Syracuse University Libraries is now accepting applications for the Spring 2026 round of the Intelligence++ Ventures initiative, a funding program that supports student innovators working to develop and commercialize solutions that improve the lives of people with intellectual disabilities.
The initiative was launched through a generous gift from Gianfranco Zaccai ’70 H’09 and the Zaccai Foundation for Augmented Intelligence. It is designed to help promising student-led ideas move from early-stage concepts toward real-world impact.
“This competitive program is a valuable tool for student innovators to help commercialize products, services and technologies that will help people with intellectual disabilities,” says Zaccai. “It is intended to accelerate the transfer of inclusive and entrepreneurial design research to the marketplace. It will help students create innovations that can be used by early customers, to gather real-world feedback and to accelerate solutions for people who will benefit from their ingenuity. Our goal is to attract students from a wide range of disciplines who are working in multidisciplinary teams.”
Intelligence++ Ventures builds on the success of the Intelligence++ program that began in Fall 2020 at Syracuse University Libraries. The program was created in partnership with the Taishoff Center for Inclusive Higher Education’s InclusiveU program and the College of Visual and Performing Arts (VPA). Since its launch, Intelligence++ has encouraged students across disciplines to apply inclusive design principles to create products, technologies, and services that support individuals with intellectual disabilities.
A cornerstone of the program is the inclusive design research course, which invites students from across campus to imagine and build solutions for people with intellectual disabilities.
The course introduces students to inclusive design and entrepreneurial thinking and provides a framework for developing innovations that are both functional and meaningful to the communities they are intended to serve. Registration for the course is currently open (contact Professor Don Carr) for the fall 2026 semester. While participation in the course is recommended for students interested in applying for the Intelligence++ Ventures grants, it is not required.
“This competitive program is a valuable tool for student innovators to help commercialize products, services and technologies that will help people with intellectual disabilities.”
Gianfranco Zaccai ’70, H’09
Submit an Intelligence++ Ventures Proposal
To submit your proposal or request additional information, contact orangeinnovation@syr.edu.
“The Intelligence++ Ventures grants assist student research and entrepreneurial initiatives emerging from the Intelligence++ program in collaboration with other campus innovation partners,” says David Seaman, Dean of Syracuse University Libraries and University Librarian. “The program helps move student research in this important area to proof of concept and commercialization.”
Eligible projects may include technological, educational, organizational, or other creative innovations designed to empower individuals with intellectual disabilities, as well as their families and communities.
Students applying for the grants must identify a specific need related to the discovery, testing, development, or launch of a product, service, technology, or creative work. Projects may originate from coursework, research labs, independent studies, or other innovation-focused programs across the University.
Applicants are asked to submit a proposal as a single PDF that includes a cover letter outlining the funding request, use of funds, timeline, and project milestones. In addition, proposals must include an executive summary describing the problem or opportunity being addressed, the proposed solution and how it works, and the customer discovery research that supports the concept.
Proposals should also outline the project’s target market, particularly how the innovation will benefit people with intellectual disabilities or their families, along with any traction achieved to date, the team and advisors involved, and the partners needed to move the idea forward.
Students are encouraged to clearly describe the scope of the project they are proposing, including details about any prototype they plan to build, how it will be tested, who will participate in the evaluation process, and how results will be measured. Applicants should also outline potential next steps if the prototype and testing prove successful.
Submissions will be reviewed based on several key criteria. Successful proposals will demonstrate innovative research or entrepreneurial projects that have moved beyond the idea stage and show strong potential to become a commercial product, service, or technology capable of making a meaningful impact. Reviewers will also evaluate the feasibility of the proposal, the strength of the research and development plan, and the quality of the written submission.
In addition, proposals will be assessed on the strength of their commercialization strategy, including a clear product development roadmap and expected outcomes such as prototype development, early sales, additional investment, or licensing opportunities. Budgets should be realistic and well researched, demonstrating that grant funding will meaningfully advance the project.
The grant program is administered through Syracuse University Libraries in collaboration with the VPA School of Design and InclusiveU. Additional collaborators include the Martin J. Whitman School of Management, the College of Engineering and Computer Science, and partners throughout the University’s broader research and commercialization ecosystem.
Intelligence++TM is a registered trademark of the Foundation for Augmented Intelligence.