UConn Quantum Technologies Translation Award (QuTech) Program

UConn Quantum Technologies Translation Award (QuTech) Program is sponsored by University of Connecticut Office of the Vice President for Research. Supports the de-risking of use-inspired innovations centered on quantum and quantum-adjacent technologies through academic/industry partnerships.

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On Mobile (iOS/Android) University of Connecticut school of University of Connecticut OVPR Services and Responsibilities UConn Quantum Technologies Translation Award (QuTech) Program Page content relevant to: UConn Quantum Technologies Translation Award (QuTech) Program The Quantum Technologies Translation Award Program (QuTech), made possible through investments by the Connecticut Office of Innovation (CTNext), supports the derisking of use-inspired innovations centered on quantum and quantum adjacent technologies through Academic / Industry partnerships.

The program provides up to $30,000 to help accelerate the translation of UConn/UCH developed quantum and quantum adjacent technologies / applications for real world impact.

QuTech is open to UConn/UCH researchers who have: Completed research and developed (at minimum) a Proof of Concept, A use-inspired application with strong market potential and a path for IP protection, and A partnership with an established quantum-related company or startup (the proposing team cannot have an ownership stake in the partner company).

Supporting students to conduct experiments designed to de-risk the technology for targeted applications, External validation of the technology and/or its use cases with an industry and/or startup partner, and/or Use of in-house or external resources critical for de-risking the technology. Applications will be reviewed by internal and external researchers familiar with quantum technologies and/or associated markets.

Important Dates (all due dates by 12 noon) 6/30/25 Full Proposal deadline. Submissions are made via the UConn Quest Portal Award Notifications are expected in August, 2025 The OVPR anticipates funding up to 2 awards of $30,000. Award periods will be for one year Awards will be funded in two equal payments.

The second payment will be made six months into the award period, pending completion of milestones, submission of a report, and adherence to program guidelines. QuTech awards are intended to support the translation of quantum-related innovations developed within the labs / research groups of UConn/UConn Health faculty members.

Funds cannot be used for a) continuing previous/ongoing commercialization projects, b) costs related to creating/operating start-up companies, or c) development activities that take place within startup companies. Awardees will be connected with commercialization experts from OVPR’s Technology Commercialization and Venture Development group.

Awardees should expect to work closely with TCS to discuss progress/obstacles, undergo commercialization-related training, and to gain access to advice and resources that will enhance the project’s chances for commercial success. Awardees are required to work with TCS's IP team to protect their innovation (target: provisional patent filing 6 months to 1 year after project launch).

Eligibility / IP & Licensing Requirements: The QuTech program is available to UConn/UConn Health faculty members, within the following parameters: IP : Projects should have intellectual property at their core. To be eligible, project-related UConn IP must exist and a UConn invention disclosure must be filed prior to applying. Projects based on IP not developed at UConn are not eligible.

Startups and License Options: If a startup related to the QuTech project exists at the time of award, an option agreement must be taken within 6 months of the award. If a startup company related to the project is formed at any point in the future, an option agreement must be taken within six months of the startup creation.

The award does not pay for any PI salary or for time spent on the project Although no minimum effort level is required for QuTech projects, a PI/Co-PI must have institutionally-funded research time available during the award period to lead and complete the project.

Research Professors / those whose positions are contingent on grant-funding (soft money positions) must include details about their institutionally-funded research time as part of the budget justification to confirm eligibility. UConn Primary Appointment : PIs must be faculty or staff whose primary appointment is at UConn/UConn Health.

Awards are available to tenure-track, tenured, Clinical, Research, and in-Residence faculty with Assistant Professor rank or higher. Researchers with primary appointments to CCMC, Jackson Labs, or TIP or other startup companies are not eligible to apply. Individuals who are not eligible to apply as a PI may be able to serve as a collaborator/consultant on an eligible PI’s project.

Number of submissions : Eligible faculty may only submit one proposal as lead PI. Investigators may serve as collaborator on multiple projects. Proposal Submission Instructions: Elements to include in the full application are as follows: A one-paragraph abstract (type or copy/paste into a form on Quest).

Project plan document three page maximum, 11-pt font and 1” margins), including Problem/Unmet need: Describe the problem or unmet need that the innovation will address. Description of the innovation: Describe the innovation or technology concept. Which industries are likely to adopt the technology?

Why is this technology important for these industries? Please describe the total available market this technology addresses (TAM) and how much of the TAM this technology will address. Identify any currently available products/technologies and explain why they do not adequately satisfy the problem or unmet need.

