Draper Technology Innovation Fund (TIF)
Program description
The Draper Technology Innovation Fund (TIF) provides a mechanism to support the additional research necessary to bring new concepts and inventions to the patent and licensing stage. The program goal is the eventual introduction of new products and processes into the marketplace for the public good. The targeted inventions must have already been disclosed to and accepted by the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF) for patenting or similar intellectual property protection.
Funds can be used to support efforts to enhance the scope or patentability of inventions and assist with their potential licensing to the commercial sector. Examples of research activities include prototype development, expansion of studies to include additional exemplary demonstrations, preparation of samples for evaluation, and application testing. This program is administered in partnership between the Wisconsin Entrepreneurship Hub and WARF.
FY 2027 Deadlines
Q3: November 13
(Funding available January 1)
Q4: February 12
(Funding available April 1)
FY 2028 Deadlines
Q1: May 14
(Funding available July 1)
Q2: August 13
(Funding available October 1)
Eligibility
- Applicants must be University of Wisconsin-Madison faculty or academic staff.
- Applicants must have submitted a formal Invention Disclosure Report (IDR) to WARF concerning the technology, and WARF must have accepted the disclosure for further patenting, licensing, or copyrighting activity.
- Any improvements to the invention or innovation that occurs as a result of this funding must also be disclosed and assigned to WARF.
- Applicants must be in residence on the Madison campus during the funding period.
Before writing your proposal, we highly recommend that you consult your WARF licensing representative to discuss the award qualifications as they pertain to your invention and experimental research findings. These consultations can prove helpful when describing the additional research required to improve the patentability or licensability of your invention.
Funding level and period
Awards are subject to the availability of funds and cannot exceed $50,000. Draper TIF awards are funded on 135 accounts which means that any salary awarded will have fringe benefits charged to this fund. Funding is made available on a quarterly basis throughout the calendar year. Proposals are funded for a maximum of one year.
Applicant resources
Detailed application instructions | Download (Word)
Your application submission must include the following:
Document 1 – Proposal | Download template (Word)
Document 2 – Budget | Download template (Excel)
Document 1 – Proposal Narrative
- Enter the project title
- Enter project details and follow the proposal template instructions.
- Obtain approval signatures from your department chair and division.
- Save as a .pdf file
Document 2 – Budget
- Complete Section A and Section B.
- Save as an .xlsx file.
Submission
- Draper-TIF proposal submissions are through this link.
- Complete the required information.
- Upload the Proposal Narrative as a .pdf.
- Upload the Budget as an .xlsx.
- Press the “Submit” button.
Once submitted, you should receive an email acknowledgement. If you do not, please email the Wisconsin Entrepreneurship Hub at entrepreneurship.hub@wisc.edu. Proposals are reviewed by a committee, and results of pending proposals are typically available within 6-8 weeks of each application deadline..
Final Report Due Dates
Award recipients must file final reports by the applicable date indicated below. Failure to file reports on time may impact future funding under this program.
- Q1: August 15
- Q2: November 15
- Q3: February 15
- Q4: May 15
Report | Download template (Word)