Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation

WARF Accelerator Mental Health Challenge Grant

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), mental health includes “our emotional, psychological and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel and act. It also determines how we handle stress, relate to others, and make healthy choices.” Factors that affect mental health include mental illness and mental wellness. WARF is launching a WARF Accelerator challenge to identify and support technologies on campus that impact this important area of research.

Applications were due December 22.

Mental Health Projects

We’re looking for technologies and applications that can promote mental health or wellness, or detect, prevent or treat mental health disorders.

Projects might include:

  • Technologies for diagnosing or treating mental illness
  • Technologies for identifying or mitigating mental wellness issues
  • Using technology to predict and prevent mental illness
  • Digital health tools

Grant Details

  • WARF Accelerator will award 3-4 grants from a pool of approximately $100,000.
  • Individuals and teams should complete these questions and submit them as an attachment to your innovation disclosure. Please include “Mental Health Challenge” in the description of your innovation.
  • WARF staff will evaluate proposals.
  • Proposed research to be completed within a year.
  • Project team must include a Principal Investigator (PI) at UW-Madison or the Morgridge Institute for Research.

Assessment Criteria

  • Projects do not need to be patentable
  • Concepts must be new (not something previously disclosed to WARF)
  • Technical readiness
  • Commercial potential

Even if your idea doesn’t relate to the above examples or is early stage, please consider submitting an application. We’re interested in hearing your idea.

Any Questions?

Contact Victoria Sutton

WARF