Moore Inventors Fellows Program

General Information

Program Description

Gordon Moore’s contribution to the development of microelectronics helped produce the exponential growth of the digital revolution that continues today. In the spirit of Moore’s passion for science and penchant for inventing, the foundation is supporting early-career scientist-inventors who create new tools and technologies with a high potential to accelerate progress in scientific research, environmental conservation, and patient care. The foundation plans to allocate nearly $34 million through 2026 to support 50 Moore Inventor Fellows and work with them on the commercialization of their inventions. With its expertise in FDA approval and commercialization, the Moore Foundation aims to guide the Moore Inventors through the process.

The competition focuses on early-career staff at major research universities, the top 50 National Institutes of Health-funded medical schools and universities, and selected non-academic environmental research and patient care institutions. The Foundation seeks to identify outstanding inventors and innovators who harness science and technology to enhance scientific research, strengthen environmental conservation, or improve the experience and outcomes of patient care. The Moore Inventor Fellows program supports scientist-inventors at a critical prototyping stage to capture opportunities that might otherwise be missed, providing freedom and support to promising inventors with compelling ideas to pursue creative and disruptive innovations.

Limitation

Schools may submit two (2) applications for Penn’s internal competition. 

Eligibility

• Candidates must be faculty, research scientists, postdocs, or other full-time staff at eligible institutions.  
• Candidates must be no more than 10 years past receiving the terminal advanced degree in their field M.S., Ph.D., or M.D., received on or after 2012. 
• Important note: Host institutions will be required to make a contribution of $50,000 in annual support of the inventor’s work. This can be “in kind” as released time or access to special facilities for which there is normally a charge. Each fellow will be personally engaged in pursuing their invention and is required to devote at least 25 percent of his/her own time to their invention. Fellows may use the grant funds to support their own salary to create this opportunity. They may also hire research personnel and purchase services, equipment, or supplies. ($50,000 could include support for undergraduate or graduate students, equipment, supplies and other needs that will enable the fellow to make progress on their work. Direct salary support is acceptable provided it includes a proportionate release of time from teaching or other duties. Funds that were designated for a fellow’s use before the fellow was awarded a Moore Inventor Fellowship (such as start-up funds) do not qualify.)
• For any sponsored research projects, the applicant must be eligible to serve as Principal Investigator for the project, unless otherwise noted in the LSO. Please see Penn’s PI Eligibility requirements to ensure you are eligible. 

Award Information 

• An unrestricted total research award of $675,000 to be paid out over 3 years
• $200,000 per year for 3 years, $25,000 overhead per year for 3 years

The Moore Foundation has a two-step review process: In the first, each submission will be reviewed by foundation staff with advice from external reviewers. In the second, 10 finalists will be invited to make a virtual video presentation to a panel of advisors on the importance, plausibility, status and possible impact of their proposed line of work.