Two flagship Flinn Foundation bioscience programs that have supported Arizona-based translational research and entrepreneurship for more than a decade are increasing their funding and providing a new pathway toward commercialization.
The Flinn Translational Seed Grants Program, which funds academic and medical research teams, and the Bioscience Entrepreneurship Program, which supports early-stage companies through a partnership with the Arizona Bioindustry Association, will be in place for at least five years to help the state improve health outcomes – a foundational goal of Arizona’s Bioscience Roadmap.
The application period for both programs opens Monday, Aug. 3.
Updates to the Translational Seed Grants Program will:
- Increase the number of potential seed grant follow-on funding awards of $100,000 from two to three annually.
- Invite eligible follow-on funding awardees for direct admittance into the Bioscience Entrepreneurship Program. Admittance would be in lieu of traditional follow-on funds.
Changes to the Bioscience Entrepreneurship Program will:
- Award six companies $75,000 each (an increase from two companies receiving $100,000).
- Offer structured advisorship, and participation in regular meetings for cohort-building, networking, learning, and interfacing with funding partners.
The application deadlines for the programs remain separate. The seed grants applications are due Friday, Sept. 11, and the entrepreneurship applications are due Friday, Oct. 30.
“Our decision to provide additional funding support and resources to the state’s researchers and companies through these two programs was driven by the increased quantity and quality of our applications each year,” said Tammy McLeod, Ph.D., Flinn Foundation president and CEO. “The increased support and opportunities will allow more research to advance and more companies to prosper here in Arizona.”
The programs were created to further the goals of Arizona’s Bioscience Roadmap and contribute to new medical products and services that improve health.
“We believe these program changes strengthen the pipeline of translationally minded innovators at our research institutions and also foster a more coordinated, collaborative ecosystem to support our state’s highest-potential innovations,” said Mary O’Reilly, vice president, bioscience research programs. “We also responded to the extensive feedback we received from our ecosystem partners and are grateful for their support and partnership.”
Since 2013, the Foundation has awarded 90 seed grants totaling about $10.2 million. In addition, $1.2 million in follow-on funding has been awarded to the most successful research projects.
The Bioscience Entrepreneurship Program, which began in 2014, has supported 66 bioscience companies with more than $2.1 million in funding support through a nonprofit partner.
For more information about the program or the upcoming application cycles, contact Joanna Yang Yowler, Ph.D., Flinn Foundation Program Manager, Translational Biosciences & Entrepreneurship.
More details about the programs can also be found at flinn.org/seed grants and flinn.org/entrepreneurship. Learn more about Arizona’s Bioscience Roadmap at flinn.org/bioroadmap.
About the Flinn Foundation
The Flinn Foundation is a Phoenix-based privately endowed, philanthropic grantmaking organization established in 1965 by Dr. Robert S. and Irene P. Flinn that awards grants and operates programs in four areas: the biosciences, the Flinn Scholars, arts and culture, and the Arizona Center for Civic Leadership. The foundation’s mission is to improve the quality of life in Arizona to benefit future generations.