Innovate ND

Innovate ND

Supports North Dakota entrepreneurs with market-research vouchers for early innovation and commercial testing.

Eligibility · United States · US-ND

⚠ This may reflect a past cycle — verify the current call on the funder's site.

Innovate ND is a voucher-based reimbursement programme administered by the North Dakota Department of Commerce's Economic Development Finance Division, designed to advance North Dakota entrepreneurs through structured customer and market research. The programme reimburses up to $50,000 per recipient, structured as two phases of $25,000 each, with six months allowed per phase and a maximum engagement of 12 months total. Applicants must operate scalable ventures with potential for primary sector certification; retail, hospitality, and local service businesses are explicitly excluded. The 2026 application window opened April 21 and closed May 14, 2026, with the review panel convening June 17, 2026.

Eligibility requires a North Dakota-based for-profit company with at least one founder residing in the state. Universities, research organisations, non-profits, and individuals applying outside a corporate structure are ineligible. The reimbursement model means recipients must spend funds first and then claim reimbursement — applicants must have sufficient working capital to cover expenses in advance of reimbursement. Applications are evaluated on founding team composition, problem identification, value proposition, customer validation, product development, market strategy, business modelling, and a 12-month roadmap.

Because the 2026 application window closed on May 14, 2026, the current cycle is no longer accepting submissions. Eligible North Dakota entrepreneurs should anticipate the 2027 cycle opening approximately April 2027, based on the 2026 timeline. Organisations preparing for the next cycle should use the intervening period to develop their customer validation evidence and market research plan, as the programme's evaluation framework places emphasis on demonstrated traction and a credible methodology for deploying the research voucher.