Featured Programming

Pitt.INC: A leading Pitt Innovation Program for health sciences research funding

Pitt.INC

Pitt Idea Navigation to Commercialization (Pitt.INC) is a key Pitt Innovation Program, offering funding designed to generate proof-of-principle data for novel ideas with high commercial potential. With awards up to $50,000, the program supports projects from Pitt’s Schools of the Health Sciences addressing unmet needs or challenges in human health and disease.

More Information

NSF Regional I-Corps Program

The NSF Regional I-Corps is a one-month, immersive entrepreneurial training program that helps shape Pitt research into products and services. Participants learn to apply customer discovery methodology to evaluate the commercial potential of their ideas.

More Information
Pitt Community of Innovators session

Community of Innovators

Pitt’s Community of Innovators supports University members at all stages of their innovation and commercialization journeys and provides mentorship, education, and resources to accelerate the translation of novel solutions addressing unmet health challenges.

More Information
alt=

Commercialization Gap Fund

Secure up to $75,000 to de-risk and validate Pitt technologies with existing proof-of-concept data and high commercial potential. Open to all fields and disciplines, this Pitt Innovation Program supports key technical and market studies to bring your innovations closer to commercialization.

More Information
alt=

Pitt SPARK

Pitt SPARK is a competitive innovation funding program designed to support the development of Pitt IP, making it ready for commercially focused external funding and/or tech transfer events. Awards of up to $125,000 are granted to life sciences projects with advanced proof-of-concept data demonstrating real-world feasibility and commercial potential.

More Information

Hunter Family Foundation Innovation in Neuroscience Program

Advance your neuroscience innovation with the Hunter Program. Secure a single $100,000 award to bridge the gap between research and commercial development for technologies addressing unmet needs in neuroscience. This program funds key proof-of-concept or validation studies, moving discoveries closer to patient treatments.

More Information

Wells Student HealthTech Challenge

The Wells Student HealthTech Challenge is open to University of Pittsburgh students, from undergraduates through postdocs, who are developing healthcare innovations built on Pitt technology. Applications close Aug. 30, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Finalists pitch on Nov. 10, 2026, for a share of $40,000 in awards: $20,000 for first place, $15,000 for second, and $5,000 for third. The competition is sponsored by the Michael G. Wells Entrepreneurial Scholars Fund.

More Information

Curious About Innovation?

Discover opportunities to learn, connect, and explore

Start your commercialization journey and join Pitt’s Community of Innovators, and events hosted by the OIE team. Explore our Inventor’s Guide and commercialization resources to bring your ideas to life.

Explore Innovation Opportunities

Curious About Innovation

Discover how Pitt Innovation Programs offer opportunities to learn, connect, and explore with Pitt OIE to fuel your creativity, expand your network, and turn your ideas into impactful solutions.

  • Idea to Impact. Engage with OIE staff at a meet-and-greet, including Coffee & Conversation. Join OIE staff every 2nd Tuesday of the month to discuss your innovation and learn about the programs and resources across OIE that can help you realize its potential.
  • Community of Innovators. Pitt’s Community of Innovators supports University members at all stages of their innovation and commercialization journeys and provides mentorship, education, and resources to accelerate the translation of novel solutions addressing unmet health challenges.
  • Inventor’s Guide. Review the comprehensive guide that provides essential steps and resources to help you transform your groundbreaking research into impactful products and services. From protecting your invention, to finding the right commercialization path, this guide supports you at every stage.
  • Commercialization Resources. Review key resources to gain critical insights into intellectual property, and startup creation at your convenience. This flexible approach helps you enhance your entrepreneurial skills and make informed decisions to advance your innovations.

Have a Problem or Idea?

Transform your ideas into real-world solutions

OIE offers a range of funding and programming to kickstart the development of your idea into a solution. Apply for proof-of-principle funding from Pitt.INC, validate your problem with the NSF Regional I-Corps Program, and explore the Pitt innovation ecosystem.

Explore Idea Funding

Have a Problem or Idea?

If you have a problem to solve or an idea to develop, Pitt OIE offers the resources and support you need to turn your vision into reality.

