Fund It

Through generous gifts from Carly Fiorina and Kevin Plank, the Dingman Center has the ability to provide ad-hoc seed funding for University of Maryland startups. This funding can be in addition to any grants received through Fearless Founders funding. Grants range from $250-$1000. Funding typically goes towards equipment purchases, website hosting, rapid prototyping, incorporation fees or any other costs that you see a barrier to getting an idea to market. 

The Spark Fund is a small supplementary grant created to support student groups in organizing events and programs related to entrepreneurship. The Dingman Center's goal is to expand and diversify boss energy on campus by catalyzing student-led entrepreneurial events and activities. Funding typically goes towards event needs such as room reservation, catering, equipment needs, marketing, etc.

Do Good Mini-Grants provide funding for the development and implementation of student-led, student-run proposals that aim to create a positive social or environmental impact. Receive up to $500 to support your project or venture!

Currently enrolled and matriculating student entrepreneurs are eligible to receive a stipend of up to $5,000 to work on their business for eight weeks over the summer. 

Students from across campus spend the year advocating, fundraising, volunteering and developing solutions for pressing social issues. The Challenge culminates in a Finals event where six teams pitch their project or venture and the impact they've made for the chance to win a share of more than $20,000.

Pitch Dingman Competition, the Dingman Center’s signature annual competition, provides the university’s most talented student entrepreneurs the opportunity to compete for seed funding and exclusive access to venture development resources.

MIPS provides funding, matched by participating companies, for university-based research projects that help the companies develop new products. With MIPS matching funds, companies can leverage the facilities, resources and expertise within Maryland’s public universities to create new products and opportunities

MEI2 Energy Seed Grant bridges the gap between academic transformative laboratory research results and prototype demonstrations to obtain investor interest.  The annual call supports multiple seed grant awards with a maximum award ceiling of $100,000 USD as well as potential Phase 2 awards with a maximum ceiling of $200,000 USD for those projects that received a prior seed grant. The total amount of funding available for the FY24 Seed Grant Program is $650,000 USD. Applications will be accepted each year beginning October-December.

USM Launch Fund connects early stage entrepreneurs — builders, creators, and innovators — to existing resources, mentorship, and capital. This capital is flexible and early, in the form of grants (non-dilutive) and investments (dilutive) ranging from less than $2,000 microgrants to grants and investments of generally up to $50,000. This small, early capital is currently a key gap experienced by many individuals getting started and on their way with a venture. 

The University Sustainability Fund provides funding for projects that promote environmental sustainability, and positively impact and enhance the student experience at UMD. The Fund will allocate funds to projects that increase the use of renewable energy on campus and/or in the local community, increase the energy efficiency of our facilities, reduce the amount of waste created and material resources used on campus, encourage sustainable behaviors, and integrate sustainability into teaching, research, and service at UMD.

The Chesapeake Bay Seed Capital Fund is an early-stage investment fund that supports seed-stage technology startups developing technologies that aid in the restoration of the Chesapeake Bay.

Dingman Center Angels (DCA) is a Maryland based angel investment group that provides funding to early-stage companies primarily located in the mid-Atlantic region. Our members are entrepreneurs, CXO's, venture capitalists and business leaders who have founded, funded and built world-class companies.

The Discovery Fund is an early-stage investment fund formed to encourage the development and location of University of Maryland created or sponsored technology companies in Prince George’s County, Maryland.

A pre-seed to late-seed stage investment fund, the Maryland Momentum Fund helps promising early-stage companies bridge from grant funding and angel investment to a Series A round of investment.