University of Virginia researchers and academic investigators throughout the commonwealth are invited to submit proposals for proof-of-concept funding to the Virginia Innovation Partnership, a statewide network designed to accelerate innovation and economic growth.

The partnership will award approximately 20 projects with $40,000 to $80,000 each in 2013. Proposals are due Dec. 14 at 5 p.m.

Projects should support one or more of the following areas:

• Biotechnology
• Information technology
• Energy production and conservation
• Environmental technology and sustainability
• High-performance manufacturing
• Bioengineering and medical devices
• Nanotechnology
• Modeling and simulations
• Health care and biosciences
• Microelectronics
• Security and safety
• Information assurance
• Architectural and other design-oriented fields

For details and to apply, see the 2012 call for proposals (pdf). For information about the Virginia Innovation Partnership, click here.