  • Pitt.INC Pitt.INC is an innovation funding program designed to generate proof-of-principle data for novel ideas with high commercial potential. With awards up to $50,000, the program supports projects from Pitt’s Schools of the Health Sciences addressing unmet needs or challenges in human health and disease.
  • NSF Regional I-Corps Program. The NSF Regional I-Corps program is a one-month customer discovery course that helps Pitt inventors test the commercial potential of a technology by interviewing prospective customers. It was formerly called First Gear. Completing it is a prerequisite for applying to Pitt SPARK.
  • Community of Innovators. Pitt’s Community of Innovators supports University members at all stages of their innovation and commercialization journeys and provides mentorship, education, and resources to accelerate the translation of novel solutions addressing unmet health challenges.
  • Pitt Un-Challenged. The Pitt Un-Challenge funds new approaches to unmet needs in human health and disease. Phase 1 awards support validating the problem before a solution is designed. PUnCh is run by the Pitt Office of Multidisciplinary Innovation in the Health Sciences and the Pitt Clinical and Translational Science Institute, not by OIE.
  • CREATES. CREATES is an innovation center in the Pitt School of Medicine that helps researchers identify and solve unmet healthcare needs, drawing on engineering, medicine, public health, and social work. Following the Stanford
    Biodesign approach, it offers guidance on user research, technology, and translation For more information, Pittsburgh CREATES or email mohit.singhala@pitt.edu.

Ready to Validate Your Solution?

De-risk the commercial opportunity of your technology

Apply to the Commercialization Gap Fund to perform key technical and/or market validation studies or apply to Pitt SPARK to perform later stage industry-defined translation milestones. Explore industry funding opportunities with the Office of Industry and Economic Partnerships.

Validate Your Solution

Ready to Validate Your Solution?

Pitt OIE provides the tools and guidance to de-risk and validate your technologies, ensuring they meet real-world needs and have the potential for success.

  • NSF Regional I-Corps Program. The NSF Regional I-Corps program is a one-month customer discovery course that helps Pitt inventors test the commercial potential of a technology by interviewing prospective customers. It was formerly called First Gear. Completing it is a prerequisite for applying to Pitt SPARK.
  • Commercialization Gap Fund. Secure up to $75,000 to de-risk Pitt technologies with existing proof-of-concept data and high commercial potential. Open to all fields and disciplines, the Commercialization Gap Fund supports key technical and market studies to bring your innovations closer to commercialization.
  • Pitt SPARK. Awards of up to $125,000 are granted to life sciences projects with advanced proof-of-concept data demonstrating real-world feasibility and commercial potential. Pitt SPARK is designed to support the validation of Pitt IP, making it ready for commercially focused external funding and/or tech transfer events.
  • Office of Industry and Economic Partnerships. The Office of Industry and Economic Partnerships (OIEP) provides a variety of services to support faculty in partnering with industry, identifying industry funding opportunities and commercializing your idea.
  • Community of Innovators. Present your project at Pitt’s Community of Innovators and receive feedback and guidance from industry experts, OIE, and Pitt inventors to develop a solution built for commercial success.

Ready to Launch a Startup?

Kick off your entrepreneurial journey

Connect with OIE’s mentor network and leverage resources from IEE to ensure your startup's success.

Launch Your Startup

Ready to Launch a Startup?

Ready to launch a startup? Among our comprehensive Pitt Innovation Programs, Pitt OIE offers tailored support and resources to help you turn your innovative solutions into a successful business.

  • NSF National I-Corps Program. The NSF National I-Corps program is a separate, seven-week course. Participants interview prospective customers and partners to size the market for a product, process, or service. Regional I-Corps is the
    usual first step.
  • SBIR/STTR Grant-Writing Support. SBIR and STTR are competitive programs offered by federal agencies that aim to encourage startups to engage in commercialization efforts. OIE’s New Ventures team assists Pitt startups in writing and securing SBIR and STTR grants. For additional consultation on strategies for applying for SBIR grants, contact OIEstartups@pitt.edu .
  • Institute for Entrepreneurial Excellence. The Institute for Entrepreneurial Excellence has served businesses throughout western Pennsylvania for more than 25 years. Offering a dynamic mix of consulting, education, and networking opportunities, the IEE strives to be an innovative leader in economic development in the region. Contact the IEE for more information.

Ignite Your Student Innovation Journey

Unlock your potential with our student innovation resources!

Join the Big Idea Center for entrepreneurial resources, participate in the Michael G. Wells Student Healthcare Competition to showcase your healthcare innovations and become a ChangeMaker to create value and positive impact on the world.

Explore Student Resources

Ready to Ignite Your Innovation Journey as a Student?

As a University of Pittsburgh student, OIE and the Big Idea Center, our hub for student innovation and entrepreneurship at Pitt, provide you with the resources, mentorship, and opportunities to transform your innovative ideas into impactful solutions, whether you’re looking to solve a problem, validate your solution, or launch a startup.

