Florida Technology Research Grant Program

The Matching Grants Research Program (MGRP) is a grant from the Florida High Tech Corridor Council that funds collaborative research projects between industry partners and University of South Florida (USF) researchers. The program provides up to $150,000 in matching grant funds to expand project scope and support student involvement in cutting-edge research, with particular emphasis on projects that generate new intellectual property, develop and commercialize existing USF technology, or leverage Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) awards. Eligible applicants include small-to-mid-sized companies located within the 23-county Florida High Tech Corridor region that are partnering with UCF or USF researchers. Competition for awards has grown increasingly selective.

NVIDIA Graduate Fellowship Program is a grant from NVIDIA providing up to $60,000 per award to PhD students conducting research that advances accelerated computing and its applications. Now in its 25th year, the program invites nominations from doctoral students pushing the boundaries of artificial intelligence, robotics, autonomous vehicles, and related fields. Recipients receive not only research funding but also access to NVIDIA technology, products, and engineering expertise, along with a mandatory in-person summer internship. Students are nominated by their faculty advisors and selected based on academic achievement and research area alignment.

CalSEED Concept Award is a grant from the California Energy Commission that provides $150,000 in funding to early-stage clean energy innovators in California. The program targets individuals, businesses, and nonprofits developing hardware, software, or integrated solutions at Technology Readiness Levels 2-4. Eligible technology areas rotate each cycle and have included battery recycling and reuse, long-duration energy storage, medium- and heavy-duty vehicle electrification, industrial electrification, and advanced EV charging. Applicants must be located in California, have under $1 million in private funding, and propose innovations that benefit California ratepayers. Concept Award winners also receive professional development resources and access to accelerator programs, and may compete for a subsequent $450,000 Prototype Award.