Penn State GAP Fund

Projects will be reviewed by internal and external commercialization subject matter experts. Preferences will be given to the projects where commercial interests have been ascertained and actionable recommendations are obtained from potential licensee(s) to advance the IP to a point (in 1-3 years) to attract a commercial licensee or investor looking to build a company around the technology.

Projects will be reviewed for scientific strength, but the primary focus will be on commercial potential and readiness.

Proposals must address the following core components of a proposed project in the following format:

1. Project Title
2. Executive Summary (500-word limit)
3. Unmet Need
   • What is the gap or problem where there is no satisfactory solution?
   • Who and how many are affected each year globally and, in the USA?
4. Currently Available Solutions
   • What is the current gold standard for the problem being addressed?
   • What are 2-3 other solutions available today or in development that are intended to impact on the same unmet need? What stage of development are they at?
5. Proposed New Solution
   • What is the end product or service? How does it address the unmet need?
   • Is it a new product or an improvement of an existing product?
   • Who is the end user of your product?
   • How will your solution be better than the current gold standard How is it novel?
   • Who will buy this product and who will pay for it? Explain why they will pay for it.
   • How do you envision pricing this product vs. existing or competitive products? Why?
6. Preliminary Results
   • Include results from preliminary testing and data that demonstrates the feasibility of your solution.
   • Describe the current stage of the technology/product and include critical technical hurdles (e.g., product development and/or manufacturing) that have not been solved.
7. Research Plan and Quarterly Milestones
   • Describe specific research aims.
   • Fill out the below milestone table to describe quarterly milestones for the activities that need to be undertaken during the initial one year of funding.
   • How will the results of the GAP funding help you convince subsequent investors or licensees to further invest in your idea (i.e., explain how these specific aims and milestones will get you closer to finding a commercial partner)
   • Briefly list the technical and business milestones for the 2 years following the end of the GAP Fund support.
8. Commercialization Plan and Intellectual Property
   • Intellectual Property: Does the original IP belong to PSU or PSRF? Detail your Technology Licensing Officer and case number. Is the IP patentable or otherwise protectable?
   • Market Size: What is the US market size today for existing products servicing the target market? What is the projected US market size at full penetration for the proposed product
   • Regulatory Barriers to Entry: List significant regulatory (e.g., FDA, EPA, USDA, etc) barriers that must be cleared to enter the target market, if any.
   • List companies, investors or organizations that currently have or are likely to have interest in your technology.
   • List company names and divisions and why they would be interested (e.g., they sell similar products, sell to similar markets/customers, or this item will fill a gap in their product portfolio).
   • List information you have obtained from potential licensees or investors related to this particular project. Have they commented on the value proposition? Any quotes or letters of support would greatly strengthen the application.
   • Competition and Commercial Partners: List names of start-up companies and established companies that are currently developing or selling products targeted at solving the same problem. If they are using a different technology but are solving the same problem, you should still list them. Remember that competitors could be potential future commercial partners for your technology.
   • Please include competitive landscape research and analytics and business element.
9. Follow-on funding plan
   • The Commercialization GAP Fund provides a bridge to other types of commercial and federal funding to get your product closer to the market. It is not enough by itself to get your product all the way to the market. It is very important that you have a plan for obtaining follow-on funding to continue the project after the Commercialization GAP Fund award expires. List of potential sources of funding in bullets and the associated deadlines.