Resources for UW researchers
The University of Washington offers a number of resources for researchers seeking to engage in social innovation and social entrepreneurship activities.
Funding and other support
Funding mechanisms exist at the UW for social innovation projects, including the:
- CoMotion Innovation Gap Fund—Twice-annual awards program that offers up to $50,000 in funding for projects that may have commercial or social impact. The Population Health Initiative partners with CoMotion each spring to jointly fund a project that both supports the vision of the Population Health Initiative and fulfils CoMotion’s criteria of becoming a sustainable venture. Well-suited for projects with societal impact.
Other UW support mechanisms for social innovation projects at the UW include the:
- Social Entrepreneurship Fellows Program—UW population health innovations are assigned a summer fellow who explores entrepreneurial solutions to bringing the innovation into the real world. At the end of the fellowship, investigators will have a well-researched, sustainable route forward for their project that they may not have otherwise considered.
Accelerator program
Accelerating Social Transformation is a four-day accelerator program focused on social entrepreneurship and leading social change.
This program presents an immersive opportunity to think broadly about challenges facing social entrepreneurs, learn from industry influencers and develop an action plan to increase the impact of your work.
Innovation hub
The UW’s collaborative innovation hub, CoMotion, offers a number of resources to researchers seeking to increase the impact of their research.
Resources that are particularly relevant to researchers interested in social impact include the Innovation Training, which offers workshops to develop skills to achieve economic or societal impact, and seminars featuring entrepreneurial experts from the Seattle innovation ecosystem.