FUSE Fund

Benefits to Industry Partner

• Early access to UA’s research expertise, facilities, and talent.
• Opportunities to shape research aligned with strategic R&D needs, consistent with policies ensuring academic independence and publication rights.
• Early insight into emerging technologies and potential IP.
• Early access to emerging technologies and talent in relevant disciplines.
• Pathways for workforce development through student engagement.
• Direct collaboration with UA faculty experts and graduate students on targeted R&D.
• Influence over research direction to ensure alignment with market needs and operational challenges; provided that all activities remain under the control of the University and comply with policies.
• Potential IP and licensing opportunities through UA’s technology commercialization pipeline.
• Strengthened reputation and visibility as a research collaborator committed to advancing innovation, workforce development, and economic development.

Benefits to UA Faculty & Students

• Dedicated funding for industry-driven research.
• Connections to industry scientists and leaders.
• Expanded funding for early-stage research with strong application potential.
• Potential for external proposal partnerships and licensing agreements.
• Increased competitiveness for external funding proposals supported by proof-of- concept results.
• Industry-driven research experience that enhances the relevance and impact of academic work.
• Networking and mentorship opportunities with industry professionals for faculty, staff, and students.
• Training and placement opportunities for graduate and undergraduate students.
• Opportunities for student internships, co-ops, and job placement with a leading industry partner.

NOTE: The UA FUSE Fund is a highly competitive program; the procurement of a committed industry cash match does NOT guarantee the receipt of UA matching funds. All proposals will undergo a rigorous merit-based review process, and awards will be granted based on strategic priority, technical merit, and the availability of institutional funds. All industry-supported funds associated with awarded projects must be administered through The University of Alabama and may require execution of a sponsored research agreement, contract, or other appropriate agreement through the Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP) and/or the Office for Research & Technology Agreements (ORTA). No funds shall be provided directly to individual investigators. All funds provided under this program are subject to University financial controls, monitoring, and audit. Recipients must comply with all applicable institutional, state, and federal requirements.

Opportunity: The program provides matching funding to support innovative, high-impact projects that integrate UA’s academic research strengths with industry needs and market applications. Projects should demonstrate potential to:

• Generate preliminary data supporting future joint external funding proposals (e.g., federal agencies, foundations).
• Accelerate the path from discovery to commercialization.
• Provide meaningful experiential opportunities for students, preparing the next-generation workforce.
• Build and strengthen long-term, sustainable relationships between UA and industry partners.

Project Cost & Matching Requirement: The Division for Research will provide a 1:1 cash match of up to $75,000 per project.

Cash Only: All industry matching contributions must be liquid cash, and must be paid directly to the University in accordance with University financial policies in-kind matches (e.g., equipment use, personnel time, or software licenses) are allowable only beyond the matching requirement (i.e. in addition to the cash contribution which will be matched by UA).

Funding Limits:

• Funding Floor: To ensure a meaningful partnership, a minimum industry cash contribution of $10,000 is required. Proposals with an industry cash contribution below this threshold will not be considered.
• Minimum UA Request: $10,000
• Maximum UA Request: Proposals may request a maximum of $75,000 from the Division for Research.
• Scalability: Industry partners may contribute funds at any level; project budgets may exceed $150,000 if the industry contribution exceeds the UA maximum match.

Indirect Costs (F&A):

• Industry Share: Standard federally negotiated Indirect Cost rates apply to the industry portion of the budget and must be included within their overall cash match.
• UA Share: Indirect costs do not apply to the internal UA match; 100% of the UA contribution is dedicated to direct research costs.

Intellectual Property (IP): All intellectual property developed under this program shall be governed by The University of Alabama’s intellectual property policies and applicable laws and regulations. Participation in this program does not grant any ownership or licensing rights to industry partners. Any such rights must be negotiated separately through ORTA in a formal agreement.

Number of Awards: The Division for Research anticipates making up to 3 awards, contingent on funding availability.

Eligibility: Full-time tenured, tenure-track, renewable contract, clinical, and clinical-track faculty members are eligible to apply.

• Applicants may serve as PI on one UA FUSE Fund proposal per cycle.
• Each project must have one UA Principal Investigator (PI) with at least one designated point-of-contact or technical lead from the Industry Partner.
• UA applicants must be regular, full-time employees authorized to serve as PI.
• Each project should be a new project (defined below) between UA faculty and industry collaborators
• Eligible partners: industry scientists, engineers, or R&D managers with documented commitment to the project.
• Projects must be collaborative in scope, integrating UA’s research capabilities with the industry partner’s operational expertise.
• Proposals must include a letter of commitment from the industry partner confirming their matching contribution (cash or cash-equivalent) if the project is selected. A template Industry Letter of Commitment is included at the end of the solicitation.

Conflict of Interest: All participating investigators must disclose any financial or personal interests related to the industry partner in accordance with University policies and applicable federal regulations. Awards are contingent upon resolution or management of any identified conflicts of interest.

New Project Mandate: To ensure that the FUSE Fund acts as a true catalyst for growth rather than a recurring subsidy for existing work, all applications must adhere to the New Project Mandate.A “New Project” is defined as a research endeavor that explores a technical frontier significantly different from any Sponsored Research Agreement (SRA) or funded project involving the PI and the corporate entity within the preceding three fiscal years. While existing corporate partners are eligible, the proposed work must not be a reiteration, extension, or “phase two” of currently or recently funded work. The goal is to bolster and expand the relationship by pivoting into new research directions, methodologies, or applications. The PI must demonstrate that the project represents a distinct departure from previous collaborations. This could include applying existing expertise to a new industry problem or utilizing the partner’s resources to explore a different disciplinary intersection.

