Maryland Innovation Initiative (MII)
TEDCO (Maryland Technology Development Corporation)
Up to $480K in two phases (joint)
Researched for this program: 6 rejection traps · 7 required documentsWhat decides this award ↓
Up to $480K to commercialize MD university research
Maryland's primary university-to-startup commercialization grant, providing up to $480,000 in two phases to faculty researchers and their spinout companies. Technology Assessment phase (up to $130,000 sole / $180,000 joint application) validates commercial potential; Company Formation phase (up to $300,000) funds the newly incorporated Maryland startup licensed from one of five partner universities. Quarterly submission deadlines with a required Site Miner engagement 30 days before applying.
- Funding type
- Grant
- Level
- State
- Amount range
- $130,000 – $480,000
- Realistic amount
- Technology Assessment awards average $100,000–$130,000. Company Formation awards average $200,000–$300,000. Most successful companies receive both phases over 18 months.
- Deadline
- Quarterly submissions due by 5:00 PM on January 15, April 15, July 15, and October 15 each year.
- Status
- between-intakes
- States
- MD
- Payment model
- milestone
Who qualifies
- Technology Assessment: applicant must be a full-time faculty member at one of the five qualifying universities (Johns Hopkins, Morgan State, UMB, UMBC, or UMD College Park)
- Company Formation: applicant must be a Maryland-incorporated startup that licensed technology from a qualifying university within the 12 months preceding proposal submission
- Must engage with a Site Miner (university technology transfer liaison) at least 30 days before submission and include a signed Site Miner letter of support
- Technology must have commercial potential beyond the academic publication
- Company Formation applicants must be headquartered in Maryland
Hard requirements
- Must be incorporated
What it covers
Eligible expenses
- Salary and benefits for researchers, graduate students, and startup employees
- Lab supplies, reagents, and research materials
- Prototype and proof-of-concept development costs
- Market research and customer discovery activities
- IP filing costs (patent application fees and legal support, with limits)
- Equipment essential to the project (with TEDCO approval)
- Company Formation: legal and incorporation costs, business plan development
Ineligible expenses
- Faculty salary for time not directly on the MII project
- Construction or renovation of physical space
- Capital equipment exceeding project needs (must be justified)
- Marketing, advertising, or sales-related expenses
- Payments to affiliated companies without prior TEDCO approval
- Overhead rates exceeding university indirect cost agreements
How to apply
-
1
Contact your university's Site Miner 30+ days before the deadline
Identify your institution's designated Site Miner through TEDCO or your university's technology transfer office. The Site Miner evaluates commercial readiness and provides a signed support letter required for the application. This step is mandatory — applications without a Site Miner letter are not reviewed.
~10 hrs
-
2
Determine which phase you're applying for
Technology Assessment is for faculty with unlicensed technology at a qualifying university. Company Formation is for incorporated Maryland startups holding a license from a qualifying university (executed within the past 12 months). Both phases have separate applications.
~10 hrs
-
3
Prepare the proposal
Write the commercialization plan including market opportunity, competitive landscape, technology description, proposed commercialization milestones, and budget. TEDCO provides an application template. Proposals are typically 15–25 pages.
~10 hrs
-
4
Submit via TEDCO portal by 5:00 PM on the quarterly deadline
Submit all materials through the MII application portal. Include the Site Miner letter, proposal, and all required attachments. Late submissions are not accepted.
~10 hrs
-
5
Review, due diligence, and award
TEDCO reviews proposals with an external review panel. Shortlisted applicants present to a committee. Awards are announced approximately 8–12 weeks after each quarterly deadline. Funded projects receive a grant agreement and begin monthly reporting.
~10 hrs
Site Miner engagement is not a formality — the best Site Miners actively strengthen proposals and connect applicants to industry advisors before submission. The most successful MII applicants treat the Site Miner as a co-author, not a signature collector.
Deadline & timing
Quarterly cycle means the next deadline is never more than 3 months away — but applicants MUST engage with their university Site Miner at least 30 days before submitting. Starting the Site Miner conversation the week before the deadline is a common and fatal error.
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