Idaho Global Entrepreneurial Mission (IGEM) Grant Program
Forecasted
The IGEM Grant Program funds collaborative research at Idaho public universities to accelerate technology commercialization and economic growth through university-industry partnerships.
Funder: Idaho Higher Education Research Council (HERC)
Due Dates (Anticipated): October 2026: Pre-proposal deadline | February 2027: Full proposal deadline (invited proposals only)
Funding Amounts: Proof of Concept: ~$400,000 total (3–5 awards, 1 year) | Initial Startup: ~$600,000 total (2–4 awards, 1–2 years) | Commercialization: ~$1,100,000 total (2–5 awards, 2–3 years); annual program budget ~$2.1M
Summary: Seed funding for collaborative research at Idaho public universities to advance technology transfer and economic growth through university-industry partnerships.
Key Information: Only Idaho public four-year institutions are eligible to apply; industry partners are encouraged but cannot receive direct funding.
Description
The Idaho Global Entrepreneurial Mission (IGEM) Grant Program, administered by the Idaho Higher Education Research Council (HERC), provides seed funding to support competitive research at Idaho's public four-year universities. The program’s primary goal is to foster collaborations between academia and the private sector, accelerate technology transfer, and drive economic growth in Idaho. IGEM grants are awarded through a two-stage process (pre-proposal and full proposal) and support projects that demonstrate high potential for commercialization, industry engagement, and alignment with Idaho’s higher education research strategic priorities in areas such as biotechnology, energy, HPC/AI/ML, human-environment interactions, and microelectronics.
