DISC Seed Funding Opportunities

DISC/CAIO Fall 2026 Strategic Seed Investment Program

The Data Institute for Societal Challenges (DISC), in partnership with the Office of the Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer (CAIO), invites proposals for its Fall 2026 Strategic Seed Investment Program. Through this program, DISC and CAIO invest in interdisciplinary research teams that leverage artificial intelligence (AI), data science, and advanced analytics to address complex societal challenges while positioning the University of Oklahoma for future research growth.

Please review the information provided below for details on eligibility, submission deadlines, and other important information.

The goals of this seed funding program are to: 

Develop competitive proposals for major external sponsors
Generate transformative pilot data
Build sustainable interdisciplinary collaborations
Advance human-centered, socially responsible approaches to AI-enabled research and innovation
Produce measurable scientific, economic, or societal return on investment

Please view the full solicitation for detailed application requirements and evaluation criteria.

Open to faculty from OU Norman, OU Health, and OU Tulsa.
Teams must include a minimum of two faculty members from different academic departments engaged in an integrated research effort.
Cross-campus collaborations among OU Norman, OU Health, and OU Tulsa are strongly encouraged.

Award Details:

Award Amount: Up to $25,000 per project
Number of Awards: To be determined based on available funding.
Funding Period: 12 months

Deadlines:

Proposal Deadline: Sunday, September 27, 2026 at 11:59 PM CT
Award Notification: Monday, November 16, 2026

Submission:

Please complete this online submission form and upload your proposal: DISC/CAIO 2026 Fall Seed Funding Opportunity – Fill out form

Follow the link below for more details including application requirements, submission instructions and restrictions.

DISC/CAIO Fall 2026 Strategic Seed Investment Program