Search UT

The University of Tampa Lowth Entrepreneurship Center continues to empower entrepreneurs through its Spartan Spark Fund.

The no-pay-back grant offers up to $1,500 per project to help ventures achieve key milestones.

It is available to current undergraduate and graduate students, as well as alumni actively participating in the Spartan Incubator. Applicants are provided with the resources and support they need without the burden of repayment, enabling them to focus entirely on their entrepreneurial growth.

“The Spartan Spark Fund represents our belief in providing the resources needed to unlock potential and drive forward with entrepreneurial visions,” said Rebecca White, director of the Lowth Entrepreneurship Center.

The grant offers flexible funding that can be used for various business needs. Whether developing a prototype, building a minimum viable product (MVP) or conducting essential market research, the grants help recipients move closer to their goals.

Several ventures received funding through the Spartan Spark Fund last semester, including Morgan Bierbrunner ’24 and Isabella Dillio ’24 of Rush Power, who used the grant to develop a prototype for their energy gummy product. Johnathan Tully ’25 and Devon Yules ’25 of NxtGen Real Estate Group used the grant to build a professional website and officially register their business as an LLC.

Applications for the Spartan Spark Fund are currently open. For more information on how to apply, please visit Spartan Collective.

To apply for the Spartan Spark Fund, applicants must submit a detailed business plan that includes financial projections and clearly outlines how the grant will be used to benefit their venture. A committee of faculty members and entrepreneurship experts carefully reviews each submission.