and availability of needed facilities and equipment? What is the viability, patentability, commercialization and/or start-up potential of the discovery? What is the stage of development of the discovery? Is there a demonstration of industrial engagement and licensing potential? What is the PI’s previous success in the generation of IP and commercialization.

• Objectives: What are the proposed goals attainable within 24 months of award? What are the proposed goals after the award period ends? How can this award enable the long-term plans for commercialization?

• Resource requirements: What funding sources have been used to achieve the current discovery? What is the state of development? What are the investment requirements to advance discovery to a commercial state?

• Commitment: Commitment by the inventor to protect the IP as appropriate.

Submission

Submit one PDF file to Gabriel Rivera, Research Development Services, Division of Research

Submission Guidance

Proposal Title: Provide a title for the proposal.

Principal Investigator: Provide the name, affiliation, and contact information of the Principal Investigator (PI). The PI must be a faculty member, staff member, or student at Texas A&M University or its partners: the Texas Engineering Experiment Station, the Texas A&M Transportation Institute, or Texas A&M AgriLife Research. Please ensure the PI signs the cover page as unsigned proposals will be returned as incomplete and will not be evaluated.

Co-Principal Investigators: Provide the name, affiliation and contact information of each Co-Principal Investigator (Co-PI).  A Co-PI must be a faculty member, staff member, or student at Texas A&M University or its partners: the Texas Engineering Experiment Station, the Texas A&M Transportation Institute, or Texas A&M AgriLife Research. There is no limit to the number of Co-PIs. Ensure that all Co-PIs are included in the documentation.

Proposal Type (Type 1 or Type 2): Identify the proposal type of the discovery. The proposal type is based on the level of maturity of the discovery: Type 1 awards focus on immature discoveries where an innovation has been formulated with the understanding that the application may still be speculative; Type 2 awards focus on discoveries where a concept is established, but refinement is necessary to advance toward market or a start-up (de-risking the discovery or technology).

Project Description (maximum of three pages): The project description should include the following elements:

1. The proposed innovation: Describe in lay terms the discovery and its significance (including background IP).Note that any proprietary information included in the proposal needs to be identified and highlighted as being proprietary information.

2. The proposed intellectual merit: Describe the intellectual merit of the discovery to advance knowledge and understanding within its own field or across different fields (and how it is disruptive compared to existing or competing solutions/ideas).

3. Anticipated commercial application(s) of the project: Identify the commercial application of the discovery including potential markets and the license demand. Include demonstration of industrial engagement and licensing potential (as appropriate).

4. Present state of the innovation: Explain the technical-readiness level (TRL) of the discovery including soundness, feasibility, likelihood of success, and availability of needed facilities and equipment.

5. Proposed effort: Describe the work needed to advance the discovery to commercial application. Describe the specific work location for completion.

6. Methodology: Describe the method(s) to be used to complete the work. Include a description of any potential risks limiting overall success.

7. Roles of the key personnel: Describe the roles of the PI and Co-PIs in the effort. Include the overall percent contribution of each in the discovery.

8. Existing funding sources: Provide what funding sources have been used to achieve the current discovery. Funding sources may include university, federal agencies, the commercial sector, private foundation, self-investment, or others.

9. Existing business structure: Provide (if applicable) a description of any current business structure or operation already established to support the marketing and sales of your discovery.

10. Existing agreements: Describe (if applicable) any existing non-disclosure agreements, memos of understanding, memos of agreement, external employment/consulting, or other existing agreements related to the discovery and/or the proposed work.

Budget: Type 1 awards are limited to $99,000 or less; Type 2 awards can range from $100,000 to $500,000. Funds can be expended over two years. Equipment cannot be purchased with these funds. Provide proposed budgets with justification for senior personnel (PI, Co-PIs), Other personnel (students, research staff, or others), materials and supplies, travel, or other proposed costs. A justification is required for each budget item.

Curriculum Vitae: Append a two-page National Science Foundation (NSF)- or National Institutes of Health (NIH)-formatted curriculum vitae for the PI and each Co-PI.

Proposal Summary

1. Proposal Title
2. Principal Investigator
   1. University/Research Institution:
   2. Department:
   3. Telephone:
   4. Street Address:
   5. Email Address:
3. Date and Signature
4. Co-Investigator(s)
   1. University/Research Institution:
   2. Department:
   3. Telephone:
   4. Street Address:
   5. Email Address:
5. Proposal Type (Type 1 or Type 2)
6. Project Description (Maximum three pages; submission guidance above)
7. Project Background
   1. Do other solutions to any problems solved by the discovery already exist and, if so, what advantages does the discovery have over these other solutions?
   2. Has the discovery been published or disclosed anywhere?
   3. Has any sales, licensing, or other commercial use taken place (or is expected to take place soon)?
   4. Has a patent application already been filed? If so, what sort?
   5. Has an application for copyright registration been filed?
   6. Do any trademarks associated with the discovery exist? If so, have any applications for trademark registration been filed?
8. Proposed Budget (Include budget sheets with justification for each item.)
9. Curriculum vitae (Include CVs for the PI and each Co-PI in an NSF or NIH format with a maximum of two pages each.)

Project Proposed Budget- Year 1

Senior Personnel – Total cost with benefits. (Please include name, title, unit, percent effort and justification for each):

Other Personnel – Total cost with benefits. (Please include name, title, unit, percent effort and justification for each):

Materials and Supplies (List specific items with justification):

Travel (List specific items with justification):

Other (List specific items with justification):

Project Proposed Budget- Year 2

Senior Personnel – Total cost with benefits. (Please include name, title, unit, percent effort and justification for each):

Other Personnel – Total cost with benefits. (Please include name, title, unit, percent effort and justification for each):

Materials and Supplies (List specific items with justification):

Travel (List specific items with justification):

Other (List specific items with justification):

Project Proposed Budget- Total

Senior Personnel:

Other Personnel:

Materials and Supplies:

Travel:

Other:

Frequently Asked Questions