Commercialization Initiation Grants

The M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust's Commercialization Initiation program funds the step between a laboratory discovery and a product. It supports projects at the point where the science is solid and a feasible business plan is in hand, so that a principal investigator or inventor can reduce a bench discovery to practice, secure intellectual property and ownership, demonstrate proof of commercialization concept, and position the work for its next round of funding.

A principal investigator or inventor may request a two-year grant of up to $75,000, and the university must match at least an equal amount. The Trust takes no equity interest in the intellectual property or in the commercialization of the invention.

Only projects in the natural sciences, medicine and engineering are considered. Requests for games and software applications are not considered, and the program is not intended to let investigators generate data for their next major research grant application.

Eligibility is limited to a select group of major research universities and biomedical research institutes identified by the Trust within its Pacific Northwest funding region.

Proposals come from the institution, not from individual researchers. The Trust has an understanding with the major research universities and select biomedical research institutes in its funding region that only institutional priority requests are submitted, and only one proposal per institution may be considered in a calendar year. A request from an individual researcher is considered only when the institution endorses it as its priority to the Trust; that endorsement rests with the institution's Chief Executive Officer and may be delegated to a Chief Academic or Research Officer. Proposals may come from departments within the natural sciences, engineering or medicine.

There is one submission window each year, in April and May. The deadline for receipt of applications is June 1, and awards are announced at the end of August. Only proposals submitted through the Trust's Grants Portal are accepted; applications from individuals are not considered.

Before applying, contact Dr. Aaron Putzke, Vice President of Scientific Research, by email or at 360-694-8415 to discuss a Commercialization Initiation request. Submission requires the university's commitment to match the Trust's award at least dollar for dollar.