This presentation will discuss the gap many university-based start-ups experience in the funding rat race and how institutions can drive institutional and equity-based financing. The pros and cons will be detailed and alternatives provided. This presentation will provide a foundation upon which to consider building a university-based venture funding organization, alternatives to these funding models, and tweaks to existing funding models.
The ASCEND program, which is a collaboration of Mountain West IDeA state universities and their affiliated Technology Transfer Offices, provide the framework for effective communication and outreach to build entrepreneurial cultures throughout the region. ASCEND works to accelerate commercialization activities and to increase SBIR/STTR applications and funding. For additional information on ASCEND, please visit https://ascendhub.org/, or contact UNLV's Office of Economic Development at innovation@unlv.edu, or by phone at 702-895-5200.
NIH-Wide Strategic Plan for COVID-19 Research
The NIH-Wide COVID-19 Strategic Plan, released on July 13, 2020, provides a framework describing how NIH is accelerating the development of therapeutic interventions, vaccines, and diagnostics in response to the SARS-CoV-2 global pandemic. It describes how NIH is rapidly mobilizing the biomedical research community, such as through establishing new programs that leverage existing resources, to lead a swift, coordinated research response.
The plan outlines five cross-cutting strategies:
Invest in NIH and NIH-funded researchers to increase fundamental and foundational knowledge of SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19.
Speed innovation in COVID-19 testing technologies through NIH’s recently launched Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics (RADx) initiative which aims to deliver rapid, widely accessible testing strategies to the public.
Participate in public-private partnerships, such as NIH’s Accelerating COVID-19 Therapeutic Interventions and Vaccines (ACTIV) partnership, and federal partnerships such as Operation Warp Speed, to forge groundbreaking approaches that speed identification, development, evaluation, and manufacturing of promising candidate therapeutics and vaccines.
Support studies on preventative treatments and behavioral and community prevention practices to identify and implement effective approaches for promoting individual and community safety.
Ensure that diagnosis, treatment, and prevention options are accessible and available for underserved and vulnerable populations which have been at greatest risk for the most severe threats of the disease.
