Innovation Day at OSU
Learn how OSU researchers can turn innovation into impact.
Oregon State University’s Innovation Day is a one-hour virtual session designed to help faculty and graduate student researchers explore how their work can make real-world impact. You'll learn about programs and resources that support innovation through licensing, startup creation, and industry collaboration.
OSU faculty participants are also eligible to apply for a $5,000 Innovation Day Award to explore a key commercial question in their research. Read on to learn more about the award and how to apply.
Spring 2025 Innovation Day
DATE: Wednesday, April 9, 2025
TIME: 12–1 p.m. (Online via Zoom)
WHO: OSU faculty and graduate student researchers
Innovation Day Award Timeline
Attend Innovation Day: April 9, 2025
Submit Idea Pitch: Friday, April 18, 2025
Award Announced: Friday, April 25, 2025
Attend Iterate Program (required): May 7, 14, 21, 28 (3–4:30 p.m., Zoom)
Why You Should Attend Innovation Day
If you're working on a research project with potential societal or economic impact, this session is for you. Innovation Day helps you discover how to move your research beyond the lab—toward licensing, industry partnerships or even a startup.
You'll hear about funding, training and support programs available to OSU researchers, learn how to apply for the $5,000 Innovation Day Award, and find out what resources are available to support your next steps. We're also happy to connect with you about any innovations you're working on, questions about commercialization or funding opportunities specific to your work.
Don't miss this opportunity to connect with OSU Advantage and move your research forward—register today!
Innovation Day Award
What Is the Innovation Day Award?
This competitive award provides up to $5,000 to one OSU faculty member who attends the Innovation Day session. The funding helps researchers investigate a key commercial question that could move their innovation closer to licensing or startup formation.
Example questions might include: “With this proof, I can confirm that I have unique innovative technology,” or “I can confirm which industry will be interested in the outcome of this research.”
The award is funded by OSU’s University Venture Development Fund (UVDF), created through Oregon legislation to support research commercialization at Oregon’s public universities.
How to Apply
To be considered for the Innovation Day Award, you must be an OSU faculty member and complete all of the following:
- Attend the Innovation Day session
- Submit a one-page Idea Pitch in PDF format (see pitch guidelines below)
- Participate in the OSU Advantage Accelerator Iterate program
Pitch Guidelines
Your idea pitch should clearly explain the innovation, its potential impact and how the award funding would be used. Submit a one-page PDF document that is single-spaced, uses 11-point font, and has 1-inch margins. Your pitch should cover the following:
- Problem: What problem has yet to be solved?
- Market: Who will benefit most from solving it?
- Technology: How does your innovation address this problem?
- Budget: How will you use the $5,000 to advance your innovation?
Eligible Uses of Award Funds
Funds may be used for:
- Product design and specification
- Customer discovery (e.g., stakeholder interviews)
- Attending trade shows
- Use case validation
- Patentability research
- Feasibility studies
- Proof-of-principle prototyping
- Market research
- Commercialization plan development
- Student support to assist with these activities
Ineligible Uses of Award Funds
Funds may not be used for:
- Faculty or staff salaries (except graduate research assistants)
- Publication costs
- Lab equipment purchases
- Basic research
- Expenses incurred prior to approval