Prototyping and Validation Grant

This grant helps teams move from idea to evidence. The grant period is at maximum three months.

You can use it to:

• build a prototype or demo
• test whether a real customer problem exists
• validate a target segment
• reach a concrete milestone fast

The goal is simple: after the grant, your team should have something real to show or something important proven.

The grant can support justified costs directly related to prototyping or validation.

Examples of prototyping costs

• materials and components
• tools and fabrication
• software or services needed for building
• other direct prototype-related costs

Examples of validation costs

• travel for customer meetings
• pilot-related expenses
• interviews and user testing
• other justified reimbursements tied to validation

It's good to note that the higher of an amount a team applies, the harder it is to be approved as we only have a limited amount of grant funding available.

The grant is open to undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral students at Aalto University who have a team.

Please note:

• only teams can apply
• individual applications are not accepted
• teams must be able to provide receipts for funded expenses

We are looking for teams that can clearly explain:

• what they want to prove or learn
• what they will build or test
• why this matters now
• what they will deliver by the end of the grant period

Strong applications are clear, concrete, and realistic.

The application is lightweight and consists of:

• basic team information
• a short core application
• a budget Excel attachment

In the application, we ask you to describe your goal, what you are building or testing, your target user or customer, what you have learned so far, your plan, expected deliverables, and the biggest risk ahead.

You will also upload a budget file with line items and short justifications.

Your budget must be submitted as an Excel attachment. Use the Prototyping and Validation Grant Budget Template below.

All funded costs must be supported by receipts.

Applications are reviewed in order of submission. The Grant Committee meets every two weeks.

The process is designed to stay simple and low-maintenance while ensuring teams articulate a clear goal and milestone.

Teams submit a short final update including:

• a short 1-pager on learnings, outcomes and what was learned
• receipts
• evidence of progress such as a demo link, photos, screenshots, customer notes, or pilot insights.