What is the SURA Venture Forum Initiative?
SURA Venture Forum is an opportunity to connect early-stage startup companies across the Southeast US with interested private investors. It is a unique, organized network designed to enable efficient deal flow for investors of seed stage ($100K to $1M) capital into university spinouts.

SURA Venture Forum Partner Firms

How does SURA Venture Forum work?
The process is informal and straightforward:

• SURA and its VC Partners determine market and technology areas of interest
• SURA presents a quarterly solicitation through its network of universities and national labs
• Technology areas will include biotech, IT/communications, energy, nanotech/materials, agritech, and other market areas
• Eligible startups submit brief business plans (business and technology summaries of five pages maximum length)
• SURA conducts initial review and categorization of submitted proposals
• VC Partners and SURA conduct standard due diligence on all plans of interest
• Investments ($100k-$1M) are made through any number of funding mechanisms from the Venture Capital/Angel investors

What are the benefits for startups? How can my company apply for funding?

What are the benefits for universities? How can my university participate?

What are the benefits for investors? How can my VC firm or Angel group participate?

Take me to the Current Solicitation!

For more information about partnering with SURA or licensing technologies, please contact Marc Oettinger at or 202-253-7697.