The program

From proposal to prototype in one academic year.

Two independent surveys feed one matching process. Sponsors and universities each describe what they have and need; we recommend the best-fit pairing.

Sponsor a project ↗University survey

Submit

Spring–summer

Sponsors send a project summary; universities report capabilities and capacity. The surveys are independent.

Match

Early fall

Each project is scored on facilities, discipline, faculty, term, and fit, then paired with its best-fit program.

Build

Fall–winter

A team of 3–8 seniors researches, prototypes, and tests, meeting the sponsor's leads on a regular cadence.

Deliver

By early spring

Final design review, working prototype, and a full report and handoff — with IP transferred to the sponsor.

Project fit

What makes a strong project — and what you get back

Bring a problem like this

Requirements

Frame it as a problem to solve, not a solution to build.
Include a physical or technical component to design, build, and test.
Scope it for a multidisciplinary team across two terms.
Set it in a real system with real stakeholders.
Name the labs, equipment, or expertise it needs.

Take home deliverables like

Outcomes

Working prototypes — design, build, test.
Design analyses, feasibility studies, drawings.
Test-method development and characterization data.
Software, data platforms, analysis tooling.
A final report and handoff — with all IP assigned to you.

Intellectual property

IP & eligibility

Resulting IP is assigned to the sponsor, and teams can sign an NDA and IP agreement where needed. Following Dartmouth CEDC practice, students are advised never to sign non-competes — a project requiring one can't be accepted.

Funding

A single flat budget

$15,000 per project, no tiers. This round: $5,000 from the sponsor and a $10,000 matching grant. Future rounds: the full $15,000 from the sponsor. See the numbers.

Get started

Pick your side of the match

Two independent surveys, about ten minutes each. Fill yours in whenever you're ready.

Industry sponsors

Sponsor a project

Put a real problem in front of a dedicated senior team with faculty backing and lab access.

Bring a scoped engineering challenge
Name a technical and a business lead
$5,000 this round (a matching grant covers $10,000)
All resulting IP assigned to you

Start the sponsor survey ↗

University partners

Join as a university

Report your programs, labs, faculty focus, and capacity, and get matched to well-scoped projects.

Report capabilities and availability
Set how many projects you can host
Control facility, discipline, and term fit
Confirm IP and eligibility up front

Start the university survey ↗