Fly Pitch for Researchers

The "Fly for Researchers" pitch competition, now in its second year, is an exclusive opportunity for UTC faculty and graduate student innovators to bring their pioneering ideas to the forefront. Organized by the UTC Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship (CIE) in collaboration with prominent research authorities, this event is dedicated to spotlighting and supporting projects that are not just visionary but also ripe for commercialization or licensing.

With a substantial prize pool of $35,000 in internal grants, the competition is designed to fuel the further development and success of groundbreaking ideas and technologies. The awards are substantial and structured to make a real difference: $20,000 for the first-place innovator, $10,000 for the second, and $5,000 for the third, providing a significant boost to the awardees' commercialization efforts.

Eligibility extends across the spectrum of UTC's academic landscape, inviting faculty, staff, and graduate students from all colleges to step forward and pitch their validated proofs of concept. The competition is not just about the ideas themselves but also about their readiness for the market and the potential impact they could have when realized.

Applicants are required to demonstrate a clear path to commercialization or licensing, underscored by the submission of an invention disclosure in IDEA. The review process is thorough and exacting, with applications evaluated based on commercial applicability, the maturity of the idea or technology, and the robustness of the information provided.

The "Fly for Researchers" is more than a competition; it's a platform for progress, offering UTC's brightest minds the resources, recognition, and support needed to transform innovative concepts into tangible, market-ready solutions.