ABOUT
The Dartmouth Innovation Accelerator for Cancer
The Dartmouth Innovation Accelerator for Cancer (DIAC) provides researchers across Dartmouth with the support, entrepreneurial guidance, and infrastructure needed to translate innovations into the marketplace. Through this new initiative, with guidance from alumni and industry leaders, and philanthropic gifts from visionary donors, we support the most promising Dartmouth research through the development pipeline to commercialization for the benefit of cancer patients.
Translate your research into real world impact
Applications open for Winter 2026
“DIAC has been instrumental in connecting us with the appropriate people and resources. It’s given me a ton of experience in a short amount of time.”
– Aravindhan Sriharan, MD. Founder of PixCell Pathology
Learn the basics of entrepreneurship
Network with industry mentors - many of whom are Dartmouth alumni
Match with Tuck students for expert business guidance
Prepare a pitch to compete for significant project funding
Benefits of DIAC
Goals
Activating a world-class biotech ecosystem pursuing cancer cures
Giving Dartmouth faculty, students, and staff knowledge about the business of biotech
Showcasing Dartmouth cancer research to biotech companies and bioentrepreneurs
Increasing partnerships, collaborations, and mentors
Creating more patient impact with Dartmouth science
Increasing the maturity and commercial value of Dartmouth technology and IP
Increasing access to venture capital, SBIR funding
Increasing licensing to companies and startups
Features and Resources
Support from staff, program interns, and Entrepreneurs in Residence
Access to competitive intelligence via Informa’s Pharmaprojects
An opportunity to pitch to and get feedback from the Accelerator’s External Review Panel comprising top investors and executives in biotech.
Meaningful funding awards of up to $300,000 upon completion of the program
Who is this Accelerator for?
Teams who are working on a project related to cancer treatment, diagnosis, or healthcare delivery
Led by Dartmouth faculty who is (or is willing to become) a Dartmouth Cancer Center member
Able to participate with 2 or more team members at each session & event
Key Dates
Application Period: 8/1/2025 – 11/15/2025
Kickoff Workshop: 12/5 – 12/6/2025
Educational Program: 1/12/2026 – 3/9/2026
Pitch Competition: 3/16/2026
Award Period: 4/1/2026 – 12/31/2027
Winter 2026 Cohort
Kickoff Workshop
Intensive 2-day session
Establish a shared vision among your team members
Learn from your colleagues
Focus on sharing the story of your innovation for various audiences
Participate in a 5-min pitch competition for a place in the educational program cohort
Teams will be selected to advance to the winter cohort with the following criteria:
Engaged and participatory team members who will be good representatives of DIAC to the Dartmouth community and beyond
Product idea with high potential impact in terms of one or more aspects of the Quadruple Aim (Healthcare Quality, Clinician Experience, Patient Experience, Cost of Care)
Focus on discovering a viable path to market
Sample Kickoff Schedule
Day 1
2pm: Communicating your innovation to various audiences
5pm: Dinner
6pm: Introduction to the 5-minute Pitch
Day 2
8am: Breakfast and intro to the day
9am: Keynote speaker
10:30am: Workshop on the 5-minute Pitch with a lunch break
3pm: Pitch Competition
Educational Program
Zoom and in-person sessions, twice per week
Covering the basics of innovations translation, entrepreneurship, and preparing teams for the final pitch competition
Includes didactic and interactive activities designed to validate the business opportunity and de-risk the go to market process
Teams are matched with a student from Tuck who will provide expertise in business, pitching and market/competitor analysis
Mentor Meetups
In-person or virtual networking opportunities
Connect with industry experts from relevant fields, many of whom are Dartmouth alumni
Receive advice on business strategy, company formation, and fundraising
Match with a mentor who can be imbedded with your team for the rest of the accelerator
Pitch Competition
Craft and deliver a pitch for a chance at significant funding in front of an audience of your peers, experts, and investors
Condense your research into an engaging pitch to get others excited about your project
Convey the importance of the problem that you are solving, describe how your innovation can be a part of the solution and how you plan to use the funding
Featured Project: CosMyc
The CosMyc project team participated in the first cohort of DIAC
The project was based on long-term research by Dr. Cole on a potential new cancer treatment
He was joined by Ed Feris, a graduate student (later post-doc who entered Ph.D. Innovation program)
The team received a DIAC award in 2021
This award was matched by the company of an External Review Panel member, who also connected the team to a VC firm for additional fundraising
CosMyc went on to rent lab space at Dartmouth Hitchcock
The team was granted a $2.5M fast-track SBIR in 2024
Award Process
Project Plan Approval: Teams complete a templated project plan, budget, and publication plan
Award Agreement: Funds are released via chart string once an award agreement letter is signed
Quarterly Reporting: Teams provide a report of their progress toward project goals every 3 months
Funds are expected to be spent in 18 months or less and can be withdrawn for failure to report progress toward milestones.
Support the Accelerator
Dartmouth’s Cancer Center seeks to raise $15 million in philanthropy to support the early development of the Accelerator. The Accelerator launched in Fall 2020, thanks to the generosity of five Dartmouth alumni who are professional healthcare investors.
To learn more about making a gift to the Accelerator, contact Bethany Solomon at Bethany.Solomon@Dartmouth.edu.
Translate your research into real world impact
Applications for the Winter 2026 cohort are open through November 15, 2025.
Contact angela.r.presley@dartmouth.edu with any questions.