Overview
The Catalyst Grants initiative is designed to provide flexible, timely, non-dilutive seed funding to ventures led by members of the Bentley community. It that all entrepreneurial pathways, innovation-driven enterprises (IDE's), small to medium enterprises (SME's) and others (see E-Hub Knowledge-base) require support for early milestones. A team may access this initiative as a stepping stone to (or in addition to) participation in the E-Hub Incubator.
Is the Catalyst Grant right for you?
You are in the right place if you need funding for a specific expense category in your entrepreneurial journey! Catalyst Grants help ventures move forward by covering a substantial portion of expenses in a specific category. As a general guideline, a catalyst grant will support approximately 80–90% of the expected cost (subject to category-specific maximums). The team will contribute the remainder. This shared-investment model encourages thoughtful work by the teams and demonstrates their commitment to the startup venture.
Categories
Max $750 based on budget submission
To support formation of a legal entity or meet other legal expenses for the startup venture. It is likely that the grant will cover all or almost all of the out of pocket expenses for entity formation.
- Eligible expenses: Incorporation filing fees, State registration costs, Operating agreement preparation, or other legal expenses.
- Requirements: At least one team member must participate in an E-Hub legal workshop before funds are released.
- Recommendation: Rely on the Legal Assistance initiative from the E-Hub to access discounted legal assistance.
Max $500 based on budget submission
To build a customer-facing online presence, conduct market and customer discovery.
- Eligible expenses: Website design, domain registration, site hosting, market research, customer discovery, branding and other
- Requirements: The team must must work with E-Hub mentor networks (alumni and faculty) and/or peer experts to extend the budget.
- Recommendation: Discuss with the peer experts and mentors to develop the budget.
Consider combining this with the student-owned businesses initiative that supports customer discovery work for a venture.
Max $500 based on budget submission
To build, test and refine a proof of concept / demo / mockup or first version of their product or service offering
- Eligible expenses: Prototyping materials, software development platforms; design support, prototype refinement and iteration
- Requirements: At least one team member must participate in a design thinking and/or prototyping session before funds are released.
- Recommendation: Consider working with E-Hub peer experts and recruit team members the MIT Orbit platform.
Consider working with one of many AI platforms available, and look for guidance and work with the peer experts initiative.
Max $500 based on budget submission
To support other expenses in support of building the venture for activities that do not fit the other categories
- Eligible expenses: Examples may be customer validation, early marketing, pilot programs, specialized materials and other
- Requirements: Expenses must be justified, beyond what other E-Hub resources may support, and endorsed by a mentor.
- Recommendation: Consider other initiatives, e.g. student-owned businesses on campus initiative, if appropriate.
Policies and Limits
- Not Prize Money: Catalyst Grants are seed money (Not Prize Money). The usual considerations apply. With any external sources of money (large or small), you must spend the seed grant in accordance with the budget submitted, within the timeline, and share timely expense report(s).
- Limits and Policies: A team may request funds in a maximum of two categories in any cycle. A team may request funds in a given category only once. A team may receive a maximum of $2,500 in catalyst funds across cycles.
Funding Cycles
The initiative gives students multiple opportunities and allows the E-Hub to support teams when they are ready. At each cycle, the E-Hub will support a maximum of five teams with catalyst grants. The teams may apply for a catalyst grant in preparation for, alongside or to supplement the funding received from the E-Hub Incubator.
Your application will consist of the following (see Example here):
- Team (names, roles and more), Venture (idea, customers and more), Venture type (innovative, creative, other)
- Request with Grant Category (see above), Budget (items, amount, timeline and more)
- Mentor Endorsement (250-500 words describing progress, commitment and more)
Application Link to be added here as a button
Proposals are evaluated by a group of young alumni, faculty and E-Hub supporters on the following criteria:
- Idea Clarity, Team Strength, Demonstrated Progress, Team Momentum
- Mentor Endorsement
- Budget Appropriateness
- Need and Benefits
The evaluations by the group are final.
Teams approved for the catalyst grants commit to the following:
- Use funds only for approved venture-development expenses.
- Network with teams and alumni judges by attending the Incubator pitch rounds,
- Upon completion (within 90 days of award), submit:
- An expense report (with supporting receipts)
- A one-page report (approved by your mentor)