CSIT to Open Applications June 5 for Two R&D Seed Grant Programs

$2M+ in Grant Funding will be Available to Startups Developing Food and Agriculture or Drug Therapeutic Innovations

TRENTON, N.J. (May 31, 2023) – The New Jersey Commission on Science, Innovation and Technology (CSIT) will open applications on June 5 for two seed grant programs. Both the Food and Agriculture Research & Development (R&D) Pilot Seed Grant Program and Round 2 of the Catalyst R&D Seed Grant Program are designed to help New Jersey startups accelerate their R&D from the research stage to commercially viable products and services.

Governor Phil Murphy’s economic development plan, “The State of Innovation: Building a Stronger and Fairer NJ Economy,” identifies life sciences and food and beverage (non-retail) as two of the strategic sectors for accelerating growth in New Jersey’s economy. These seed grants programs will support New Jersey startups in these vital sectors. 

WHAT: CSIT plans to open applications for the following programs on June 5 at 9:00 a.m. EDT:

• The Food and Agriculture R&D Pilot Seed Grant Program is a $750,000 competitive grant program supporting innovative technological solutions designed to improve food security statewide. The program will offer grants of up to $75,000 to startups working on food and/or agriculture-related innovation in the life sciences, technology, and food and beverage (non-retail) sectors. Complete eligibility requirements can be found here. The application will be available here until July 14, 2023.
  
• The $1.5 million Round 2 of CSIT’s Catalyst R&D Seed Grant Program will provide grants of up to $150,000 to New Jersey startups that are developing life sciences therapeutics. The grant funds should enable applicants to make significant progress and have a meaningful impact on their commercialization outcomes. Complete eligibility requirements can be found here. The application will be available here until July 14, 2023.

Informational Webinar: CSIT will host an informational webinar about both of these programs on June 5 at 4:00 p.m. Registration for the webinar can be found here. A recording of the webinar will be available on each program’s website.

To learn more about state resources available to New Jersey entrepreneurs and early-stage companies, visit https://www.njeda.gov/csit and follow @NewJerseyEDA on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

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