Explain how the proposed innovation is different from or better than those that are already available. Intellectual property (IP): Describe your IP position, and the competitive IP landscape. List your current patent applications or patents pending as well as any granted patents related to this project.

If you currently have no patent applications, please mention plans for future invention disclosures. Explain how the proposed de-risking activities will allow you to achieve the major milestones required to further develop the technology for market entry. Describe your plans for funding development of this technology beyond the QuTech grant (through SBIR/STTR, Angel and VC funding, etc).

Preliminary evidence: Summarize any preliminary data available that substantiates the proposed innovation usefulness for the applications envisioned. Proposed work with project milestones: Outline the proposed scope of work approaches with timelines and a clearly defined set of objective milestones to be completed by the end of the initial award period.

Please include an analysis of how the proposed activities will sufficiently de-risk the innovation to allow for further commercial development. Biosketches/CVs: Please include brief biosketches/CVs (formatted as appropriate for your field) for all PIs/Co-PIs (No more than 3 pages). Include your most recent publications or those most relevant to the work proposed.

Also include current/pending support from external sponsors and UConn sources (including start-up funding). Biosketches/CVs may be uploaded as one PDF or as separate PDF documents. Budget: Provide a preliminary budget estimate and proposed use of funds.

Please see Internal Funding Budget Guidelines for instructions and a budget template. The budget spreadsheet should be converted to PDF format prior to upload. Proposals will be scored based on the following criteria: Market Need —does the innovation address an unmet need and is there evidence that there is a market for the proposed solution?

Does the applicant make a strong case that there is a need/problem that needs to be met? Is the science/technology strong enough to evidence its success Does the proposal include data about how much of the market the technology may realistically capture? Innovation and Novelty —Is the innovation novel and/or does it make a significant improvement over currently-available solutions?

Does the proposal make a convincing argument that the innovation is novel and or makes a significant improvement over currently-available solutions? Is there existing or the potential for intellectual property protection? To what degree does the innovation solve the unmet need differently (e.g., better, faster, cheaper) than the current state-of-the art?

If novel, is the innovation a disruptive technology, a platform technology, or an incremental improvement over the current state-of-the art? Commercialization Plan —Is there a realistic path for commercializing the innovation? Does the proposal present a path to bring the innovation forward to market?

Does the proposal present plans for future financing of the project, such as SBIR/STTR or industry investment? For future development, will this technology require regulatory approval? If so, does the proposal address plans for successfully navigating the process?

Does the applicant point to any obvious potential licenses / commercial partners for this innovation? Approach and Feasibility —Are the activities proposed attainable in the proposed timeline and are they consistent with the high scientific/scholarly standards? Does the investigator/team have appropriate expertise and laboratory facilities available to conduct the work?

Does the project include the involvement of a UConn core facility or a third party be required to complete the work (e. g prototype development)? If so, have appropriate commitments been obtained?

To what degree will the activities proposed de-risk and advance the development of the innovation? QuTech awardees agree to provide regular progress reports to the OVPR during and after the award period.

Reports fall into four categories: Consultations with TCS : Awardees are expected to connect regularly throughout the award period with their point of contact within OVPR Technology Commercialization Services to discuss progress, to talk through potential problems, and to consider future steps and additional resources that may be of use.

Each PI will work with their TCS contact to set up the best check-in schedule, but it is expected that consultations would happen at least on a quarterly basis. Six-month Reporting: After six months of each award period, applicants will be asked to submit a progress report via the Quest Portal. After review of this report, the second payment of the award period will be made to the award account.

Annual Reports : Recognizing that investments made by the OVPR can often take some time to produce their full results, we will be asking that all recipients of OVPR Internal Funding, including QuTech, submit outcomes reports over the life of the project. This will allow us to better understand the impact of internal funding and make the case for it continuing / increasing.

Reporting requirements: PIs will need to prepare a brief report, using this Award Report Template to summarize project progress within one month of posting final expenses unless an extension from the OVPR has been received.

We’ll be interested in hearing about the results of your project, the significance of those results, and gathering statistics about graduate students supported, publications, external grants / patents received, other projects launched, etc. Other questions may also be included as needed.

The OVPR may request updates annually for up to five years following the end of the award period to track the development of the project longitudinally. The QuTech program is jointly administered by OVPR Technology Commercialization Services and Internal Funding Program. Director, Venture Development, OVPR Technology Commercialization Services vivek.

ramakrishnan@uconn. edu Manager, Research Development Services Program point of contact (Contact for information on program/process, application status, award management/extensions) Internal Funding Coordinator