Got a great product idea?
Want no strings attached funding?
Ever wish you could see you work commercialized?
Then check out our Photonic HorizonsTM grant program.
The OPI Photonic HorizonsTM grant program is a completely new peer reviewed, R&D funding initiative. We created the Photonic Horizons program as a framework to facilitate collaboration between researchers and inventors and existing companies with pathways to bring these products to market.
We have decades of experience and have made our careers developing new technology, operating successful technology transfer and open-innovation programs, and bringing these ideas to market.
The Photonic Horizons grant is specifically designed to enable researchers and inventors to prove out their new ideas, develop prototypes, and partner with existing companies to help bring these products to market. We help inventors develop their technology for commercialization, in real market conditions. We have also designed the program to assist our corporate clients in building relationships and partnerships with these same researchers and innovators in the photonics product space.
Working together as a new ecosystem, we can identify new technology and markets with innovative product and technology solutions.
The grant program is a two-stage, peer reviewed, R&D initiative funded by OPI clients. The proposal solicitation list is seeded annually with client-defined domains of interest, focusing on product and technology innovation. OPI may also choose to post openly solicited calls more frequently, so stay in touch!
The first stage of the grant, Phase I, is a six-month proof of concept. Funded proposals will receive up to $10,000 to demonstrate their technology and potential to solve the problem. This stage employs a unique no-strings-attached open IP policy. This mitigates engagement risk for researchers while allowing them to freely solicit seed funding. Clients are able to begin developing the relationships with the researchers and evaluate individual technologies before committing to larger amounts of funding for development and IP transfer.
Successful Phase I grantees may be invited to submit a Phase II proposal. If selected, Phase II grants last from six to twelve months and provide up to $100,000 to develop an actual prototype and facilitate technology transfer.
Proposals are vetted at both stages by our technical and business advisory boards. Winners of the solicitation are chosen by OPI clients with our input and guidance. We manage the entire grant process from concept validation through eventual prototype development and IP transfer.
You can submit your proposal to our active solicitations starting February 1st, 2013. Before you submit, make sure that you watch the video and read the terms and conditions!
