RCIPS Pre-Seed Fund Opens for 2009

After a successful first year in 2008, the RCIPS Pre-Seed Fund has re-opened for applications in 2009. Explorer funding is awarded on an ad hoc basis, whist calls for Concept funding applications are essentially quarterly - the first 2009 call closes on 15 March 2009. Piet Barnard, Director RCIPS, commented that a number of quality applications were received for both the R20,000 Explorer and R100,000 Concept levels of funding from a range of faculties: Humantities, EBE and Health Science and Science. The Pre-Seed Fund aims to provide hard-to-get financial support for early stage development of research projects coming out of UCT to better position them to access the next stages of funding in the innovation chain.

The University Research Committee approved the creation of this new fund, recognising the fact that often moving UCT's technology into the market place is thwarted by the need for relatively modest levels of funding required to progress to the next step in the innovation chain. The Pre-Seed Fund will bridge this funding gap enabling other funding streams such as the Innovation Fund, Biotechnology Regional Innovation Centres ( BRICS ), IDC, venture capital, etc. to be accessed. Alternatively, it will enable more rounded technology packages to be developed that are in a better position to be licensed. Visit RCIPS Funding Innovation / Pre-Seed Fund to find out more about the funding criteria and to download application forms.