Academic Venture Fund
Cornell University's Academic Venture Fund supports bold, multidisciplinary research collaborations addressing urgent sustainability challenges with high-impact, innovative approaches.
Funder: Cornell University
Due Dates (Anticipated): October 2026 (Full application deadline, projected)
Funding Amounts: $50,000–$150,000 per project; total annual program funding is $1.5 million; seed grants typically support one year of work.
Summary: Annual seed grants for multidisciplinary, high-impact sustainability research, fostering innovation and collaboration at Cornell and with external partners.
Description
The Academic Venture Fund is Cornell University's flagship seed grant program, administered by the Atkinson Center for Sustainability. It provides annual funding to support multidisciplinary research projects with the potential for significant, measurable impact in sustainability. The fund is designed to propel innovative ideas forward, often encouraging collaboration with external partners from industry, government, NGOs, or foundations. Projects should address urgent sustainability challenges and demonstrate creative, high-risk/high-reward approaches that can lead to transformative solutions.
