National Collegiate Investors & Innovators Alliance Inc, operating as VentureWell, is a 501(c)(3) public charity based in Hadley, Massachusetts. Established in 1995 with support from The Lemelson Foundation, the organization cultivates a pipeline of inventors, innovators, and entrepreneurs dedicated to solving global challenges. VentureWell fosters collaboration among the brightest minds from research labs, classrooms, and beyond to advance innovation and entrepreneurship education while providing unique opportunities for STEM students and researchers to realize their potential and create lasting impact.
Key facts about National Collegiate Inventors &
- EIN
- 42-1727335
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $38,385,101
- Grants made (2025)
- 69
- Average grant
- $556,306
- Median grant
- $25,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 78% first-time grantees (54 of 69, 2025)
- Total assets
- $89,478,799
- Primary geography
- California (20% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
Who National Collegiate Inventors & funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for National Collegiate Inventors &'s 69 itemized 2025 grants were California (20%), Texas (20%) and Massachusetts (15%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (4 grants), Austin, TX (3 grants), Boston, MA (3 grants) and Los Angeles, CA (3 grants). None of its 69 grants with a stated purpose were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "ARPA-H Sprint for Women's Health award" (19 grants) and "Noaa Ocra" (13 grants).
Is National Collegiate Inventors & open to new grantees?
78%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 54 of 69 grantees (78%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $677K; repeat grants $121K. How we count
Medians: $25K first-time, $25K repeat.
Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2019–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Next steps with National Collegiate Inventors &
- How to evaluate National Collegiate Inventors & as a funder
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Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$89.5M
+32.9% YoY
Annual Giving
$38.4M
+1949.7% YoY
Grant Count
69
+38.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$556K
+1385.3% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
VentureWell's mission centers on cultivating inventors, innovators, and entrepreneurs driven to solve the world's biggest challenges and create lasting impact. The organization promotes invention, innovation, and entrepreneurship through:
- Innovation and Entrepreneurship Education: Supporting educators in implementing hands-on, experiential learning approaches
- Student Innovation Programs: Funding E-Teams—groups of students, faculty, and advisors working to commercialize novel ideas
- Technology Entrepreneurship: Grants to faculty to start programs focused on technology entrepreneurship and product development
- Commercialization Support: Helping student innovations move from concept to market
Primary funding areas include Education, Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking, and Human Services.
Grantmaking
VentureWell administers multiple grant programs:
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
VentureWell's grantmaking focuses primarily on California, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina. The organization maintains a membership of nearly 200 colleges and universities across the United States.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 69 itemized 2025 grant dollars.
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Most Recent Fiscal Year (2024):
- Total Assets: $67,322,326
- Total Revenue: $116,586,489
- Total Expenses: $110,811,872
- Total Giving: $5,691,603
- Staff: 155 employees
Previous Fiscal Year (2023):
- Total Assets: $53.6M
- Total Revenue: $93.3M
- Total Expenses: $89.9M
- Total Liabilities: $25.7M
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $89,478,799 | $67,322,326 | $53,617,163 |
| Revenue | $106,240,932 | $116,586,489 | $93,331,215 |
| Expenses | $105,304,649 | $110,811,872 | $89,870,589 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $1,935,578 | $1,088,852 | $106,610 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 3, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 10, 2023)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS April 24, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2024
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
Grant Size Distribution
384 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2025 grants, the largest recipients include Gameto Inc ($4,000,000), Aspira Women's Health Inc ($3,500,000), Dar Bioscience Inc ($3,500,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Gameto Inc Austin, TX | ARPA-H Sprint for Women's Health Award | $4,000,000 |
| Aspira Women's Health Inc Austin, TX | ARPA-H Sprint for Women's Health Award | $3,500,000 |
| Dar Bioscience Inc San Diego, CA | ARPA-H Sprint for Women's Health Award | $3,500,000 |
| University of Iowa Iowa City, IA | ARPA-H Sprint for Women's Health Award | $3,139,210 |
| Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Inc Boston, MA | ARPA-H Sprint for Women's Health Award | $2,951,004 |
| Children's Research Institute Washington, DC | ARPA-H Sprint for Women's Health Award | $2,658,940 |
| Fieldbook Studio LLC Indianapolis, IN | Fieldbook Studios | $2,300,000 |
| Ancilia Biosciences Inc New York, NY | ARPA-H Sprint for Women's Health award | $1,700,000 |
| Celmatix Inc New York, NY | ARPA-H Sprint for Women's Health Award | $1,580,000 |
| Nura Health Inc Los Angeles, CA | ARPA-H Sprint for Women's Health Award | $1,353,073 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
From 2025 IRS filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Todd Warren | Chair | 1 | — |
| Michael Marasco | Treasurer | 1 | — |
| Carol Dahl | Secretary | 1 | — |
| Gilda Barabino | Director | 1 | — |
| Abigail Barrow | Director | 1 | — |
| Dedric Carter | Director | 1 | — |
| Monica Dean | Director | 1 | — |
| Jos Estabil | Director | 1 | — |
| Randy Lewis | Director | 1 | — |
| Josh Makower | Director | 1 | — |
| Rodney Priestley | Director | 1 | — |
| Youseph Yazdi | Director | 1 | — |
| Jerry Engel | Emeritus Board Member | 1 | — |
| Donna Petkanics | Emeritus Board Member | 1 | — |
| Paul Yock | Emeritus Board Member | 1 | — |
| Philip Weilerstein | President | 35 | $387,632 |
| Mark Marino | VP, Growth Strategy & Deve | 35 | $267,234 |
| Christopher Desrosiers | VP, Finance & Administrati | 35 | $249,852 |
| Ursa Scherer | VP, People & Culture | 35 | $225,213 |
| Demetria Gallagher | VP, Higher Education Innovation Ecosystems | 35 | $237,828 |
| Christina Tamer | VP, Ventures | 35 | $215,549 |
| Rebekah Neal | VP, Commercialization | 35 | $216,288 |
| Oneida Vicky Harris | VP, Enterprise & Shared Services | 35 | $213,689 |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does National Collegiate Inventors & fund?
VentureWell's mission centers on cultivating inventors, innovators, and entrepreneurs driven to solve the world's biggest challenges and create lasting impact. The organization promotes invention, innovation, and entrepreneurship through: • **Innovation and Entrepreneurship Education**: Supporting educators in implementing hands-on, experiential learning approaches • **Student Innovation Programs**: Funding E-Teams—groups of students, faculty, and advisors working to commercialize novel ideas •…
How do I apply for a grant from National Collegiate Inventors &?
VentureWell administers multiple grant programs: **Grant Amounts**: Typical awards range from $2,500 to $562,500 **Total Giving**: $5,691,603 (most recent fiscal year) **Program Areas**: • **RADX Program**: VentureWell serves as the network partner and administrator for the National Institutes of Health's Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics Initiative, which aims to expand innovative diagnostic technologies for SARS-CoV-2 testing across the country • **I-Corps Program**: Courses that engage parti…
Where does National Collegiate Inventors & make grants?
VentureWell's grantmaking focuses primarily on California, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina. The organization maintains a membership of nearly 200 colleges and universities across the United States.
What size grants does National Collegiate Inventors & award?
In 2025, National Collegiate Inventors & awarded 69 grants totaling $38.4M — an average of about $556K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is National Collegiate Inventors &'s EIN?
National Collegiate Inventors &'s EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 42-1727335. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
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Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.