The Office for Research & Economic Development at The University of Alabama is launching the ORED Commercialization Fellows Program to identify and empower campus leaders who can catalyze the next generation of research-driven startups, industry partnerships, and entrepreneurial ventures.
This fellowship is designed not only to accelerate the translation of discovery to market impact but also to help shape UA’s academic culture so that entrepreneurial achievements, such as patents, licenses, and startup creation, are broadly recognized as influential contributions across the enterprise. By embedding entrepreneurship into the fabric of UA’s research enterprise, Fellows will strengthen UA’s capacity in emerging fields of preeminence and elevate the University’s profile as a national hub of research-driven economic growth.
Role of Fellows
The ORED Commercialization Fellow will:
1. Ecosystem Strategy & Culture
- Benchmark best practices from peer institutions to strengthen UA’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.
- Identify barriers and opportunities that affect UA entrepreneurs’ ability to move innovations to market and recommend solutions.
- Streamline innovation processes by advising ORED leadership on startup policy improvements.
- Help shape faculty incentives by collaborating with academic leadership to ensure patents, licenses, and entrepreneurial activities are valued in tenure and promotion.
2. Financing & Growth
- Evaluate financing and funding pathways (e.g., seed capital, venture networks, and corporate partnerships) to enhance startup viability and sustainability.
- Elevate UA’s profile by leveraging commercialization success to attract external funding, create new ventures, and demonstrate UA’s leadership in research-driven economic development, especially in areas aligned with the 2024 class of ORED Senior Fellows.
3. Accelerator & Partnerships
- Expand UA’s accelerator/entrepreneurship ecosystem, coordinating with programs such as the Crimson Catalyst.
- Advise on entrepreneurial education and experiential learning opportunities that expand the pipeline of faculty and student innovators.
4. Commercialization Leadership
- Lead commercialization initiatives by mentoring research teams and helping them define market pathways.
- Apply entrepreneurial expertise in building, leading, and scaling teams to viability.
Timeline and Key Dates
- Due Date: Before 5:00 pm Central on November 1, 2025
- Accommodations for late and/or incomplete proposals are not available.
- Proposal Review Period: November 1 – November 15, 2025
- Decisions Announced: December 1, 2025
- Period of Performance: ORED Commercialization Fellows will serve one-year terms that are renewable.
Eligibility
Any regular, full-time UA faculty / staff member who is authorized to submit a proposal as the principal investigator (PI) to a federal funding agency is eligible to apply. Candidates with proven backgrounds in entrepreneurship, startup creation, accelerator leadership, industry partnerships, or technology commercialization are especially encouraged to apply and should highlight how their experience can accelerate UA’s leadership in research and economic development in their application.
Opportunity
ORED anticipates naming one to two ORED Commercialization Fellows in 2025, subject to availability of funds.
Application Requirements
- Format: 8.5” x 11”; single spaced; size 12 Times New Roman font; one-inch margins on all sides.
- Letter of Interest: In no more than two pages, provide a letter of interest that addresses the following points regarding the ORED Commercialization Fellow position:
- Alignment with Commercialization Fellowship Goals (25%)
- Entrepreneurial and Research Experience (20%)
- Demonstrated Ability to Build and Lead Teams from Early-stage Ideas to Commercialization (20%)
- Vision for Advancing UA’s Commercialization and Entrepreneurial Ecosystem (35%)
To reduce the administrative burden, ORED does not require official departmental, college, institute, or center approval during the application process. However, applicants should provide situational awareness to their cognizant leadership, as ORED requires approval prior to naming ORED Commercialization Fellows.
Support: ORED Commercialization Fellows will receive a $7,500 annual honorarium with distribution following the rules of the University. Moreover, in consultation with ORED leadership, ORED Commercialization Fellows will have access to discretionary funds to support approved, targeted initiatives.
Submission: Please submit the letter of interest to assist@ua.edu.
Feedback: Applications not chosen for funding will receive feedback.