The University of Vermont has received a $6 million award from the National Science Foundation's Accelerating Research Translation (ART) program to launch a new university-wide initiative designed to turn academic discoveries into practical solutions for Vermont and beyond. INVEST — Identifying and Nurturing Vermont's Emerging Strategic Technologies — will help researchers move promising ideas from the laboratory into communities, organizations, and the marketplace.
Funded through the NSF ART program, INVEST will strengthen UVM's capacity for translational research by providing training, mentorship, and seed funding to faculty members, graduate students, and postdoctoral researchers. The initiative will support the development of new technologies, services, and ventures in areas aligned with Vermont's innovation priorities, helping transform research discoveries into products, applications, and community-based solutions with real-world impact.
“Researchers are trained to discover new things and solve difficult problems, but they do not always receive training in how to move those discoveries into the world,” said Sara Helms Cahan, UVM’s Associate Vice President for Research and director of INVEST. “This initiative will create that bridge, giving researchers the skills, resources, and supportive environment they need to turn their work into something that people and communities can use.”
The initiative will concentrate on three areas that align UVM’s research strengths with priorities identified in Vermont’s science and technology planning: food systems, complex systems, and biomedical engineering. Within these areas, INVEST will support work addressing needs such as sustainable and regenerative agriculture, digital technologies and artificial intelligence, and biomedical innovation for rural and aging populations.
“We see an opportunity to drive economic development in Vermont by starting home-grown companies, Certified B Corporations, and non-profits that contribute to our technology ecosystem and create high paying jobs for Vermonters,” said Alexa Woodward, Executive Director of UVM’s Complex System Institute. “In Complex Systems, we are particularly excited about building meaningful technology that aligns with Vermont values and serves our community.”
INVEST will establish innovation incubators in each focus area. Working with local and regional partners, the incubators will offer seminars, workshops, networking opportunities and structured mentorship for aspiring innovators. They will also provide communities in which researchers can test ideas, learn from experienced entrepreneurs and connect with potential users of their work.
“This initiative will create that bridge, giving researchers the skills, resources, and supportive environment they need to turn their work into something that people and communities can use.” — Sara Helms Cahan, UVM's Associate Vice President for Research and INVEST Director
Education and workforce development will be central to the initiative. INVEST will develop graduate micro-certificates and certificates in research innovation and entrepreneurship, along with Innovation Fellowships that allow students to gain direct experience in technology development. The goal is not to turn every researcher into a business specialist, but to ensure that participants understand the full pathway from research and discovery to action and implementation.
The program will also support nine entrepreneurial research teams through competitive seed funding. Selected teams will receive resources and mentorship as they develop prototypes, identify potential users, refine their ideas and explore pathways including community implementation, licensing, and startup formation. The largest team awards are expected to provide as much as $150,000 over two years.
“For early-stage teams, non-dilutive funding is some of the hardest money to find, and the first $50,000 can open a lot of doors,” said Bryn Loftness, a translational research scientist and entrepreneur at the Vermont Complex Systems Institute who helped write the INVEST proposal. Loftness will serve as a leading mentor in the program, having helped launch a company based on research and technology developed at UVM. “INVEST gives researchers room to test whether an idea works outside the lab before they commit to a path. This winter we’re running a workshop series, in person and online, so students and researchers can start building those skills now.”
Over the project’s first year, INVEST will build its university-wide network and identify discoveries with strong potential for societal benefit. During the following years, it will help research teams advance those ideas toward concrete outcomes, including inventions, prototypes, patents, licenses, policy recommendations, and additional funding. Cornell University will serve as UVM’s mentoring institution as the university builds its translational research capacity.
“INVEST is an important step in building Vermont's innovation future,” said Kirk Dombrowski, Vice President for Research and Economic Development at the University of Vermont. “The program will help students and researchers develop the skills, partnerships, and resources needed to move discoveries from the laboratory into communities, organizations, and the marketplace. That process of research translation is a critical goal of UVM's research enterprise because it transforms knowledge into tangible benefits for society. By accelerating the development of new technologies, services, and ventures, INVEST will strengthen Vermont's economy, create opportunities for students and entrepreneurs, and expand the impact of UVM research throughout the state and beyond.”
The initiative also supports UVM’s land-grant mission and its role in Vermont’s economic development. By giving students experience in innovation and entrepreneurship, INVEST aims to create new pathways into mission-driven careers with businesses, nonprofits, and government agencies in the state.
“We want to build a pipeline that enables students to find meaningful employment in Vermont and apply their training here,” Sara Helms Cahan said. “That strengthens the value UVM brings to the state while helping Vermont retain motivated, highly skilled people who want their work to have an impact.”
About the National Science Foundation Accelerating Research Translation (ART) Program
The NSF ART program supports institutions of higher education in building capacity, infrastructure and training to accelerate research translation, strengthen technology transfer and create sustained economic and societal impacts across the U.S.