Undergraduate students who are accepted to participate as presenters in innovation-related competitions or industry showcases and/or tradeshows (henceforth: event) may apply for up to $1,000 in Innovation Travel Award funding. 

Please read all rules, eligibility requirements, and application procedures below before applying. Note that the Innovation Travel Awards are not stipends or scholarships; students receive awarded funds after submitting reimbursement paperwork with supporting receipts. 

Students are eligible for one Innovation Travel Award per academic year. At GT, an academic year is the combination of Summer, Fall, and Spring terms.  

Students must book travel with Travel, Inc., GT’s contracted travel management company. This is an institutional requirement to comply with University System of Georgia business procedures. Click here for more information. Students: you must work with administrative personnel in your school or unit to book your air travel through Travel Inc. If you do not work with a faculty mentor, we can assist in finding the correct point of contact to complete this.  

• Applicant must be a Georgia Tech undergraduate student in good standing (GPA > 2.0).
• The intellectual property of the creative work to be presented must be owned by the student. Any work presented that is a part of a sponsored research, paid work for the institute or there was excessive use of GT resources beyond of what is normally available to any other student are not eligible for this award.
• Students must submit their work to the pitch competition or tradeshow while enrolled as a Georgia Tech undergraduate student.
• Funding can only be awarded to students who have already been accepted to pitch, present, demonstrate, or exhibit their startup at a recognized competition, tradeshow, showcase event, or other professionally validated venue within the entrepreneurship or innovation ecosystem.
• Requested funding may not exceed $1,000. If you anticipate costs above this amount, we encourage you to seek additional funding from other sources. You can accept travel funding from multiple sources in addition to an Innovation Travel Award. Some other sources of travel funds include:
  • SGA Conference Fund – click here
  • Parents Fund – click here (scroll down to “Student Grant Application”)
  • College and/or School travel grants
  • Grants or awards from the event itself
  • Travel awards from your field’s technical or professional society
  • Funding from a faculty mentor
• Students may receive only one Innovation Travel Award per academic year. At GT, an academic year is the combination of Summer, Fall, and Spring terms.
• As detailed above, after returning from the event, students must submit a post-event reflection within 14 days.

Innovation Travel Award applications are accepted on a rolling basis. Submit your application using the online application form at least one month prior to the travel date. Within the application form, please upload a single PDF file with the following sections:

• An overview of the work to be presented, including format of presentation (pitch, booth, etc.)
• Information on the event, including event name, URL link, location, and dates
• 2-3 goals for your participation in the event (in other words, what are you hoping to get out of this experience?)
• Itemized budget (registration fees, airfare, hotel, food, rental car, etc.)
• Confirmation that you have been accepted to present at the event, indicated by one of the following:
  • Screenshot of event program listing your name as a presenter
  • Email from the event organizers addressed to you and stating your acceptance
  • Screenshot of the event website showing your name as a presenter

As part of the Innovation Travel Award program, students must sign the Code of Conduct provided by Student Innovation Programs prior to their travel dates. This document covers what to expect at a professional setting and how to get the most out of your competition or tradeshow experience. After the event, students must submit a post-event reflection on their experience.

Within 14 days of returning from your travel, you must submit a reflection on their competition or tradeshow experience using the online form. In the reflection, please include the following:

• your name and the semester of your travel award
• the details of the event you have attended (name, location, dates)
• your expectations going into the event
• your 2-3 goals for your pitch competition or tradeshow experience, what you did at the event towards those goals, and your successes and challenges in achieving your goals
• your advice to other students on how to get the most out of a similar experience
• any business advancements achieved from this experience (secured an investment, found a co-founder, $ made in sales, or any other impact this travel has made on your startup)

1. Students are provided with a specific maximum (up to $1,000) to cover costs associated with travel to a pitch competition or tradeshow. The student is required to pitch, present, demonstrate, or exhibit their startup at a recognized competition, tradeshow, showcase event, or other professionally validated venue within the entrepreneurship or innovation ecosystem. Students should show documentation (i.e., copy of the event program, etc.) of presentation. State regulations require that monies disbursed for travel are for the actual amounts spent on transportation, meals, registration, etc., up to the maximum awarded by the Innovation Travel Award and are paid by the traveler. Students pay for the trip up front and then file for reimbursement upon return. Receipts and a pre-travel authorization travel form must be submitted.

   It is the responsibility of the student and school financial point of contact to keep track of reimbursements and to not overspend the specified amount. Overcharges will not be covered beyond the allotted award amount.

2. It is important that you discuss your trip with your financial point of contact or your designee before the trip. In some cases, academic or employment unit will need to assist with funding details and information related to travel and reimbursement policies and procedures.
3. You will also need to submit a pre-travel authorization form through your department/school as either an employee or non-employee, depending on your employment status with Georgia Tech.
4. Please note that GT policy now requires all Travel Award recipients to book air travel through Travel, Inc., GT’s contracted travel management company. This is an institutional requirement to comply with USG business procedures. Students must work with administrative personnel in the Student Innovation Program office, school or unit to book air travel through Travel, Inc.
5. Georgia Tech policy states: “Reimbursement requests are to be submitted to Accounts Payable within 45 calendar days of the last day of travel.” Waiting to submit your travel requires the office to obtain additional approvals and could jeopardize your reimbursement.
6. A post-event reflection must be submitted within 14 days of returning from the travel. The report, submitted online, should address the bullet points listed on the form.
7. TRAVEL ABROAD – Students are required to complete the appropriate paperwork associated with travel on a foreign trip. This is the International Travel Registry form and it is required for approval of your Innovation Travel Award Application. Our office will review the location of travel with the State Department website. The location of travel must be at a Level 1 or Level 2 travel status for your request to be approved. Please visit the FAQ page here.