If your questions are not answered here, please contact info.idea2@mit.edu

Q) Can my project description be related to any biomedical idea?
A) Your idea can be related to any kind of biomedical technology, broadly construed.

Q) What does an IDEA² project description look like?
A) Here is a great example of a project description, which identifies the problem to be solved and the potential solution:

For people in America it’s a challenge to get easy access to the life-saving medication Naloxone. Today their best option is to visit a doctor, and then a pharmacy to obtain this drug, which because of costs, time, stigma, and other potential barriers can be very costly, or unlikely to occur. This can lead to poor outcomes such as hospitalizations, or even death. Thus there is a need to provide easy and streamlined access to the life-saving medication. If this were solved there would be a decrease in unwanted outcomes, such as hospitalizations, and deaths due to preventable conditions. Solving this need can be achieved by creating a secure, online platform that allows for easy and affordable access to these medications, and will be demonstrated by people’s ability to purchase these medications online, using their insurance, or other methods of payments.

Q) What questions are included in the application?
A) Download this PDF for a complete preview of the questions included in the project application and team member registration.

Q) If I am selected, will I need to attend courses?
A) At least one team member must attend the Kickoff and Commencement Workshops in Cambridge, Massachusetts (please see the IDEA² timeline for more details). Finalists are offered other workshops during the course of the IDEA² program to help strengthen their project. It is recommended to take advantage of these trainings, however they are not mandatory. Otherwise, there is no formal ‘program’ that everyone follows, except for interaction with mentors.

Q) Can my company submit a project proposal?
A) Your project idea would be eligible if it were presented by an individual or a team, but not as a company.

Q) I am a founder (or employee) of a company, am I eligible to apply?
A) Yes. We encourage project proposals from any sector.

Q) I live in a region/community outside of Boston/Cambridge—am I eligible?
A) Yes, however one person from your team must be able to come to Cambridge for both the Kickoff and Commencement Workshops in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Q) I live outside the Cambridge community, can I partner with a person/team in Boston/Cambridge to submit a project proposal?
A) Yes.

Q) Is there a preference for individual rather than team project proposals?
A) No. Generally speaking, progress requires a team. If you already have a team (or a partial team) in place, it makes sense to apply as a team. If you do not have a team in place, one outcome of IDEA² may be the identification of others who you may wish to join you.

Q) Are there any restrictions to the size and formation of a team?
A) A team can be no greater than 6 people. A team must designate a team administrator for correspondence.

Q) What language should be used for IDEA²?
A) Basic Conversational English. You do not need to be an expert with speaking English. We ask that you know some basic English to have a conversation with assigned expert mentors.

Q) How is intellectual property of any idea/software/hardware handled during the course of the IDEA² program?
A) Participating in the IDEA² program does not modify your intellectual property (IP) position, or any other aspect of your ongoing project. All staff, faculty and review panelists of the IDEA² program who have access to your application sign a confidentiality form. You can find a copy of the confidentiality agreement on the IDEA² web site.

Q) The commercial exploitation rights of our innovations will be completely ours or will it belong to the organization of IDEA²?
A) The goal of IDEA² is to help to strengthen your project idea. Throughout the program, your idea remains completely yours.

Q) I don’t yet have the necessary resources in place to move forward, should I still apply?
A) Yes. Resource needs and strategies are very project dependent. If resources are a primary issue, IDEA² may be able to help.