Benefits & OUTCOMES
EDUCATION
Enhance entrepreneurship skills and mindset through a tailored curriculum to navigate the customer discovery process and develop a business model canvas with NSF I-Corps, and tailored programming with industry experts.
GUIDANCE
Receive personalized, 1:1 support from the Office of Innovation Commercialization team and a curated pool of subject matter experts aligned to help build and grow your startup company.
FUNDING
Access up to $50K in non-dilutive funding from OIC ($25K milestone-based seed funding + up to $25K upon securing a matching grant from Hawaii Technology Development Corporation), as well as additional funding opportunities through grant-writing education, partner and investor connections.
NETWORK
Expand your local and global network of fellow deep-tech innovators, entrepreneurs, mentors and investors through events and connections through program partner MassChallenge and community collaborators such as Hawaii Technology Development Corporation (HTDC) and Elemental Excelerator.
TARGET & TIMELINE
APPLICANTS
Individuals, teams or startups with UH-affiliated, science-based technologies who want to commercialize and create real-world impact.
Timeline
24 months x minimum 4 hrs./wk. 6 mos. curriculum + 6 mos. mentorship + 12 mos. SBIR support
Curriculum Themes
PHASE 1
CUSTOMER DISCOVERY, BUSINESS MODELING, PROTOTYPE TESTING
PHASE 2
STORYTELLING, PITCH PREPARATION, NETWORKING AND SHOWCASE
PHASE 3
GRANT WRITING, PITCHING AND ONGOING MENTORSHIP
PHASE 4
ONGOING MENTORSHIP AND COACHING
Coaching and guidance is ongoing.
TEAM
FAQs
HITIDE cohort participants will receive hands-on guidance and support up to 24 months.
HITIDE is developed and operated by seasoned entrepreneurs and innovators, and focuses on providing a catered experience including:
- Guidance: Comprehensive education and personalized coaching through mentors, advisors, webinars, classes and/or aligned programs;
- Resources: Up to $50,000 in-kind operational support including legal and financial options and guidance on grant opportunities, business operations, and strategic planning;
- Funding: Up to $50,000 including $25,000 in milestone-based seed funding and up to $25,000 in additional matching support upon securing Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)/Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) and HTDC matching grant, in addition to other potential grant and investment opportunities; and
- Perks: Exclusive networking, partnerships, community building, publicity and co-working space support.
Startups that offer UH-affiliated, deep-tech/science-based innovations may apply if:
- Company: At least one member of the company (i.e. founder, executive, technical subject matter expert, researcher) is a UH System faculty, researcher, student, staff and/or alumni. Students and alumni must partner and apply with a current UH faculty and/or staff member; OR
- Innovation: The technology must have originated and/or been developed at the University of Hawai‘i with the team or entrepreneurs licensing the technology from the OIC.
Applicants must have a UH-affiliated deep-tech innovation startup idea or company. Applicants will be selected based on a 100-point scale:
- Innovation: Technology maturity, product market fit, commercial potential
- Impact: Local and global impact on community and economy
- Experience: Past performance and experience, previous funding and progress
- Other: Additional compelling factors ie: passion, entrepreneurial spirit, engagement
HITIDE cohort 4 has been selected and the curriculum will be ongoing from January through August of 2025. We are always on the lookout for promising technologies and teams for our next cohorts. Cohort 5 will be starting in the Fall of 2025. Apply here for our next cohort!
For more information, email hitide@hawaii.edu