The CITRIS Seed Funding Program issues competitive awards that advance information technology research for societal benefit and catalyze proof-of-concept results that can lead to transformative solutions for industry and the public sector.
Interdisciplinary proposals are invited from principal investigators at UC Berkeley, UC Davis, UC Davis Health, UC Merced and UC Santa Cruz. Proposals must include at least two PIs from two separate CITRIS campuses. For assistance finding collaborators at another campus, reach out to Michael Matkin at mmatkin@ucsc.edu with a short description of your research interest and the expertise you’re seeking in a collaborator. CITRIS Seed Awards are chosen by a committee of expert reviewers. Each winning proposal receives $40,000–$60,000 and benefits from a connection with the CITRIS research community during the 12-month performance period. The application deadline is April 22, 2025.
Live Info Session
A virtual info session with live Q&A will be held at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, March 12. Faculty members, postdoctoral researchers and student assistants are welcome to attend. RSVP now.
Proposals are invited in these critical research areas:
🌱 Aerospace and aviation
🌱 Artificial intelligence, autonomy and robotics
🌱 Digital health
🌱 Sustainability and climate resilience
Successful proposals will emphasize:
- Information technology applications in the interest of society
- Early-stage, proof-of-concept work with potential for impact at scale
- Future extramural funding opportunities to further develop the proposed work
Solutions that address diversity, equity, workforce development, cybersecurity and/or policy questions are welcome. For full details on the RFP and to apply, please visit citris-uc.org/core-seed-funding
Awardees embody the university’s public mission and innovative spirit of California. This program has accelerated more than 260 applied research projects led by over 410 UC innovators to date. Funded projects offer a glimpse at new frontiers of technology and have attracted more than $60 million in follow-on support from federal, state, corporate and private sources.
Timeline:
Nov. 11, 2024: RFP categories announced April 22, 2025: Proposals due
Feb. 13, 2025: Application portal opens June 16, 2025 Awardees announced
Mar. 12, 2025: Live Info Session
