Catalyst R&D Voucher Pilot Program

CATALYST RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT (R&D) VOUCHER PILOT PROGRAM

The Catalyst R&D Voucher Program is a $275,000 pilot program. Eligible applicants can apply for vouchers up to $25,000 to help offset the cost of leveraging R&D resources, facilities, and equipment at the state’s academic universities and colleges, federal and non-profit laboratories to advance their technology development.

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

The goal of the Catalyst Research and Development (R&D) Voucher Pilot Program is to support New Jersey-based early-stage company efforts to accelerate development and innovation of technologies to transform new discoveries from research stage into commercially viable technologies, leading to industry and investor interest.

The objectives of the program are to:

improve awareness, access to and utilization of New Jersey’s world-leading equipment, facilities, and makerspaces; and
subsidize access to research and development equipment, facilities and makerspaces for small NJ-based companies that are developing innovative technologies.

Each eligible applicant can apply for multiple vouchers up to a cap of $25,000 in the aggregate over any twelve (12)-month period.

Each approved voucher will be valid for a period of twelve (12) months (starting from date of the execution of the voucher agreement). Any unused approved voucher amounts will be cancelled after the twelve (12) month period and returned to the program budget for future use. At CSIT’s sole discretion, a voucher reservation may be extended for one three-month period if requested in writing prior to expiration.

Eligible Applicants can receive Vouchers to defray the costs associated with any of the following services or activities in a participating University Facility or Government labs:

Use of Facility equipment and technicians for testing and development
Training in preparation for independent use of the Facility equipment

The program is intended for early-stage NJ based companies developing or testing technologies transform new discoveries from research stage into commercially viable technologies, leading to industry and investor interest in the following target areas:

Advanced Manufacturing
Advanced Transportation and Logistics
Film and Digital Media
Life Sciences – Therapeutic Drug Development
Life Sciences – Other
Non-Retail Food and Beverage
Professional and Financial Services
Technology

ELIGIBILTY CRITERIA

Each applicant to the Catalyst R&D Voucher Pilot Program must meet the following eligibility criteria:

Companies registered to conduct business in NJ at the time of application
Companies with no more than 25 full-time employees (calculated on an FTE full time equivalent basis-working 35hrs per week) at time of application until the voucher is awarded and throughout the voucher duration.
100% of Project work for which the voucher is being sought has to be conducted in NJ
Minimum of one (1) full-time employee working in NJ at time of application until the voucher is awarded and throughout the voucher duration (calculated on an FTE full time equivalent basis – 35 hrs. per week)
50% or more of the work of its employees and contractors conducted in NJ (calculated on an FTE basis – 35 hrs. per week)
Applicant must obtain a signed approval letter from a participating university/college, Federal lab or non-profit organization confirming that the facility is capable and willing to provide the services that will be supported by the voucher
Applicant company must be developing or testing technologies in the following target areas:
- Advanced Manufacturing
- Advanced Transportation and Logistics
- Film and Digital Media
- Life Sciences – Therapeutic Drug Development
- Life Sciences – Other
- Non-Retail Food and Beverage
- Professional and Financial Services
- Technology

Participating facilities must meet the following criteria:

They must be in a 2-year or 4-year college or university located in NJ (public, state, or non-profit), or a federal or non-profit organization located in New Jersey.
They must allow outside businesses to utilize research and development facilities on fee-for-service basis.
They must provide a contact person to facilitate requests and participate in Catalyst Voucher Committee meetings.

The Program will be implemented by CSIT and NJEDA, and technical support will be provided at participating University Facilities and Government labs.

CATALYST R&D VOUCHER ASSET MAP

Click on our Catalyst R&D Voucher Asset Map to find information on core facilities, equipment and makerspaces available in New Jersey’s world-class Universities and Federal labs to support clean tech/clean energy research and development.

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