Grow Your Research Idea with Incubator or Germinator Seed Funding

Research Incubator and Germinator Awards.

Deadline: June 11, 2021 (letters of intent); August 20, 2021 (full application)

The Duke Institute for Brain Sciences (DIBS) supports two seed-grant funding programs. These high-risk/high-return funding mechanisms provide funding for research that is exploratory and therefore not yet ready for external funding.

Research Incubator Awards

Incubator Awards, up to $100,000, are for teams of faculty representing at least two departments or areas of research. See more information.

Research Germinator Awards

Germinator Awards, up to $25,000, are for graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, residents or faculty. See more information.

Important Dates for Both Award Mechanisms

  • Letters of intent: Due by 5:00 p.m., Friday, June 11, 2021
  • Full application: Due by 5:00 p.m., Friday, August 20, 2021
  • Award notifications: Anticipated in November 2021
  • Funding start: January 1, 2022

Learn More and Apply

See the DIBS website for full information.