PREAMBLE

The Africa Centre of Excellence and Forensic Biotechnology (ACENTDFB) seed grant on entrepreneurship/start-up technology to promote entrepreneurial activities within the mandate of the center. The grant shall be awarded to researchers and students in Ahmadu Bello University. Through the ACENTDFB seed grant, the ABU Community can engage in establishing companies and business ventures by using their novel ideas.

OBJECTIVES OF THE TECHNOLOGY SEED GRANT

** To provide one-time seed grant (in two installments; 70:30%) specifically for entrepreneurship endeavors and establishment of start-ups and spin-offs to address any challenge in the area of NTDs and forensic science.

** To encourage as well as motivate young researchers to conduct preliminary research and studies specifically targeting entrepreneurial and innovative start-ups

** The Seed grant shall be the sum of 5 million Naira as a one-time Grant for one year and covers support to procurement of equipment, software, consumables, and other relevant requirements/materials for the proposed start-ups, spin-offs or entrepreneurship activities.

CRITERIA AND GUIDELINES

** Only Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria researchers and students are eligible to apply for the Technology Seed Grant.

** Proposals for Seed Grant are invited based on an “Online Application Call” released by the Centre and advertised in the Centre’s and University websites

** Applicants will submit their proposals as per the Templates (Appendix I & II) with an approval from their Heads of the Department/Research Centre

** Seed grant shall be a grant for one year and covers support for procurement of equipment, software, consumables, and any other necessary requirement for development of prototype towards obtaining a commercialisable product.

** All applications will be screened by the Core and Expert Committee for selection of eligible applicants and proposals. Selected applicants will be invited to make a presentation to the Core and Expert Committee

KEY DELIVERABLES

** Development of prototype for entrepreneurship and/or scientific enterprise

** Establishment of start-ups, spin-offs or any business venture for solving problems of the society

** Patent and/or publication in high impact journals will be considered as a key deliverable for the seed grant. Awardees are strongly encouraged to apply for the patenting of their inventions and discoveries

** Submission of a hard bound copy of the report of the project on completion and published article(s)

APPENDICES

Download the appendices word file which will guide you in completing the application here: Open

METHOD OF SUBMISSION

All filled proposal application forms and a one page CV/Resume be submitted by email to seedgrant@acentdfb.abu.edu.ng and seedgrant.acentdfb@gmail.com in pdf and Microsoft Word with the following file name formats; SURNAME_PNO./REGNO_Budget, SURNAME_PNO./REGNO_Proposal (PDF) & Microsoft Word and SURNAME_PNO./REGNO/CV.

Applicants may contact the ACENTDFB at any point during the application period by sending an email with the subject line “Inquiry_ACENTDFB Technology Seed Grant” to seedgrant@acentdfb.abu.edu.ng; seedgrant.acentdfb@gmail.com

Submissions should be addressed to the below address:

 The Chairman,
 ACENTDFB Technology Seed Grant Committee,
Africa Centre of Excellence for Neglected 
Tropical Diseases and Forensic Biotechnology,
Ahmadu Bello University,
Zaria, Nigeria.
                             

Note: Application for this call opens May 20th, 2024 at 08:00 (GMT+1) and closes on June 19th, 2024 at 23:59 (GMT+1).