Faculty Accelerator for Scientific Translation (FAST)

FAST – accelerating the translation of faculty research from discovery to impact.

With support provided by the Office of Institutional Advancement (OIA) and the Office of Research and Creative Achievement (ORCA), we are excited to introduce FAST, formerly offered as FEAT. The program is designed to help broaden the technology pipeline while also assisting with later-stage technology translation and commercialization. It is available to UMBC’s entrepreneurial PIs to advance their technical concepts or their ideas (social/behavioral/policy related) in conjunction with technology, toward commercial success and societal impact.

FAST is flexible and designed to assist UMBC researchers in obtaining additional research translation and commercialization funding, while providing access to mentorship and other resources.

FAST will support activities such as prototype development, market surveys, business plans, CEO support, mentoring assistance, and access to specialized facilities or equipment—whatever specific needs are necessary to advance the research toward the next stage of translation or commercialization funding (MII, MIPS, SBIR/STTR, Momentum Funds, etc.). This program will also enable UMBC, through OTD and bwtech, to identify existing resources for faculty and provide new resources (such as market databases) based on faculty requests.

Proposal and Award Requirements

UMBC PI-eligible applicants must submit a one-page proposal detailing the following:

• A non-confidential summary of the idea and its value proposition. What problem does it address? What sets the research, technology, or approach apart from existing alternatives?
• Describe how the funding will advance scientific translation and lead to additional internal or external funding, including the ABCE CENTRE Fund, OTD Technology Catalyst Fund, TEDCO Maryland Innovation Initiative, UMD I-Corps, Maryland Industrial Partnerships (MIPS), or SBIR/STTR programs. Funding may also support advancement toward disclosure, licensing, partnerships, or creation of a start-up company.
• A list of goals you hope to achieve. What specific milestones, thresholds, or translation barriers will you cross?
• The amount of funds needed for the project, using a budget table.
• When you will need the funds and when you expect the work to be completed.
• Deliverable – After the project is completed, the awardee will provide a summary of how the FAST funding assisted in advancing the research, technology, or translation opportunity. This can be relatively short (e.g., MII requirement satisfied, proposal submitted, award received, technology licensed, industry partnership established, or start-up formed).

Funding Terms

• Maximum award: $10,000
• Revolving deadline: funding is available year-round while funds remain
• Requires a close-out report by email, indicating results and follow-on funding or plans

Limitations

Funds must be used within 6 months of receipt.

Deadlines

• Rolling submission, due the first Monday of each month, with monthly reviews.
• Submit your one-page proposal to Enidia Santiago-Arce at esantia2@umbc.edu.
• Proposals will be reviewed monthly and funded at the level deemed necessary to achieve the goals outlined in the proposal.

Not Intended For

• Basic research
• Traditional, academic graduate student research for a year long project
• Any use that isn’t directly related to capturing future work, such as MII, SBIR/STTR, or other commercialization/translational related programs