Empowering Translational Research
Through a generous gift from Northpond Labs, the MIT-Northpond Seed Fund provides grants up to $250,000 to support early-stage research with strong commercialization potential.
Key Details
- 2 seed awards anticipated annually
- Open to MIT School of Engineering faculty
- One-year project period
- Focused on engineering and life sciences intersection
Funding Priorities
- Translational milestone achievement
- Commercial potential development
- Support for trainees
Review Criteria
- Significance of research
- Innovation
- Translational potential
- Milestone feasibility
24/25 Seed Fund Award Recipients

Ariel L. Furst
Affiliation: Department of Chemical Engineering

Jessica Stark
Affiliation: Department of Biological Engineering, Department of Chemical Engineering, MIT’s Koch Institute for Integrative Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard
25/26 Seed Fund Call for Proposals
The MIT-Northpond Seed Fund is now accepting proposals for the 25/26 award cycle. Proposals should focus on the strong relationship between engineering and life sciences and how the funding will accelerate the project toward commercialization over the grant period.
Key Deadlines
- RFP Issued: October 6, 2025
- Application Deadline: December 19, 2025
- Earliest Project Start Date: April 1, 2026