Prerequisites

Only applicants who meet and agree to the following criteria will be considered eligible to submit a Proposal:

  • The Proposer must be a student currently enrolled in ENGR-5300 or a student or former student who has successfully completed ENGR-5300. Other UConn engineering student entrepreneur applications may be considered upon the recommendation of the SOE Dean and the Third Bridge PI Hadi Bozorgmanesh.
  • The student entrepreneur (SE) must secure the consent and participation of the student’s faculty advisor and/or co-inventors.
  • Prior to applying, the student applicant and/or their advisor/co-inventor must have an invention disclosure on file with UConn’s Office of Technology Commercialization Services (TCS) if it involves UConn Intellectual Property.
  • If the project is based on a faculty invention, the PI must have the consent of the lead inventor(s) and provide a copy of the disclosure filed by the inventor(s) with TCS. The participation of the faculty inventor as an advisor to the project is desirable and should be pursued and noted by the SE in the application.

Proposal applications will not be accepted if a disclosure has not been filed with TCS. Students whose innovation is not based on UConn faculty research are eligible to apply without filing an invention disclosure, provided TCS personnel verify such independence.

In all cases:

  • Non-UConn engineering personnel must be identified within the grant application as key contributors and their role within the project should be defined. Competitive applications will utilize both University and non-University expert resources and personnel to help with key milestones related to product development, testing, or prototype development.
  • The student proposer may collaborate on multiple proposals, provided that the proposals are not based on the same invention.
  • The technology which provides the basis for the proposal must not be licensed, optioned, or encumbered by any other prior entity.
  • The IP surrounding the invention disclosure must be owned (or co-owned) by UConn or by a UConn engineering student.
  • The project must be focused on commercial product/service development or testing. The SOE Third Bridge funding cannot be used for basic exploratory studies or as general funding for the faculty, student or lab.
  • Project milestones and deliverables must be achievable within 12 months of the start of funding and within the requested budget.
  • The applicants will cooperate with UConn Technology Commercialization Services on University IP to determine and pursue patent protection as appropriate.
  • International students must have legal status for working in the U.S. during the duration of the proposed TBG project. This may include having active CPT or OPT status. If currently on CPT, the applicant must have a plan to attain OPT status should milestones extend beyond the duration of the CPT.
  • Applicants understand that the company and their work must reside in the state of CT for the duration of the TBG project. It is highly desirable for the company to continue to be located in CT after the completion of the project.
  • The intention of the TBG is to provide student entrepreneurs with funding that will help bridge them to more substantial funding. As such, any student who applies must not have previously received pre-seed, SBIR/STTR, angel, or other such funding for the invention/project included in the TBG proposal. Nor should they have obtained any paying customer(s) for such invention/project.