THE DELAWARE INNOVATION SPACE, INC. (DISI) IS THE HOME FOR SCIENCE ENTREPRENEURS. IN 2017, THE STATE OF DELAWARE, DUPONT AND THE UNIVERSITY OF DELAWARE UNDERTOOK A SHARED VISION TO CREATE A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION AND WORLD-CLASS INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM FOCUSED ON SUPPORTING THE CREATION AND GROWTH OF SCALABLE STARTUPS IN THE ADVANCED MATERIALS, INNOVATIVE INGREDIENTS, HEALTHCARE, AGRICULTURE/NUTRITION, AND ADVANCED MANUFACTURING SECTORS THAT TODAY ARE RAPIDLY ACCELERATING REGIONAL BUSINESS GROWTH AND DIVERSIFICATION OF OUR LOCAL ECONOMY. SINCE OUR FORMATION, ONLY SIX YEARS AGO, DISI HAS CULTIVATED A NETWORK OF PARTNERS, MENTORS, AND INVESTORS TO SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITY OF FOUNDERS AND OVER 100 STARTUPS WHO HAVE COLLECTIVELY RAISED OVER $1 BILLION IN FUNDING AND SUPPORTED OVER 700 JOBS. ACCORDINGLY, DISI IS NOW WELL POSITIONED TO MAGNIFY ITS IMPACT THROUGH THE EXPANSION OF THE FIRST FUND INVESTMENT PROGRAM WITH $750,000 OF PROGRAMMATIC FUNDING FROM EDAS BUILD TO SCALE CAPITAL CHALLENGE DEPLOY PROGRAM.THE GRANT REQUESTED TO SUPPORT THE FIRST FUND INVESTMENT PROGRAM FROM EDAS CAPITAL CHALLENGE DEPLOY PROGRAM WILL BE USED TO ASSIST US IN ADEQUATELY STAFFING OUR PROGRAM TO (1) EXPAND OUTREACH AND SOURCE MORE DEALS FROM A WIDER GEOGRAPHY, MORE EFFICIENTLY AND WITH MORE IMPACT, (2) DEEPEN OUR DUE DILIGENCE TO BOTH BETTER INFORM OUR INVESTMENT DECISIONS AND TO ATTRACT PRIVATE CO-INVESTORS, AND (3) PROVIDE OUR PORTFOLIO COMPANIES WITH ENHANCED AND DEDICATED SUPPORT FOR ACCELERATED GROWTH.