INVOHub
INVOHub is an incubator program that builds on the university’s mission of achieving excellence in research-driven innovation by accelerating translation of its rich research portfolio to the public. In Fall 2017, the Hub launched Stage Zero support and resources for the very early stages of company formation and life and will later introduce programs for more advanced companies. Establishing Stage Zero resources allows the University to immediately enable near-term opportunities and increase the pipeline of startup companies.
Early-stage companies launched from Northwestern research are eligible to apply for:
- Mailbox rental in Evanston, IL;
- Short-term rental of space on Evanston’s North Campus or at the Illinois Science and Technology Park (ISTP) in Skokie, IL;
- A credit applicable to a toolkit of startup services; and
- Discounted costs associated with use of Northwestern’s Core Facilities.
Summary of benefits
| BENEFIT | ELIGIBILITY | DETAILS | DURATION |
|---|---|---|---|
| INVOHub Affiliate: Mailbox Rental in Evanston |
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Term of mailbox license agreement is up to 2 years |
| INVOHub Tenant: Space Rental on North Campus or at ISTP(Office/Lab) |
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Term of space license agreement is up to 1 year for North Campus. Term of space for ISTC is negotiable. |
| Startup Toolkit Credit |
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Reimbursements for services used over a 12 month period |
| Northwestern Core Facilities Discount |
|
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Discounted rates for Core use available only during first three years of a company’s life. (Discounts will not be given once a company is beyond 3 years from incorporation.) |
Eligibility
Awardees of Northwestern’s N.XT funding
N.XT awards are made to translationally advanced research programs with compelling commercial potential and to startups recently launched from Northwestern research. N.XT awardees are expected to achieve milestones, such as product validation, prototyping and market identification, within a year.
Startups incorporated within the past three years with no more than two full-time employees
The startups must have an intellectual property option or license agreement in place with Northwestern.
Application process and approval
As illustrated below, interested entities should apply to INVO and will be screened by a team of invention and business development managers within INVO. INVO’s Faculty Advisory Committee will then determine which entities are suitable to recommend to occupy Stage Zero space or receive startup toolkit credits. The appropriate Northwestern Institutes or, in the case of space at ISTC, Office of Research will review the recommended entities to insure an alignment of mission and availability of space and make the final decision. The entities will execute a lease agreement with Northwestern.
Apply
- Complete the STAGE ZERO application to become an INVOHub Affiliate or INVO Hub Tenant, or to apply for the Startup Toolkit Credit.
- Complete the CORE application to apply for the Core Facilities discount.
All applications should be submitted to INVOHub@northwestern.edu.
Applications for any of the benefits will be accepted on a rolling basis and will be reviewed by INVO, INVO’s faculty advisory committee, the hosting Institute, and the Office for Research. Send all inquiries to INVOHub@northwestern.edu.