About this programme
The Lab2Market Accelerator is a six-month program run by KU Innovation Park that helps researchers translate their discoveries into commercial ventures. Each year it recruits a cohort of researchers to drive their discoveries from the lab toward their greatest commercial potential.
University of Kansas affiliation is not required to join, but the program is built around monthly, day-long, in-person sessions at KU Innovation Park in Lawrence, so participants need to be willing to travel there. Between sessions, participants also get dedicated workspace they can use beyond the mandatory meeting days.
The program does not provide a cash award. Instead, it gives researcher-founders free business services, staff and analyst support, access to subject matter experts and investor networks, free tools such as SOLIDWORKS and relevant databases, and a community of other campus innovators to work alongside.
How it works
The cohort runs six months, from January to June, with roughly eight days in person spread across that period as monthly day-long sessions at KU Innovation Park.
Sessions cover frameworks for innovation and company building, building a team, legal implications, and resources for forming a company as a researcher.
Applications typically open at the end of the prior calendar year.
Who can apply
Open to researchers, innovators, or teams willing to attend the required monthly in-person day-long sessions at KU Innovation Park in Lawrence, Kansas. KU affiliation is not required.
How to apply
- Watch for the application window, which usually opens at the end of the prior calendar year for the cohort starting the following January.
- Submit an application through KU Innovation Park; for questions ahead of applying, contact the Park directly.
Frequently asked
Do I need to be affiliated with the University of Kansas to join?
No. KU affiliation is not required, but you do need to be willing to attend the required monthly in-person day-long sessions at KU Innovation Park in Lawrence.
How much time does the program take?
The cohort runs six months, from January to June, with approximately eight days in person over that period, held as monthly day-long sessions.
Does the accelerator give me money?
No cash award is described. It provides dedicated workspace, free business services, access to subject matter experts and investor networks, free tools such as SOLIDWORKS, and databases.
When do applications open?
Applications usually open at the end of the calendar year, ahead of the January cohort start.
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Reviewed 2026-09-25. Programmes change, so check eligibility, amounts and deadlines on the official page before you apply. CapEasy is a private firm and is not part of any government body.