Our Programs

 

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STARTUP EDUCATION AND PROGRAMS
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Programs to support innovators and entrepreneur development.

Submit your idea to the Tulane Innovation Idea Bank. We'll schedule a session to introduce you to resources and mentors to help turn your idea into a business.

 

Join TUII’s expert guests as they walk us through concepts ranging from startup marketing to business legal structure to the finer points of IP protection and fundraising. Free and open to the public, these educational hours are also a great opportunity to meet with individuals at Tulane and in New Orleans who are also interested in innovation.

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At the core of our supportive ecosystem at the Innovation Institute, we offer mentorship and access to resources that form the foundation of an entrepreneur’s growth. 

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In partnership with New Orleans Entrepreneur Week (NOEW), Tulane University Innovation Institute (TUII) will host a $50k Demo Day pitch competition during the NOEW 3rd Coast Investor Summit on Thursday, March 14th to showcase promising early-stage companies located in New Orleans, LA. 

Eligible applicants must be Tulane faculty, staff, or students or involved in TUII programming, such as Startup Team Mentoring, Open MIC Night, Provost’s Proof of Concept, webinar series, or any programming through the Lepage Center or the Taylor Center. Applications have closed.  Learn more about the 2024 event here.

The Innovation Institute (TUII) is seeking proposals from Tulane University Faculty to incorporate innovation and entrepreneurship activities and lessons into their curriculum. The goal is to help students develop an innovative mindset and prepare them to embark on future entrepreneurial journeys. TUII will award up to 10 individual grants for $2,500 each.  The application for the Spring round has closed.  Sign up for our e-newsletter or follow us on social media to get updated on the next round.

Tulane Ventures is the home of the Tulane Seed Fund. Tulane Seed Fund is the inaugural venture fund for Tulane Ventures. The seed fund is focused exclusively on investing in New Orleans tech-enabled startups in the health/medical, energy, and artificial intelligence industries.

The Tulane University Startup Clinic is a joint program between the Innovation Institute and relevant academic units at Tulane. Faculty and student volunteers will assist founders with business planning and administrative topics necessary to launch and grow a company. 

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ROBERT L. PRIDDY INNOVATION LAB: COMMERCIALIZATION
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Our process for protecting ideas and determining if there's a market.

The Innovation Institute is proud to offer a step-by-step commercialization process that'll lead you and your idea through building a sustainable venture.

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A joint program between the Innovation Institute and the Deming Department of Medicine, Open MIC (Medical Innovation Challenge) Night is an opportunity for participants to pitch their medical innovations to a diverse audience including peers, Tulane faculty, industry experts, and the New Orleans entrepreneurship community. Participants pitch their ideas in three minutes to expert judges. Winners will receive $500 for developing their idea and further mentorship, along with the opportunity to access additional funding in Round II ($2,000 additional prize money for a total of up to $2,500 in prize money).

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The Provost’s Proof of Concept Fund is one of TUII’s signature commercialization programs. The first TUII program to officially launch, the Provost's Proof of Concept Fund will be administered in two cycles per year with three grants of up to $50,000 each awarded per cycle.

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The Tulane Research, Innovation, and Creativity Summit (TRICS) is Tulane’s signature annual research showcase. An evolution of Health Sciences Research Days, this university-wide event in 2023 consisted of over 400 research projects on display across all schools and departments. This year for the first time, TUII will partner with the Office of Research to produce and host this event.

NSF’s I-Corps program is the gold standard for customer discovery and value proposition research. I-Corps focuses on customer discovery research in two major phases: regional programs and national programs. Regional programs will allow for teams formed through programs like Provost's Proof of Concept Fund and Open MIC Night to take the next steps towards product development and commercialization and be competitive for the national program, which comes with a grant of $50,000 per team for customer discovery and limited stipend support.

Federal Technology Development Grants: Are you looking for SBIR/STTR funding? The mission of the SBIR/STTR programs is to support scientific excellence and technological innovation through the investment of Federal research funds in critical American priorities to build a strong national economy. Click here to see the SBIR/STTR funding opportunities. 

The TUII Fellowship Program is a first-in-class up to 3-year postdoc program designed to facilitate technology commercialization and educate fellows about innovation ecosystem development and pipeline management while mentored and guided by an industry expert, innovative Tulane faculty, and TUII staff. Fellows conduct innovation ecosystem and pipeline research in preparation for developing a business plan for a technology (their own or an appropriate piece of Tulane IP).

Click here to learn more about Tulane's invention disclosure process to protect your intellectual property. 

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COMMUNITY AND INDUSTRY ENGAGEMENT
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Partnering with community and industry to fuel the region.

The Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA!) is a groundbreaking and exciting program that transforms local middle and high school students into real, confident entrepreneurs. Through the year-long program, students in grades 6-12 generate business ideas, conduct market research, write business plans, pitch to a panel of investors, and launch their very own companies.

Tulane Ventures is the home of the Tulane Seed Fund. Tulane Seed Fund is the inaugural venture fund for Tulane Ventures. The seed fund is focused exclusively on investing in New Orleans tech-enabled startups in the health/medical, energy, and artificial intelligence industries.

TUII’s Community Council consists of New Orleans community members who provide perspective and ideas for ways in which TUII can support and help grow the local entrepreneurial ecosystem.

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Technologies developed within Tulane University need partners to develop.  As part of our commercialization process, we have business development team members who can assist faculty and students with making concrete decisions about whether to form a startup company as a university spinout or whether they have a discovery or invention that could be licensed or funded further by a corporate partner.  Email Innovation@tulane.edu for more information.

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Open MIC Night Audience

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Don't miss out on any of upcoming events! Check out our full calendar through the button below.

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