VIPC Commonwealth Commercialization Fund (CCF): Technology Commercialization Grants

The VIPC Commonwealth Commercialization Fund (CCF) offers technology commercialization grants to support Virginia's public and private higher education institutions in advancing innovative technologies. Grants range from $100,000 to $300,000 across three funding tiers, promoting early-stage technology validation, prototype development, and commercialization efforts. The program aims to bolster economic growth by fostering private investment and creating jobs through research and entrepreneurial support, ensuring Virginia remains a leader in science and technology.

Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation
Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation (VIPC) drives innovation and economic growth in Virginia by focusing on three key areas: supporting entrepreneurship and startups, expanding regional innovation ecosystems and industry sectors, and advancing research and technology.
As part of its mission, VIPC attracts and helps catalyze private investment in early-stage startups, awards research and commercialization grants to universities and entrepreneurs, and provides resources and funding to support entrepreneurial ecosystems, innovation networks, and public-private partnerships across local, state, and federal levels. VIPC is the operating nonprofit on behalf of the Virginia Innovation Partnership Authority (VIPA).
VIPC fuels innovation in Virginia by advancing cutting-edge research and turning novel ideas into real-world solutions. Through competitive grants, VIPC supports universities in developing technologies at the earliest stages of commercialization and the infrastructure to support these efforts, thereby driving job growth, new business creation, and ensuring the Commonwealth remains a national leader in science and technology.
VIPC’s Commonwealth Commercialization Fund (CCF) higher education program provides grant funding to Virginia’s public and private colleges and universities, as well as eligible nonprofit Virginia-based research institutes. Grants generally support early technology validation and the exploration of commercial potential, including in-depth customer discovery; for more advanced technologies, funding may also support the development of working prototypes that align with market and/or customer needs. Grants range from $100,000 to $300,000 across three tiers, with each tier supporting a more advanced stage of commercialization and technology readiness level (TRL).
Tier 1: Proof-of-Concept Grant
Eligible applicants are invited to seek Tier 1 funding. Tier 1 grants provide funding up to $100,000 and generally support early technology validation (TRL 2-4) and exploration of commercial potential, including in-depth customer discovery. Basic lean startup training is preferred prior to the CCF project’s period of performance. Applicants are expected to have filed an invention disclosure.
Tier 2: Commercialization Grant
The opportunity to seek Tier 2 funding will be by invitation only for applicants that have successfully executed a Tier 1 grant. Subsequent award decisions will take into consideration performance on and compliance with the prior award(s) and project timelines will not overlap. Tier 2 grants provide funding up to $200,000 to support the development of a working prototype that aligns with market and/or customer needs (TRL 4-6). Lean startup or other similar training that includes in-depth customer discovery, business model validation, and team development is required before or during the CCF project’s period of performance. Applicants are expected to have filed a provisional patent(s).
Tier 3: Advanced Commercialization Grant
The opportunity to seek Tier 3 funding will be by invitation only. Eligible applicants will have successfully executed a Tier 2 grant and be deemed by VIPC to have exceptional strategic value for Virginia. Subsequent award decisions will take into consideration performance on and compliance with prior award(s) and project timelines will not overlap. Tier 3 grants provide funding up to $300,000 for applicants on a high-potential commercial path with significant customer or licensee traction (TRL 5-7). Applicants are expected to have filed a PCT and/or utility patent(s).
Matching Funds
A minimum one-to-one match is required. Matching funds are monies that will be supplied by the applicant in an amount that equals or exceeds the CCF request. Matching funds may come from federal, foundation, private, or other non-Commonwealth of Virginia sources and must support the proposed CCF project and be spent during its period of performance. As it relates to Commonwealth of Virginia sources, however, the salary of a public university researcher and/or associated indirect costs, even if considered state monies, may be used as the source of matching funds.

Eligibility

Be one of the following:
Virginia public or private institution of higher education or its associated intellectual property foundation that adopts a policy regarding the ownership, protection, assignment, and use of intellectual property pursuant to Code of Virginia, Section 23.1-1303Federal research facility located in VirginiaUniversity research consortium that includes Virginia college and university member institutions
Other nonprofit research institution located in Virginia whose purpose includes performing basic and/or applied scientific research
Have a proposed technology that addresses one of the following targeted industries:Advanced manufacturing
Transportation
Eligible applicants may have received no more than two CCF awards for the proposed project; awards received under the Commonwealth Research Commercialization Fund (CRCF) do not count against this cap.