The mission of Wake Forest Innovations is to translate research into beneficial products and services. The Commercial Pathway Award furthers this mission by supporting members of the Wake Forest community by awarding financial support for milestone-driven commercially relevant projects in which the institution has a proprietary position. Projects should be designed to advance the intellectual property and commercial potential of technologies.
Examples of suitable projects include advanced proof-of-concept and feasibility studies, studies that enable go/no-go commercialization decisions, and studies designed to exceed commercially relevant value inflection points. Successful projects will receive up to $40,000 in direct costs, to be spent within a one-year project period.
Applications should fall into one of the following areas:
- Therapeutic/drug/biologic
- Diagnostic/Medical device
- Digital health
- Other (please describe)
These awards are open to investigators across Advocate Health. This includes Atrium Health, Atrium Health Navicent, and Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist, including Wake Forest University School of Medicine. Wake Forest University (Reynolda Campus) faculty are also encouraged to apply. Additional details are available in the RFP. To apply, click here.
Deadlines:
Application Deadline: 11/15/2025, 5:00 PM
Project Start Date: 12/15/2025
Wake Forest Innovations is here to help you navigate the path from lab to product. Join us during our office hours in Biotech Place (Room 158) on October 14th and the 28th from 2:00 to 4:00 PM ET to explore intellectual property and commercialization strategies, how to secure and not inadvertently impact your patenting rights, funding programs, licensing opportunities, and more. Whether you’re a seasoned innovator or just curious, we’re here to support you. No appointment needed—just drop in and let’s talk!