Innovation Fellows

The Rice Innovation Fellows program trains Ph.D. students and postdocs to translate research into real-world impact.

The Rice Innovation Fellows program brings together top Ph.D.s and postdocs across Rice’s research labs to turn their research into breakthrough solutions for real-world problems. Our goal is to catalyze the next generation of world-changing, scientist-led companies. Hosted by the Liu Idea Lab for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (Lilie), this selective fellowship provides you with the dedicated time, expert mentorship, and equity-free funding you need to move your work from the lab to industry. 

Join a community of science-based innovators who have already raised $25M in funding across cohorts.

 

Ready to apply?

Check out the Innovation Fellows Application Questions, then click below to get started.

APPLY NOW

Deadline is October 21, 2025.

If you have any questions or want to chat about your idea, reach out to
Innovation Fellows Program Director, Caroline Arzoo, at caroline.arzoo@rice.edu.

 

Program Benefits for Fellows and PIs

We partner with you and your Principal Investigator to ensure your project succeeds. Fellows receive the following support:

$10,000 in Translational Research Funding 

Receive milestone-based funding for your project. This is a grant, not an investment, meaning you and the university retain full ownership of your intellectual property.

Weekly Dedicated Time for Commercialization

The program provides additional financial support to faculty to offset stipends. With a supportive PI, this means that the Innovation Fellows program will ‘buy out’ one day per week for 12 months of your time from the research lab to enable you to focus on commercialization efforts.

Personalized Mentorship and Training

Access weekly startup-focused training on critical topics like technology validation, market analysis, and intellectual property. You’ll be paired with industry experts, startup founders, and investors who can help you navigate the path to real-world application.

Food and Space at Lilie

Receive free dedicated co-working space and Friday lunches at the Lilie office. You will work side-by-side with the Lilie team and be surrounded by peers from other graduate degree programs to help you explore, analyze, and accelerate your research. 

“As a PhD student, you don’t get very many opportunities to branch outside of the lab. The Innovation Fellows program changed my trajectory, because it gave me the space, time, and mentorship to think critically about how I could start a successful business. As part of that program, I founded my company, Helix Earth Technologies, and we raised $1.1 million in pre-seed funding. None of our progress, however, would have been possible without the support of the Innovation Fellows program, which I am extremely grateful for.”

$6M+ raised as of Aug 2025

– Rawand Rasheed, CEO, Helix Earth

Where Your Research Meets Opportunity

As one of the top research universities in the world and the home of the #1 Ranked Graduate Entrepreneurship program in the country, Rice is positioned to address the world’s challenges in dealing with climate change and the energy transition, creating cutting-edge medical devices and therapeutics, discovering new materials and applications, and advancing computer science to influence bits and atoms. You will follow in the footsteps of other successful academic entrepreneurs from Rice, whether 3D printing blood tissues like Volumetric, electrifying chemical manufacturing like Syzygy, or developing cutting-edge AI systems like Rebellion Photonics.

Given Rice’s MOMENTOUS plan and the dedicated focus on commercialization of campus research, there has never been a better time to be a scientific founder at Rice. 

 

Eligibility

The fellowship is open to current Ph.D. students and postdocs at Rice University. Candidates from all Rice Engineering and Science-related disciplines are encouraged to apply. If not a U.S. citizen, the Fellow needs to be on a visa appropriate for a student or Rice employee for the duration of the fellowship (typically 12 months). The Fellow must be working on university research at Rice, with a faculty PI or advisor providing a Letter of Support for their selection.

 

Application Process

Ready to apply?

Check out the Innovation Fellows Application Questions, then click below to get started.

APPLY NOW

Deadline is October 21, 2025.

If you have any questions or want to chat about your idea, reach out to
Innovation Fellows Program Director, Caroline Arzoo, at caroline.arzoo@rice.edu.