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HIT Fund FAQ

 

Frequently Asked Questions about the HIT Fund

About

Applying - who

Applying - how & when

Applying - technology

Funding

 

What is the High Impact Technology (HIT) Fund?

The HIT Fund awards are for Stanford University innovators whose work has progressed towards developing solutions for specific commercial applications. The awards provide the advisory support for the team to develop a business-centric mindset and funding for critical de-risking activities that enable the team to swiftly move from research innovation to securing an external license or startup funding.

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Is the HIT Fund only for those who want to form a start-up?

The objective is to help advance technologies to the point where additional external funding or technology transfer, to an existing organization or to an inventor-led start-up, is achieved.

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What are the components of the HIT Fund program?

Non-dilutive milestone-based funding up to $250,000
Examples of activities eligible for funding include, but are not limited to:

  • Prototype test and refinement and/or pre-clinical studies
  • Techno-economic analysis / Health-economic analysis
  • Third-party expenses, such as materials purchases and contract manufacturing
  • Stipends and salaries for students and postdocs 

Bespoke advisory team
An advisory team of zero-to-one founders, domain experts, and commercialization strategists who know your field and market.

Embedded MBA Fellow to act as a dedicated business partner
MBA Fellows are second year Stanford GSB students embedded with the team and mentored by HIT Fund leadership, who spend 5-10 hours per week focusing on the commercial strategy. 

Seminars
Various commercialization, IP, and regulatory seminars by industry experts are offered with opportunities for one-on-one office hours.

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Who is eligible to apply?

This opportunity is open to current Stanford faculty, students, postdocs, and staff, in any Stanford school, institute, center, and department.

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I’m not a faculty member. Can I apply?

Yes, you do not need to be a faculty member to apply. Stanford students, postdocs, and staff can also apply. However, each proposal must include at least one faculty member as a principal investigator (PI). The PI can be an active participant on the team or act as a sponsor.

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Do I need to be in a particular school at Stanford to apply?

The HIT Fund is open to all Stanford schools, institutes, centers, and departments. Those outside of the School of Engineering and the School of Medicine are encouraged to apply.

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I’m an MBA student at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. How can I get involved? 

The HIT Fund MBA Fellow program offers paid fellowships for Stanford Graduate School of Business students with experience in the physical sciences or the life sciences. You can learn more and apply on the MBA Fellow Program page.

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How do I apply for the HIT Fund?

The call for pre-proposals for Cohort 2026-27 has now closed. The next call will open in Spring 2027.

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What are the key dates for the HIT Fund 2026 application process?

Call for pre-proposals closed: May 24

Invitations to submit a full application: June 22

Deadline to submit a full application: Sunday, July 12

Finalists notified: mid-August

Finalist pitches (in person): mid-September, dates TBD

Awards announced: mid-September

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There are many possible applications for my technology and I don’t know which one to pursue. Can I apply?

Yes, if your technology has advanced beyond the primary research stage. Awards can be used to explore alternative applications and markets. If you don’t already have a demo, prototype, and/or a pilot program in place, it’s recommended that you include a milestone in your proposal for the development of one.

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My technology is innovative, but I haven’t disclosed it yet to OTL. Can I still apply for the HIT Fund?

For consideration for the HIT Fund, new technology disclosures must be submitted to OTL by May 8, 2026. You can learn more about submitting an invention to OTL on the Submit an Invention page. Once you've submitted the disclosure to OTL, please email us at TheHITFund@stanford.edu so we can expedite the processing.

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I have a great business idea, but don’t have any associated technology. Can I apply for the HIT Fund?

All applications for the HIT Fund are required to have a clearly identifiable innovation component that has been previously disclosed to the Office of Technology Licensing (OTL). (See: Submit an Invention)

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My technology has the potential to have more of a societal impact than an economic impact. Can I still apply for the HIT Fund?

Yes. Projects to deliver innovative technology and solutions with the potential to have a societal impact are encouraged.

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I’ve already launched a start-up based on my technology. Will the HIT Fund provide funding to my start-up?

No. Funding is only for projects undertaken on behalf of Stanford. If you have questions, contact the HIT Fund team (TheHITfund@stanford.edu) to arrange a time to discuss your situation.

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My technology has already been licensed to an external organization. Can I still apply for the HIT Fund?

It depends on the specifics of the license. Please contact the HIT Fund team (TheHITfund@stanford.edu) to arrange a time to discuss your situation.

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Will you fund primary research?

No. The HIT Fund awards are for innovators whose work has progressed towards developing solutions for scalable end use applications. 

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Can funding be used for faculty salary?

No. Funding can be used for student, postdoc, and staff salary if necessary for achieving the project milestones.

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What do you mean by “milestone-based funding”?

Proposals should include a set of milestones for achieving the proposed outcome of the project, each with a proposed budget. Award funding is released in tranches, as the objectives for each associated milestone is achieved. 

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What milestones should I include in my application?

The proposed milestones will be assessed to determine if they are addressing the critical activities to get external funding. While there may be many activities that will help move your project along, the proposed milestones should be focused exclusively on resolving those issues that must be addressed for the technology to be attractive to external funders, such as prospective partners and licensees or venture capital if a start-up is planned.

Examples of activities eligible for funding include, but are not limited to:

  • Prototype test and refinement and/or pre-clinical studies
  • Techno-economic analysis / Health-economic analysis
  • Third-party expenses, such as materials purchases and contract manufacturing
  • Stipends and salaries for students and postdocs 
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Do you recommend applying for the maximum award amount of $250,000?

Only a limited number of project(s) will be funded at the $200,000 - $250,000 level. The large majority of funded projects tend to be between $50,000 to $150,000.  

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I’m interested only in the HIT Fund’s advisory support, to make industry connections and for help with business planning, customer discovery, and go-to-market strategy. Should I apply?

Yes. Applications that are solely for advisory support and do not include a financial request are encouraged.

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