Seed Funding

The von Liebig Center awards seed funds of up to $75,000 to support commercialization of UCSD discoveries with near-term market prospects. Funds may be awarded to UCSD faculty members and researchers, or to UCSD graduate students who partner with a faculty mentor. Von Liebig awards may be used for development, testing, or prototype construction; to undertake more specific market research; or to protect intellectual property.

The von Liebig Center funds are awarded competitively through an external review process with independent consultants. Proposals are accepted throughout the year, and generally 10 to 12 projects are funded annually.

The value from the von Liebig Center goes beyond simply funding the early-stage project. In addition, our staff of experienced entrepreneurs and advisors can assist UCSD faculty members and students in all stages of evaluating the commercial prospects of their inventions. These advisory and mentoring services are available to all UCSD faculty members and students, independent of the Center's seed funding program.