From breakthrough to business (faster)
Every year, universities and hospitals generate world-changing innovations in software, AI, analytics, simulation, and digital health. But too often, those solutions stall after the grant phase, long before they can create impact for patients, industries, and communities.
So… what if funding for university startups didn’t have to depend on chance timing, conference connections, or the luck of meeting the right investor?
What if there were a predictable, repeatable, founder-friendly pathway to pitch your technology to investors who specialize in university-originated innovation?
Introducing ThursDeal – Summit Venture Studio’s new monthly pitch series built exclusively for software and software-enabled inventions emerging from academia.
University Innovation Needs a Bridge to Market
Universities are powerhouse engines of scientific and technical discovery. But commercialization is a different game entirely.
Academic innovators face big challenges:
- Commercial validation takes time and networks
- Funding often stops after early research milestones
- Pitching to investors is unfamiliar territory
- Industry partners want proven outcomes before piloting
- Visibility is limited outside the research ecosystem
Meanwhile, investors searching for university spinouts often struggle to find the right connections inside large institutions.
There’s a gap, and it’s slowing down innovation that deserves real-world impact.
The Stakes: Lost Momentum, Lost Opportunities
Without a clear pathway to commercialization…
- Promising technologies risk languishing in labs
- Competing solutions may reach the market first
- Researchers miss career-defining opportunities
- Federal and philanthropic investments see limited return
- Universities lose potential revenue and reputation gains
Even worse?
Tech that could save lives or transform industries may never reach the people who need it most.
Momentum matters.
Visibility matters.
Capital matters.
ThursDeal is designed to accelerate all three.
ThursDeal Pitch Event
Every month, Summit Venture Studio selects a curated group of founders, inventors, and research teams to participate in a structured, high-impact pitch format:
7-minute pitch
5-minute Q&A
Rapid, actionable commercialization feedback
You’ll present directly to a panel of:
- SVS-aligned investors
- Commercialization partners
- Industry operators
- Experienced venture builders (that’s us)
These are stakeholders actively looking for the next technology with real commercial potential.
What you gain:
- Exposure to investors who understand academic innovation
- Constructive feedback on pitch, positioning, and go-to-market path
- New connections to accelerate pilots and partnerships
- Potential follow-on conversations for funding or support
- The credibility of a vetted, recurring pitch platform
Rather than a pitch competition with prizes, ThursDeal is a funding-focused commercialization launchpad.
Who Should Apply to ThursDeal?
We welcome teams with:
- Software or software-enabled technologies (AI/ML, SaaS, data platforms, simulation tools, etc.)
- A demonstrable product or prototype
- Evidence of problem-solution fit (customer interviews, pilots, early validation)
- A pathway to commercialization inside a real market
Ideal applicants include:
- University faculty researchers, innovators, or founders
- Hospital researchers and clinical entrepreneurs
- Tech transfer commercialization teams
- SBIR/I-Corps-validated project teams
If you’re moving beyond the lab and into the market, ThursDeal is for you.
How to Apply
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
Selected teams will be contacted with scheduling details for upcoming sessions, usually 11:30 am – 12:30 pm MT on Thursdays.
Your research deserves a market, and ThursDeal helps make the introduction.
ThursDeal FAQ
If you have a demonstrable product or validated software-enabled innovation with commercial potential, apply. We’ll review and determine suitability for an upcoming session.
No. But ThursDeal maximizes exposure to aligned investors or commercialization partners actively scouting new technologies.
Early commercialization stages: post-research, pre-scaling. SBIR/I-Corps teams are a great match.
Yes, especially if roles like business lead and technical lead are both represented.
Applications are evaluated by the SVS team based on validation, traction, commercial potential, and market readiness.
Funding for university startups is now more accessible through ThursDeal, a monthly pitch event where academic innovators present their technology to commercialization-focused investors and partners. ThursDeal helps bridge the gap between research breakthroughs and market adoption with direct funding pathways, feedback, and visibility.
Ready to bring your innovation to a wider audience? Apply to pitch at ThursDeal.
Know a researcher or team with a breakthrough? Tell them about ThursDeal!
Recap
ThursDeal is here to unlock more opportunities for the most impactful ideas in academia.
- Monthly pitches
- Direct investor access
- Commercialization insights
- Follow-on funding potential
- Faster journey from lab to market
Your innovation has a future beyond the white paper. Let’s get it there. Apply now and be part of the next generation of university-born startups.
