From Research
to Startup
A paid 3-month fellowship program for researchers ready to commercialize their breakthrough discoveries. Transform your research into a fundable startup with support from Canaan's experienced team.
Commercialize Your Research
Turn your breakthrough research into a viable startup. Our intensive 3-month program provides funding, mentorship, and the potential for seed investment from Canaan.
Paid Fellowship
Receive financial support during your 3-month journey to focus entirely on building your startup without financial stress.
Company Building
Learn to transform your research into a market-ready product with guidance from experienced entrepreneurs and Canaan partners.
Seed Funding Path
Successful fellows have the opportunity to receive seed funding from Canaan to accelerate their startup's growth and market entry.
Your Path to Entrepreneurship
Our intensive 3-month program is designed for researchers ready to take the entrepreneurial leap. You'll receive comprehensive support to validate, build, and launch your research-based startup.
Market Validation & Customer Discovery
Learn to identify your target market and validate demand for your research-based solution
Product Development & MVP Building
Transform your research into a minimum viable product ready for market testing
Fundraising & Pitch Preparation
Develop compelling investor materials and pitch your startup to potential seed investors
What You'll Receive
- $20,000 fellowship stipend over 3 months
- 1-on-1 mentorship with Canaan partners
- Access to Canaan's portfolio network
- Legal and business development support
- Potential seed funding from Canaan
Ready to Become a Founder?
We're looking for researchers with breakthrough discoveries who are ready to commit 3 months to building a company around their research.
Breakthrough Research
You have novel research with clear commercial potential and market applications
Entrepreneurial Drive
You're ready to leave academia temporarily to focus on building a startup
Commitment to Success
You can dedicate 3 months full-time to developing your research into a fundable company
Meet Your Mentors
Our team of experienced Canaan partners will guide you through every step of your journey from research to startup.
Kumar Sreekanti
Venture Partner
Kumar co-founded and led BlueData as CEO through its acquisition by HPE, where he then served as Global CTO & Head of Software. With leadership roles at VMware and Akamai, he brings over three decades of experience building enterprise infrastructure software and cloud technologies to mentoring the next generation of founder-researchers.
Joydeep Bhattacharyya
General Partner
Joydeep leads investments in enterprise and cloud platforms with a focus on security and automation. His experience spans the founding days of Microsoft Office 365 and Skype for Business, where he ran cross-functional teams, and enterprise investments at Shasta Ventures. He holds an M.B.A. from Kellogg School of Management and a B.E. in Computer Science from Jadavpur University.
Jake Epstein
Senior Analyst
Jake focuses on enterprise and deep tech investments at Canaan. Prior to joining Canaan, he was a product manager at Uber, where he led a team modifying Uber experiences and marketplace technology for emerging markets. He graduated from Dartmouth with a B.A. in Computer Science and a B.A. in Engineering Sciences modified by Economics.
A Trusted Partner in Innovation
For over 25 years, Canaan has been backing transformative companies from early stage through IPO. Our deep expertise in commercializing breakthrough technologies makes us the ideal partner for research-driven startups.
Healthcare
Revolutionary treatments and medical technologies
Enterprise Tech
Next-generation business solutions and infrastructure
Fintech
Financial innovation and digital transformation
Deep Tech
AI, robotics, and emerging technologies
Ready to Build Your Startup?
Join our next cohort of researcher-founders. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. The next program starts in Q4 2025.