  • Big Idea Center: Transform Your Ideas into Impactful Solutions! The Big Idea Center is an on-campus innovation and skill-development center that fosters the innovative and entrepreneurial spirit of the Pitt student community.
    • At the Big Idea Center, become a ChangeMaker to drive positive impact in the world, boost your idea with a Big Idea Blitz, and compete for funding in pitch competitions. Join us to unlock your potential and make a difference!
  • Wells Student HealthTech Competition. The Wells Student HealthTech Competition, sponsored by the Michael G. Wells Entrepreneurial Scholars Fund empowers entrepreneurial students at Pitt by providing faculty support and opportunities to engage with innovative technologies. With $40,000 in prizes, the competition helps advance their discoveries toward commercialization.
  • Community of Innovators. Pitt’s Community of Innovators supports University members, including students, postdocs, and residents, at all stages of their innovation and commercialization journeys and provides mentorship, education, and resources to accelerate the translation of novel solutions addressing unmet health challenges.

Field-Specific Programs

Discover resources tailored to your field

Explore the Hunter Family Foundation Innovation in Neuroscience Program, which supports groundbreaking neuroscience research designed to advance neuroscience discoveries toward market readiness.

Explore Field-Specific Programs

Need Field-Specific Programs to Elevate Your Team’s Performance?

Discover the tailored solutions we offer to enhance initiatives like the Hunter Family Foundation Innovation in Neuroscience Program.

  • Hunter Family Foundation Innovation in Neuroscience Program
    • The Hunter Program provides a $100,000 annual award to advance Pitt technologies in neuroscience from lab discoveries to commercial products. This program supports key proof-of-concept and validation studies, bridging the gap between academic research and market-ready innovations.

Curious About Innovation?

Discover opportunities to learn, connect, and explore

Start your commercialization journey and join Pitt’s Community of Innovators, and events hosted by the OIE team. Explore our Inventor’s Guide and commercialization resources to bring your ideas to life.

Explore Innovation Opportunities

Curious About Innovation

Discover how Pitt Innovation Programs offer opportunities to learn, connect, and explore with Pitt OIE to fuel your creativity, expand your network, and turn your ideas into impactful solutions.

  • Idea to Impact. Engage with OIE staff at a meet-and-greet, including Coffee & Conversation. Join OIE staff every 2nd Tuesday of the month to discuss your innovation and learn about the programs and resources across OIE that can help you realize its potential.
  • Community of Innovators. Pitt’s Community of Innovators supports University members at all stages of their innovation and commercialization journeys and provides mentorship, education, and resources to accelerate the translation of novel solutions addressing unmet health challenges.
  • Inventor’s Guide. Review the comprehensive guide that provides essential steps and resources to help you transform your groundbreaking research into impactful products and services. From protecting your invention, to finding the right commercialization path, this guide supports you at every stage.
  • Commercialization Resources. Review key resources to gain critical insights into intellectual property, and startup creation at your convenience. This flexible approach helps you enhance your entrepreneurial skills and make informed decisions to advance your innovations.

Have a Problem or Idea?

Transform your ideas into real-world solutions

OIE offers a range of funding and programming to kickstart the development of your idea into a solution. Apply for proof-of-principle funding from Pitt.INC, validate your problem with the NSF Regional I-Corps Program, and explore the Pitt innovation ecosystem.

Explore Idea Funding

Have a Problem or Idea?

If you have a problem to solve or an idea to develop, Pitt OIE offers the resources and support you need to turn your vision into reality.

  • Pitt.INC Pitt.INC is an innovation funding program designed to generate proof-of-principle data for novel ideas with high commercial potential. With awards up to $50,000, the program supports projects from Pitt’s Schools of the Health Sciences addressing unmet needs or challenges in human health and disease.
  • NSF Regional I-Corps Program. The NSF Regional I-Corps program is a one-month customer discovery course that helps Pitt inventors test the commercial potential of a technology by interviewing prospective customers. It was formerly called First Gear. Completing it is a prerequisite for applying to Pitt SPARK.
  • Community of Innovators. Pitt’s Community of Innovators supports University members at all stages of their innovation and commercialization journeys and provides mentorship, education, and resources to accelerate the translation of novel solutions addressing unmet health challenges.
  • Pitt Un-Challenged. The Pitt Un-Challenge funds new approaches to unmet needs in human health and disease. Phase 1 awards support validating the problem before a solution is designed. PUnCh is run by the Pitt Office of Multidisciplinary Innovation in the Health Sciences and the Pitt Clinical and Translational Science Institute, not by OIE.
  • CREATES. CREATES is an innovation center in the Pitt School of Medicine that helps researchers identify and solve unmet healthcare needs, drawing on engineering, medicine, public health, and social work. Following the Stanford
    Biodesign approach, it offers guidance on user research, technology, and translation For more information, Pittsburgh CREATES or email mohit.singhala@pitt.edu.

