WARF Accelerator will award 2-5 grants from a $100K pool

CONTACT:
Jeanan Yasiri Moe
Director of Strategic Communications and Public Affairs
jyasirimoe@warf.org | (608) 960-9892

MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation and Bayer Crop Science have teamed together to launch a spring challenge focused on novel solutions to create resilient and secure food systems. Principal Investigators (PIs) and their teams are invited to submit a brief disclosure form and questionnaire by May 15, 2024.

Learn more and submit.

“We are excited to launch this new joint innovation challenge,” says Phil Taylor, Director of Open Innovation and Outreach for Bayer Crop Science. “Bayer and WARF have partnered together in many areas over the years, but this is a unique opportunity to broaden our partnership into new areas of science and to enable the translation of high-potential opportunities towards commercialization.”

Projects (even early-stage) that focus on new ways of improving systems for crop production will be considered. Ideas could address resource management, crop data analytics, climate challenges, platforms for identifying pests or disease, maximizing crop productivity or crop genetics, all driving toward the goal of sustainably feeding the population. Proposed research should be completed within a year.

Submissions are due to WARF by May 15. Criteria include:

• Project team must include a PI at UW-Madison or Morgridge Institute for Research
• Concepts must be new (not something previously disclosed to WARF)
• Technical readiness
• Commercial potential

“UW-Madison researchers are developing new ways to create resilient and secure food systems that can ensure a steady supply of safe, accessible food for everyone,” says Erik Iverson, CEO of WARF. “We want to recognize and support their efforts to improve public health and well-being.”

For questions contact Emily Bauer, director of licensing, at emily@warf.org, 608-960-9842.