UH launches $2M research fund to commercialize new technologies

Pictured is the Innovation Center in the University of Houston's Technology Bridge. Pictured is the Innovation Center in the University of Houston's Technology Bridge. Photo: University Of Houston Photo: University Of Houston Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close UH launches $2M research fund to commercialize new technologies 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

The University of Houston System has launched a $2 million research fund to help faculty commercialize new technologies.

The Chancellor's Technology Bridging Fund announced Thursday will offer grants to help faculty build prototypes or test their technology under industry-relevant conditions -- stages of development that don't typically receive basic research funding.

More from the university: UH Technology Bridge welcomes two new companies to Houston

"The Technology Bridging Fund will fill a gap," Tom Campbell, executive director of the Office of Technology Transfer and Innovation in the UH Division of Research, said in a news release. "It's really difficult to find funding at this early stage of development, and as a consequence, a lot of innovative concepts sit on the shelf."

The fund is expected to provide four to 10 grants each year for the next five years. The value of those grants will range from $25,000 to $75,000.