The University of Limpopo’s Technology Transfer Office (TTO) is pleased to announce the opening of the TIA Pre-Seed Fund Call 2026, an exciting opportunity for students, researchers, and innovators to advance their ideas from early-stage research to real-world commercial impact.
The TIA Pre-Seed Fund is specifically designed to bridge the crucial gap between laboratory discoveries and investment readiness. It supports technologies that have demonstrated proof of principle and show promising commercial potential. Through this fund, the University aims to strengthen the quality and market readiness of innovations emerging from its academic community.
Qualifying applicants stand a chance to receive grant funding of up to R1 million, enabling them to:
Refine and test prototypes
Conduct market validation studies
Strengthen intellectual property (IP) protection
Undertake field studies
Develop a clear roadmap toward commercialisation
Projects supported under this fund may run for up to 12 months, with the possibility of extension, ensuring focused development toward a viable, fundable, and competitive innovation.
Who May Apply?
This funding call is open to academic staff, postgraduate students, university-based researchers and innovators who possess protectable intellectual property and are ready to advance their technologies from conceptual or proof-of-principle stages toward credible commercial opportunities. Applicants should have innovations with clear potential for market impact and be prepared to undertake activities that strengthen the technical, commercial and intellectual property readiness of their projects.
Successful applicants are expected to produce tangible outputs such as functional prototypes, IP strategy documents, market validation results, and a defined commercialisation pathway.
Internal Submission Deadline: Monday, 02 March 2026
Enquiries:
Mr P Mampuru
Technology Transfer Office
Tel: 015 268 2193
Email: pontsho.mampuru@ul.ac.za