Are you a member of the Princeton community with a startup idea or research that has the potential to be commercialized? We encourage you to apply to present your idea at the 2023 Innovation Forum in front of an audience of investors, designers, community partners and industry, academia, and the broader Princeton-area innovation community. 

See examples of past projects

Eligibility

Individuals and teams consisting of current Princeton:

• Faculty
• Research staff
• Post doctoral candidates
• Graduate students

Any department at the University is eligible. The submitted research must be judged to have commercial application, or cultural and societal impact.

To seek guidance on whether your project is eligible, please email:

• Cornelia Huellstrunk (for general eligibility) or
• Kathleen Crown (for Humanities inquiries)

Participants may compete in one of two tracks:

• science and engineering innovations
• social sciences and humanities innovations

Prizes

The top three entries in each track receive prize money totaling $30,000. Funds will be awarded to the principal investigator for the research and must be used to advance the research or commercialization of the innovation.

• $15,000 for first place
• $10,000 for second place
• $5,000 for third place

How to Apply

Confirm your intention to compete by June 23, 2023

Email executive director Cornelia Huellstrunk AND complete the participant intake form by June 23, 2023. Applicants are typically notified within a week if they are accepted to present.

Prepare the following materials by August 7, 2023

Prepare the following materials by August 7. This begins the mentor/coaching period where you will receive feedback on your pitch in the weeks leading up to the forum. This feedback can be used to adjust your presentation up until the final presentation deadline of September 14. 

• An overview of the innovation (in PDF format, no longer than 2 pages) including:
  • Background of the innovation
  • Description of the innovation
  • Nature of the potential commercial applications of the innovation
  • Status and future plans for additional research
• The slide presentation you intend to use during your pitch (PowerPoint or PDF format; no more than 5 slides; may not include video content)
• Your 3-minute video pitch recorded using Zoom. Please reference the Zoom Help Center tutorial for further instructions.

Keller Center coaches will be available to assist you in perfecting your Innovation Forum materials after your initial submission.

Submit materials

You will receive submission instructions once your intention to compete is accepted. Email Gina Guarino with submission questions. Please adhere to the deadlines below:

• Mentoring begins/Initial material submission: August 7

• Final Deadline: September 14

The earlier you submit, the earlier coaching can start.

Presentation Format

• Prior to the public presentations, participants may be asked to field questions from the judges on their submissions. Judges will have access to the complete application material (overview document, slide presentation, and filmed pitch) in advance.
• Public presentations: A three-minute “elevator pitch” presentation to a panel of judges and an audience of angel investors, venture capitalists, faculty, students, staff and members of the Princeton area entrepreneurial community.
• A poster session and reception is held following the public presentations where presenters may discuss their innovations with attendees.

*Please note that the Innovation Form is open to the public, therefore the presentation of your research/technology is a public disclosure. Please contact Princeton’s Office of Technology Licensing if you have any questions regarding intellectual property protection for any research that you may want to present.