Dive Into the Piranha Pit for $30,000 in Seed Funding!

JOIN US IN THE PIRANHA PIT SPRING 2025 – APPLICATIONS NOW OPEN!

The TARDISS Piranha Pit is a Shark Tank™–style pitch competition that drives innovation in natural rubber science, technology, and research. TARDISS—an NSF Engineering Research Center working to build a sustainable U.S. natural rubber supply through cutting-edge plant biology, rubber engineering, and workforce development—brings together seven university partners to tackle this national challenge.

The competition invites students, postdocs, faculty, and early-career researchers from TARDISS partner universities to pitch promising research discoveries or emerging technology concepts. Applicants must explain how their research or technology would contribute to TARDISS’s overarching research outcomes, including the Center’s three major thrusts—crop genetics, agricultural production practices, and latex extraction.

Innovations beyond these thrusts are also welcome. Concepts in areas such as data management, precision agriculture, drone or remote sensing technologies, hydroponics, byproduct utilization, and other cross-cutting solutions may be eligible as long as the applicant clearly explains how the idea benefits the ERC’s mission.

The top 5 applicants across all partner institutions will be selected as finalists, receive mentoring, and be invited to pitch live at The Ohio State University in May 2026 before a panel of industry leaders and technical experts.

Winners will earn $5,000–$15,000in seed funding to advance their research or technology development over 6–12 months.

Ready to advance your natural rubber innovation? Step into the Piranha Pit.

APPLY NOW

Application Process