To ensure institutional integrity and adhere to the Mandate for Novelty, all proposals undergo a multi-layered audit before funds are released:

• PI Certification of Novelty (Required): The Lead PI must provide a written certification within the proposal affirming that the industry relationship is “new.” For the purposes of this fund, a new relationship is defined as a collaboration where no formal sponsored research agreement (SRA) or funded project has existed between the PI and the corporate entity within the preceding three fiscal years.
• Contractual History Audit: The Office for Sponsored Programs (OSP) will review centralized databases (e.g., Cayuse) to verify the PI’s certification and confirm the partnership’s novelty over the last three fiscal years.
• Entity-Level Due Diligence: The Office for Research & Technology Agreements (ORTA) verifies that the partner is not currently covered under existing Sponsored Research Agreements (SRAs) or university research consortia for the same scope of work.

Format:  8.5” x 11”; single spaced; size 11 Times New Roman font; one-inch margins on all sides.

All industry partners and project activities are subject to review for compliance with IRB, IACUC, IBC, export control regulations, sanctions programs, and research security requirements. This may include screening of entities against restricted party lists and disclosure of foreign ownership, control, or influence. Projects may not proceed until all required approvals are obtained. NOTE: the review and approval process may take up to 60 days depending on project scope; no research activities involving regulated components may begin until all required approvals are in place.

All procurements of goods or services must comply with Article 5 of Chapter 4 of Title 41 of the Code of Alabama, University Purchasing Guidelines, Board Rule 406, and Board Rule 415. All procurements of goods or services for $75,000 or more that are subject to Article 5 of Chapter 4 of Title 41 of the Code of Alabama must be approved by the Purchasing Department and may be subject to the competitive bid process. For more information, visit the Purchasing website. Industry partners may not direct, select, or control procurement decisions. All purchases must comply with University procurement policies and applicable state law.

Data Use and Confidentiality: Any exchange of proprietary, confidential, or restricted data must be governed by an appropriate agreement executed through ORTA prior to data sharing.

To ensure a meritocratic and strategic selection process, an interdisciplinary review panel will evaluate proposals using the ratings of Excellent, Very Good, Good, Fair, Poor or combinations thereof.

1. Significance, Market Relevance, and Strategic Alignment (20%) Reviewers assess the research importance and the degree to which the project aligns with the University’s strategic trajectory.

• Does the proposal address a significant research question with clear market impact and alignment with industry needs?
• How well does the project align with the Division for Research’s strategic plan and UA’s institutional strengths?
• Does the PI clearly articulate “why this project, why now, and why this industry partner?”

2. Advancing Academic & Industry Collaboration (20%) Evaluation centers on how the project catalyzes new industrial engagement and strengthens the university-corporate network.

• Does the project establish a sustainable framework for strengthening UA-industry relationships?
• Are the contributions to both the academic and industrial fields clearly defined?
• Is student involvement appropriately integrated into the operational partnership?

3. Uniqueness and Innovation (20%) Reviewers evaluate the technical merit and the degree to which the collaboration enables novel, transformative discovery.

• Does the proposal highlight novel methodologies or interdisciplinary approaches?
• Is there clear first-to-market potential for the resulting technology or research?
• Is the project sufficiently differentiated from the PI’s current funded work?

4. Student Engagement and Workforce Development (15%) Reviewers judge the quality of the experiential learning opportunities and industry exposure provided to students.

• Are student roles and training plans clearly detailed?
• Does the project provide students with direct exposure to industry-relevant skills and professional standards?
• Student participation in industry-related projects must comply with University policies regarding intellectual property, confidentiality, and student employment.

5. Future Funding, Commercialization, and Impact (25%) This is a critical metric for a seed fund. Reviewers judge the likelihood that the investment will lead to successful external growth.

Is the anticipated "return on investment" (in terms of future grant dollars or commercial impact) favorable?

Does the PI identify specific external funding calls (federal or industrial) to be targeted?

Is there a viable pathway for Intellectual Property (IP), licensing, startup activity, or operational deployment?

• Submission of a brief mid-year progress report documenting progress-to-date, barriers to commercialization or prototyping, and approach to overcome barriers.
• Submission of a final report at project completion documenting research outcomes, impacts of the funding, and workforce opportunities leveraged through the award.
• At least one of the following within 12 months:
  • Joint peer-reviewed publication.
  • Demonstration or prototype relevant to the industry’s needs.
  • Joint external funding proposal.
  • Evidence of commercialization activity (e.g., IP disclosure, licensing discussions).
• Participation in a UA–Industry Research Showcase to present results to internal and external stakeholders.

As an acknowledgement of this support, all users must include the following language in all published reports of work conducted or in conference informational materials: "[Part of] this research is financially supported by the Fostering University-Industry Synergistic Endeavor (FUSE) Fundand the Division for Research.”

The UA FUSE Fund serves as a cornerstone of the University’s trajectory within the US academic research landscape. By transforming internal seed capital into a catalyst for industrial engagement, the program ensures that UA remains a premier research epicenter dedicated to driving technological advancement and long-term economic growth for the state of Alabama and the nation.