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The Blazer App Accelerator, funded and administered by the Bill L. Harbert Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (HIIE), will help potential UAB software and app creators validate ideas that are ready for further funding via the Blazer Bridge Fund application process or to launch as potential startup companies.

HIIE has partnered with Harmony Venture Labs, a Birmingham-area company, to create the Blazer App Accelerator. Through funding via the Blazer App Accelerator, HVL’s AppThink program will guide participants through a proven entrepreneurship curriculum with a focus on real-world applications. Please note that Blazer App Accelerator funds will only pay for successful applicants to participate in the AppThink program.

Successful applicants for the Blazer App Accelerator will participate in AppThink’s four-week “Foundations” course, which serves the needs of idea-stage founders by helping them progress through a series of validation milestones that culminate with learning to create a prototype. Participants who successfully complete the “Foundations” course can then apply for AppThink’s “Your First Customer” course, which helps potential founders understand audience building, creating MVPs, going to market and scaling the product and company. Blazer App Accelerator funds will also pay for successful applicants to participate in the “Your First Customer” course. Upon completion of both “Foundations” and “Your First Customer,” participants will be encouraged to apply for a Blazer Bridge Fund grant of up to $50,000 to continue developing their product.

Eligibility

Faculty members, staff, and postdoc intellectual property (IP) contributors are eligible to apply. Graduate students may apply with a faculty lead. Both individual participants and teams are invited to apply.

To be eligible for the award, the applicant must submit or have previously submitted an IP disclosure covering the proposal's project.

If you have issues with your application or IP submission, please contact innovation@uab.edu.

Application & Course Timelines

Apply

To apply for the “Foundations” course through the Blazer App Accelerator, please click the link below to download the application in a Word document. Once you have completed the application, email it to innovation@uab.edu. If you have any issues, contact innovation@uab.edu.

Download Foundations Application Opens a word document.

The “Your First Customer” course application will be available in early 2025.

Contact

For questions about the Blazer App Accelerator, please reach out to your Licensing Associate or send an email to innovation@uab.edu.

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