Funder: Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation
Due Dates: November 15, 2024 (Nomination) | December 13, 2024 (Full Application) | April 1, 2025 (Finalist Notification) | May 8, 2025 (Finalist Presentation) | May 9, 2025 (Selection Notification) | September 18, 2025 (2025 Cohort Announced)
Funding Amounts: $675,000 over 3 years per fellow ($200,000/year to the fellow, $25,000/year to the institution for admin costs); host institution must provide $50,000/year in direct support.
Summary: Supports early-career scientist-inventors at select institutions to develop new tools and technologies with high potential for impact in science, environmental conservation, or patient care.
Key Information: Limited submission: only two nominations per eligible institution; candidates must be within 10 years of terminal degree.
Description
The Moore Inventor Fellows program, funded by the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, is designed to support early-career scientist-inventors at a critical stage of prototyping and development. The fellowship aims to nurture creative individuals who are developing new tools, technologies, processes, or approaches with the potential to accelerate progress in scientific discovery, environmental conservation, or patient care. The program is intentionally broad in scope, seeking innovations that address important problems and have the potential for long-lasting impact, regardless of whether they align with the foundation’s current funding priorities.
Fellows are expected to devote at least 25% of their time to their invention and may use grant funds for salary, research personnel, equipment, and supplies. The program is highly competitive and limited to select research universities, medical schools, and non-academic research institutions.
Due Dates
- Nomination Submission Deadline: November 15, 2024 (5:00 PM PT)
- Full Application Deadline: December 13, 2024 (5:00 PM PT)
- Finalists Notified: April 1, 2025
- Finalist Presentation Day: May 8, 2025 (virtual)
- Selection Notification: May 9, 2025
- 2025 Cohort Announced: September 18, 2025
Funding Amount
- Total Award: $675,000 over 3 years per fellow
- $200,000/year directly to the fellow
- $25,000/year to the host institution for administrative costs
- Institutional Commitment: Host institution must provide $50,000/year in direct support (can be in-kind, such as released time or access to facilities)
- Total support (including institutional contribution): $825,000 over 3 years
Eligibility
- Eligible Applicants: Early-career faculty, research scientists, postdocs, or other full-time staff at eligible institutions
- Career Stage: No more than 10 years past receipt of terminal degree (Ph.D., M.D., M.S., or equivalent, received in 2015 or later for the 2025 award)
- Institutional Limit: Each eligible institution may nominate up to two candidates
- Eligible Institutions: Select U.S. research universities, medical schools, and non-academic research/patient care organizations (see full list in guidelines)
- Citizenship: No citizenship or residency requirement, but candidate must be a full-time employee able to manage funds at a U.S.-based eligible institution
- Effort: Fellows must devote at least 25% of their time to the invention project over the three-year award period
- Other: Co-PIs are not allowed; each nomination must be for an individual
Application Process
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Institutional Nomination:
- Each eligible institution designates a point of contact and submits up to two nominations via the SurveyMonkey Apply portal.
- Nomination form includes candidate details, brief invention description, keywords, and an institutional statement of support (no formal letter required).
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Full Application:
- Invited nominees submit a complete application, including:
- Statement of invention (2 pages, including citations)
- Curriculum vitae (2 pages)
- Budget narrative (1 page)
- Two letters of reference (one from within and one from outside the nominating institution)
- All documents must be PDF, single-spaced, 1-inch margins, 12-point font.
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Selection Process:
- Stage 1: Foundation staff and external reviewers assess applications for inventor capability, potential impact, and feasibility.
- Stage 2: Ten finalists are invited to present virtually to a panel; five fellows are selected.
- Non-selected finalists receive a $25,000 consolation award.
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Timeline:
- See "Due Dates" above for key milestones.
Additional Information
- Project Scope: Projects should be at an early stage (proof-of-concept or prototype development). Fundamental research or projects already suitable for significant venture capital are not eligible.
- Use of Funds: Salary support, research personnel, equipment, supplies, and collaborative activities are allowed. No salary cap for PI; 100% effort is permissible if justified.
- Institutional Support: The $50,000/year institutional contribution must be direct support (not pre-existing funds or indirect costs).
- Intellectual Property: IP should be managed to maximize impact; the foundation does not seek financial return but may require a non-exclusive license for charitable use.
- Reporting: Annual narrative and financial reports are required.
External Links
Contact Information