Ready to Validate Your Solution?

De-risk the commercial opportunity of your technology

Apply to the Commercialization Gap Fund to perform key technical and/or market validation studies or apply to Pitt SPARK to perform later stage industry-defined translation milestones. Explore industry funding opportunities with the Office of Industry and Economic Partnerships.

Validate Your Solution

Ready to Validate Your Solution?

Pitt OIE provides the tools and guidance to de-risk and validate your technologies, ensuring they meet real-world needs and have the potential for success.

  • NSF Regional I-Corps Program. The NSF Regional I-Corps program is a one-month customer discovery course that helps Pitt inventors test the commercial potential of a technology by interviewing prospective customers. It was formerly called First Gear. Completing it is a prerequisite for applying to Pitt SPARK.
  • Commercialization Gap Fund. Secure up to $75,000 to de-risk Pitt technologies with existing proof-of-concept data and high commercial potential. Open to all fields and disciplines, the Commercialization Gap Fund supports key technical and market studies to bring your innovations closer to commercialization.
  • Pitt SPARK. Awards of up to $125,000 are granted to life sciences projects with advanced proof-of-concept data demonstrating real-world feasibility and commercial potential. Pitt SPARK is designed to support the validation of Pitt IP, making it ready for commercially focused external funding and/or tech transfer events.
  • Office of Industry and Economic Partnerships. The Office of Industry and Economic Partnerships (OIEP) provides a variety of services to support faculty in partnering with industry, identifying industry funding opportunities and commercializing your idea.
  • Community of Innovators. Present your project at Pitt’s Community of Innovators and receive feedback and guidance from industry experts, OIE, and Pitt inventors to develop a solution built for commercial success.

Ready to Launch a Startup?

Kick off your entrepreneurial journey

Connect with OIE’s mentor network and leverage resources from IEE to ensure your startup's success.

Launch Your Startup

Ready to Launch a Startup?

Ready to launch a startup? Among our comprehensive Pitt Innovation Programs, Pitt OIE offers tailored support and resources to help you turn your innovative solutions into a successful business.

  • NSF National I-Corps Program. The NSF National I-Corps program is a separate, seven-week course. Participants interview prospective customers and partners to size the market for a product, process, or service. Regional I-Corps is the
    usual first step.
  • SBIR/STTR Grant-Writing Support. SBIR and STTR are competitive programs offered by federal agencies that aim to encourage startups to engage in commercialization efforts. OIE’s New Ventures team assists Pitt startups in writing and securing SBIR and STTR grants. For additional consultation on strategies for applying for SBIR grants, contact OIEstartups@pitt.edu .
  • Institute for Entrepreneurial Excellence. The Institute for Entrepreneurial Excellence has served businesses throughout western Pennsylvania for more than 25 years. Offering a dynamic mix of consulting, education, and networking opportunities, the IEE strives to be an innovative leader in economic development in the region. Contact the IEE for more information.

Protect Your Idea

Unlock the potential of your research at the University of Pittsburgh by submitting an Invention Disclosure Form. The form kicks off a streamlined process for pursuing intellectual property protection and evaluating the commercial potential of your innovation.

Submit Your Invention

Invention Disclosure Form

Ready to transform your research into impactful innovations? Submit your Invention Disclosure Form to the University of Pittsburgh’s Office of Innovation & Entrepreneurship (OIE) to protect your intellectual property and evaluate its commercial potential. This crucial first step ensures your ideas are safeguarded and positioned for market success, paving the way for groundbreaking advancements.

To submit your Invention Disclosure Form, simply log in to the updated Invention Disclosure Portal using your Pitt Passport credentials. Complete the form with essential details about your innovation, including descriptions, sketches, funding information, and relevant agreements. This streamlined process makes it easier than ever to document and protect your intellectual property, setting the stage for future achievements.

Submit Disclosure

Other Resources

Funding

Discover funding programs, competitions, and resources to support your entrepreneurial ventures and real-world impact.

Explore Funding Programs

Inventor’s Guide

This comprehensive guide provides essential steps and resources to help you transform your groundbreaking research into impactful products and services. From protecting your invention, to finding the right commercialization path, this guide supports you at every stage.

Read the Inventor's Guide

On-Demand Content

Review key resources to gain critical insights into commercialization, intellectual property, and startup creation at your convenience. This flexible approach helps you enhance your entrepreneurial skills and make informed decisions to advance your innovations.

Browse On-Demand Content

Why Commercialize?

By translating your research into market-ready products and services, you can make a significant impact on society, drive economic growth, and establish valuable industry partnerships.

Learn Why You Should Commercialize
Back to Top