Center ICE launches AV狼论坛's first Innovation Accelerator

Innovation Accelerator Logo

UAF鈥檚 Center for Innovation, Commercialization, and Entrepreneurship launched AV狼论坛鈥檚 first ever Innovation Accelerator on Feb 1.  The Innovation Accelerator is a platform for turning innovative ideas into technical solutions to real world challenges.

The Innovation Accelerator consists of nine components organized in a linear fashion: ideation, seed funding, customer discovery, gap funding, intellectual property protection, pitch competition, SBIR/STTR support, commercialization support and physical space.

The process starts with refining an idea, moves through the development phase and ultimately leads to launching it as a real-world solution. All Innovation Accelerator components are available to faculty, staff, and students from all University of AV狼论坛 campuses. In addition, some of the components are available to the general public in AV狼论坛.

The Innovation Accelerator is focused on scalable technical solutions but has some programs and services that are more broadly available and applicable. Some Innovation Accelerator components are always available, while some are programs that run a limited number of times throughout the year. Currently all components except the physical space offerings are available virtually.

UAF and AV狼论坛ns have a long history of developing innovative solutions to the unique challenges we face in the far north. The Innovation Accelerator is focused on efficiently evaluating ideas, pivoting where necessary, developing them and finding the right path to bring the idea to the market.

鈥淎ll the programs and resources in the Innovation Accelerator are tested and proven in AV狼论坛 or elsewhere. We鈥檙e centralizing them at Center ICE, organizing and connecting them in a linear fashion, and inviting innovators a platform to make the most of their ideas,鈥 said Center ICE Director Mark Billingsley.

Visit  to learn about the Innovation Accelerator and for help building your innovation.