Yale Ventures Opens 2026-2027 Faculty Accelerator Fund Applications
The Blavatnik Fund for Innovation at Yale, The Colton Center for Autoimmunity at Yale, HealthTech Works, Planetary Solutions Impact Accelerator, and the Roberts Innovation Fund are seeking promising faculty-led projects for 2026-2027 awards.
Yale Ventures is pleased to announce that applications for faculty accelerator funds are open starting August 31, 2026. Yale Ventures accelerator funds are open to faculty innovators and their teams working on translational research across life sciences, digital health, autoimmunity and allergic disease, engineering, physical sciences, and planetary solutions. The programs are dedicated to advancing Yale innovations that address some of the world’s most pressing challenges. In addition to awarding over $6.5 million in funding, the accelerators provide mentorship, innovation training, investor exposure, and strategic support to assist in the commercialization of Yale faculty research.
“Yale Ventures is delighted to invite applications for our five accelerator funds. Each accelerator offers customized support, including business training, mentoring, and funding to propel faculty-led ventures towards their next milestone,” said James Boyle, Senior Executive Director for Faculty Innovation, Yale Ventures.
Yale Ventures is hosting events throughout the fall to help faculty innovators learn more about our accelerator funds, strengthen their pitching skills, explore customer discovery, and better understand market opportunities.
We’ll kick off the series with a virtual information session on Wednesday, September 9. Leaders from each accelerator fund will provide an overview of their program, review eligibility and application requirements, and answer questions. Register for the information session.
To stay informed about additional programs and register for upcoming events, subscribe to Yale Ventures' events calendar.
Eligible applicants are encouraged to apply for multiple accelerator funds. Submitting applications to multiple funds will not affect the consideration of each individual application. Each application will be evaluated independently based on its own merits and the specific criteria of the respective fund.
LIFESCIENCES
Blavatnik Fund for Innovation at Yale
The Blavatnik Fund for Innovation at Yale focuses on the commercialization of translational research in life sciences, supporting Yale investigator-initiated research. Completed projects aim for partnerships with industry, the development of startups, or major industry-sponsored research agreements. Since its inception in 2017, it has supported 150 projects with over $28 million awarded, 52 new ventures launched raising $609 million in external funding, 9 INDs accepted with 2 positive early clinical trial readouts, and 2 revenue-generating digital health ventures. The Blavatnik Fund welcomes a diverse range of innovations to apply, including traditional therapeutics, medical devices, and diagnostics. The accelerator fund is supported by a grant from the Blavatnik Family Foundation.
- Deadline: October 23, 2026
- Application Information
AUTOIMMUNE & ALLERGIC DISEASES
The Colton Center for Autoimmunity at Yale
The Colton Center for Autoimmunity at Yale (CCAY) is committed to advancing innovative translational research in autoimmune and allergic diseases to develop therapeutics, diagnostics, tolerogenic vaccines, and platform technologies, and to gain biological insight into complex disease mechanisms. CCAY promotes cross-disciplinary research to bridge gaps between research and application. Launched in 2020, CCAY is supported by a grant from Judith and Stewart Colton; and has awarded $5.9M disbursed into 57 grants (Colton Awards) to support 59 investigators from 25 departments and divisions across Yale – including Yale School of Medicine, Yale College, and Yale West Campus – enabling cross-campus collaborative projects. CCAY steadfastly commits itself to foster innovation, knowledge generation, intellectual property development, and venture creation.
- Deadline: November 19, 2026
- Application Information (Please search for Colton Awards)
YALE ENGINEERING
The Roberts Innovation Fund
The Roberts Innovation Fund is a lab-to-market accelerator fund that supports projects with faculty innovators from the Yale School of Engineering & Applied Science. The fund is focused on advancing breakthrough inventions that address real-world problems by providing access to capital, programmatic support, and mentorship. Established in 2022, the Fund is made possible by a gift from Yale alumnus Will Roberts ’90 and is managed in partnership with Yale Ventures and Yale Engineering’s Office of the Dean.
- Deadline: November 15, 2026
- Application Information
HEALTH TECHNOLOGY
HealthTech Works
Launched in late 2025 and built on the foundation of the former Center for Biomedical Innovation and Technology (CBIT), HealthTech Works program advances innovations spanning digital health, medical devices, diagnostics, AI applications for drug discovery and clinical care, and other emerging technologies. The accelerator combines mentorship, strategic industry engagement, and a commercialization studio, with non-dilutive grants and collaboration across the Yale School of Medicine, Yale School of Public Health, Yale School of Nursing, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, and Yale School of Engineering & Applied Science. HealthTech Works was made possible by a gift from the Morse Family Foundation, with additional support from Raj and Indra Nooyi ’80 M.B.A., Faiz Kayyem ’85, and Richard Gliklich ’83.
- Deadline: September 25, 2026
- Application Information
PLANETARY SOLUTIONS
Planetary Solutions Impact Accelerator
The Planetary Solutions Impact Accelerator mobilizes the breadth of Yale’s research enterprise to generate scalable, sustainable, resilient solutions. It is a new addition to Yale Planetary Solutions’ core programming and is powered by Yale Ventures. The initial focus of the accelerator is on commercializing scalable technologies that can significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the root cause of climate change. PSIA is made possible by a generous gift from Eleanor and Chad Laurans, both graduates of the Yale College Class of 2000 and co-founders of the home security company SimpliSafe, with additional support from Beth Birnbaum ˊ94 and Barney Harford.
Applications will open November 30, 2026.
For more information, visit: Planetary Solutions Impact Accelerator.
About Yale Ventures
Launched by Yale University in 2022, Yale Ventures aims to foster and accelerate a vibrant entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem. It provides increased support, resources, and opportunities for Yale innovators, helping them translate their ideas and discoveries into new ventures that will have a positive impact on the world’s greatest challenges.