MTRAC AgBio Full Grants
MTRAC AgBio Full Grants support Michigan researchers developing agricultural and industrial biotechnology through translational research that moves technologies toward licensing or startup formation.
Funder: Michigan Translational Research and Commercialization (MTRAC)
Due Dates: December 3, 2025 (2026 Tier I Full Funding) | December 10, 2026 (Full Award proposals, 5 PM EST)
Funding Amounts: Up to $150,000 in direct costs for projects lasting up to one year; institutional cash match required
Summary: Supports translational agricultural and industrial biotechnology research that advances technologies toward licensing or startup formation.
Key Information: Technologies must have an institutional invention disclosure, active technology-transfer management, and availability for licensing.
Description
The MTRAC Innovation Hub for AgBio at Michigan State University supports translational research bridging academic discoveries and commercial development. Full Grants fund further development, scaling, and de-risking of promising technologies, with the goal of licensing them to existing companies or startups. Commercialization in Michigan is a priority.
The program covers agriculture, natural resources, and biology outside human medicine, including food, fuel, fiber, veterinary medicine, bio-based materials, industrial biotechnology, water, green chemistry, and renewable bioenergy. Relevant work includes crop improvement, animal health and nutrition, food processing, agricultural production tools, and agricultural machine learning or blockchain applications. Supported activities include crop and animal trials, prototypes, scale-up studies, application verification, and techno-economic analyses. Projects should be beyond proof of concept and organized around commercial outcomes rather than basic research.
