***repost from UMBC Research and Creative Achievement Opportunities***

With support provided by the Office of Institutional Advancement (OIA) and the Office of Research and Creative Achievement (ORCA), we are happy to announce a new funding initiative called FEAT. The program is designed to help broaden the technology pipeline, while also assisting with later stage technology commercialization. It is available to UMBC’s entrepreneurial PIs to advance their technical concept, or their idea (social/behavioral/policy related) in conjunction with technology, towards commercial success, and out to meet societal needs. FEAT is flexible to assist UMBC researchers in obtaining additional commercialization funding, and providing mentorship services.

FEAT will support things like prototype builds, market surveys, business plans, CEO support, mentoring assistance, special facility or equipment access -whatever your specific needs are to obtain your next commercialization funding (MII, MIPS, SBIR/STTR, Momentum Funds, etc.).  This program will also enable UMBC, through OTD and bwtech, to identify for faculty existing resources, as well as provide new resources (like Market databases) based on faculty requests.

Proposal and Award Requirements:  UMBC PI eligible applicants must submit a one-page proposal which details the following:

• A non-confidential summary of the idea and its value proposition. What sets you apart from the competition?
• Describe how the funding will result in the project receiving additional internal or external funding [ABCE CENTRE fund, OTD Technology Catalyst Fund, TEDCO Maryland Innovation Initiative, UMD I-Corps , Maryland Industrial Partnerships (MIPS), SBIR/ STTR program basics ] or advancing the technology to disclosure, licensing, or the creation of a start-up company.
• A list of goals you hope to achieve. What specific threshold(s) will you cross?
• The amount of funds needed for the project using a budget table.
• When you will need the funds and when you expect the work to be completed.

• Deliverable – After the project is completed, awardee will provide a brief summary of how the funding assisted in the advancement of the technology. This can be relatively short (MII requirement satisfied, proposal submitted, award received, technology licensed, start-up formed).

Deadlines: Rolling submission, due the first Monday of the month, monthly reviews. Submit your one-page proposal to Wendy Martin at wmartin@umbc.edu. Reviewed monthly, proposals are funded at the level deemed necessary to achieve the goals outlined in the proposal.

DoIT welcomes Khalil Alston as a new full time AV Specialist. He joins the AV Services team in the operation, support, and installation of classroom and conference AV technology on campus.

Khalil joins us from the University of Baltimore, where he served as an IT Specialist for the Office of Technology Services.  He brings experience with AV troubleshooting, coding, along with excellent customer service skills to the team.

Khalil earned his B.S degree in Simulation and Game Design from the University of Baltimore in May 2022.Please join us in welcoming Khalil into the UMBC family. We look forward to his future contributions to UMBC.

December 1 is the UN International Day of Persons with Disabilities, honoring the United Nation's commitment for promoting the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities - more than 1 billion people worldwide are in this demographic, the world's largest minority. The day raises awareness of the political, economic, social and cultural aspects of disability that affects people around the world. 

The theme for 2023 is "united in action to rescue and achieve Sustainable Development Goals for, with and by persons with disabilities.  The theme reflects recent consideration of the impacts of COVID-19, climate change, and the invasion Ukraine. More information about the UN Virtual New York Commemoration event, including registration is linked here.  To view the December 1 10a-1p activities remotely, click here at that time.