Application process
The application process is multi-stage, starting with the submission of a Pre-Proposal. Selected Pre-Proposals are invited to participate in a multi-session Boot Camp. Teams then submit Full Proposals and “pitch” their projects to a panel of experts comprised of clinicians, biomedical entrepreneurs, early-stage investors, and technology transfer specialists, who evaluate projects on the basis of their potential health care and patient care impact, timeline and pathway to commercialization, technical feasibility, and, most importantly, their potential for obtaining further financial investment to bring the proposed solution to the bedside.
PRE-SUBMISSION CONSULTATION
Applicants are STRONGLY encouraged to reach out to Columbia Biomedical Engineering Technology Accelerator Executive Team with any questions about the application process or the program overall. Please submit inquiries or request a meeting time via email to biomedx@columbia.edu.
PRE-PROPOSALS
The first step in the process is a Pre-Proposal application, about 3 pages long. We encourage you to submit your Pre-Proposal as soon as you are ready to do so. Pre-Proposals are due by November 20th, 2020.
Most of the Pre-Proposal questions are market-oriented, asking about the envisioned product, the need the product will address, how healthcare providers and consumers currently deal with the problem, and what the existing and emerging competition for the product looks like. We also ask for a brief summary of your scientific discovery or technology that will support and enable the product you’re trying to bring to patients: What technical hurdles are standing in the way of commercialization and what do you propose to do to reduce/eliminate these hurdles?
Finally, we ask about intellectual property, including any patents that have been filed. Please note that you do not need to have a Patent Application filed on your idea, but you DO need to submit an Invention Report in order to apply for Columbia Biomedical Engineering Accelerator funding.
If you have not yet submitted an Invention Report, click here to download the Invention Report form, complete it and submit to techventures@columbia.edu.
If you have already submitted an Invention Report on your idea, we ask you to list the Invention Report(s) that are relevant to your proposed project. If you do not have this information, it can be obtained from techventures@columbia.edu or the Columbia Inventor IP Portal (click here).
YOU MUST SUBMIT AN INVENTION REPORT IN ORDER TO QUALIFY FOR PRE-PROPOSAL REVIEW.
After Pre-Proposals are submitted, selected teams will be invited to participate in an 8-week "Boot Camp," where proposals are refined to meet clinical and commercial needs. Full Proposals are then submitted and pitched to a evaluating committee of judges who select teams that can continue to the final stage of project selection.
BOOT CAMP
Invited teams are strongly encouraged to send at least one representative of their team to the Spring Full Proposal Boot Camp. The Boot Camp will help you prepare each of the required sections of your application, as well as answer two fundamental questions: 1) Does your envisioned product address a true unmet clinical need? AND 2) Is there a viable business opportunity? Many of these elements can be repurposed for other commercialization grants, such as SBIRs, STTRs, etc. See BOOT CAMP for more details.
FULL PROPOSALS AND PITCH DAY
Detailed instructions for Full Proposal preparation/submission and Pitch Day will be provided to invited applicants. Pitch presentation are similar to investor presentations, i.e. focused on conveying the business opportunity and commercialization strategy, rather than typical scientific talks. Full Proposals and Pitch day will take place in late Spring.
WORK PLAN DEVELOPMENT
Based on the Full Proposals and Pitches, selected teams will be asked to develop and submit a work plan and budget, which they will present to the team of judges for a final award decision.
