National Collegiate Innovators and Inventors Alliance (NCIIA)
LifeServe Innovations became an NCIIA E-Team in 2009, receiving collegiate grant funding for its SMART Airway research and additional corporate guidance. The NCIIA supports technology innovation and entrepreneurship in universities and colleges to create experiential learning opportunities for students, and successful, socially beneficial businesses.
About NCIIA
With support from The Lemelson Foundation, the NCIIA awards approximately 2 million dollars in grants annually to U.S. colleges and universities in support of technology innovation and entrepreneurship with a positive social impact. Advanced E-Team grants support commercial outcomes by moving innovative products from the idea stage to prototype and eventually to market. Award amounts are up to $20,000. Annual proposal deadlines are in May and December.
With a membership of nearly 200 colleges and universities from all over the United States, the NCIIA engages more than 5,000 student entrepreneurs each year, leveraging their respective school campuses as working laboratories and incubators for businesses and ultimately helping them to bring their concepts to commercialization.