HP Labs Innovation Research Program

General program questions

Q. If I submit a proposal, will it be funded?
A. The HP Labs Innovation Research Program is a highly competitive, worldwide Request for Proposals. It is expected that many proposals will be received for each research topic, and only the best proposals will be chosen for funding.

Q. Can I submit a multi-year proposal or one with a budget larger than $75,000 USD?
A. The standard award for the HP Labs Innovation Research Proposal will be in the USD $50,000-$75,000 range for one year. However, HP may choose, in some cases, to make larger or partial awards. Although initial awards will be made for one year, awards may be renewed after the first year based on research outcomes and HP business needs.

Q. If my university/institution has previously received a grant from HP, am I still eligible to apply?
A. Yes. Philanthropic donations from HP do not affect your university/institution’s eligibility to apply to this program.

Q. Can more than one researcher from my university/institution submit a proposal?
A. Yes. Under the HP Labs Innovation Research Program, multiple proposals may be submitted from any university/institution. However, each proposal must be accompanied by a separate signed copy of the Acceptance Letter in order to be eligible.

Q. Can I include support for a post-doctoral position in my proposal budget?
A. No. Since a key objective of the HP Labs Innovation Research Program is to help HP build stronger relationships with professors and their graduate students, funding requests for post-doctoral positions will not be supported. However, any external (Non-HP) funding identified in the proposal can be earmarked for post-doctoral support and is encouraged.

Q. The IRP Request for Proposal document states that awards are for one year only. In some countries, universities recruit graduate students based on a multi-year program and require guaranteed funding up-front for the entire program. Can researchers at universities with this situation still apply?
A. Yes. Applicants should indicate this situation clearly in the budget section of the proposal. Projects should specify the amount needed per year and also indicate any local funding requirements that would call for multi-year support. If the proposal is successful and receives an award, HP will work with that researcher/university to explore alternatives for meeting local graduate student funding requirements.

Q. I have been working with a colleague at another university. Can we submit a joint proposal to HP?
A. Yes. Under the HP Labs Innovation Research Program, joint proposals can be submitted. However, each institution must submit an individual proposal through the proposal submission system, as each institution is required to submit an Acceptance Letter as part of the eligibility requirements. Joint proposals should be clearly labeled at the beginning of the project description. The separate submittals must have the same title, and may be otherwise identical. Budget requests from each institution should be detailed separately for administrative purposes.

Q. Can my institution contact someone at HP to negotiate the terms of the HP Labs Innovation Research Program Collaborative Research Agreement?
A. The program’s Collaborative Research Agreement is designed to provide a fair and reasonable framework for single-project collaborations between HP and participating universities and research institutes. Due to the large scale of this program, which encompasses HP Labs’ worldwide locations and research labs, HP Labs cannot conduct negotiations with universities/institutions on an individual basis.

Q. Can the CRA be used for other projects at my university/institution besides the Innovation Research Program?
A. No. The HP Labs Innovation Research Program Collaborative Research Agreement (CRA) is designed as a single-project agreement applicable only to projects funded through the Innovation Research Program.

Q. My university/institution already has a research agreement in place with HP. Which agreement applies in this case?
A. The HP Labs Innovation Research Program Collaborative Research Agreement (CRA) is the only agreement that will apply to projects funded through the Innovation Research Program. Other agreements that may exist between the institution and HP will not be affected by your participation in this program. Similarly, the terms of any previous agreement will not apply to projects funded through this Innovation Research Program.

Q. I am a university researcher who is also an official of my university. Can I sign the Acceptance Letter for my proposal myself?
A. No. In order to ensure that the applicant’s university has reviewed the HP Labs Innovation Research Program Collaborative Research Agreement prior to proposal submission, HP requires that a university authority other than the applicant(s) sign the Acceptance Letter.

Q. Why are some topics listed under two geographies?
A. HP Labs is a global research organization and has teams of researchers in a number of locations around the world. In some cases, a cohesive research team is located in two HP Labs sites. To allow for potential collaborations with such a team, proposals on certain topics can come from either geography.

Q. How will I know if my proposal is successful?
A. HP will contact all applicants to notify them of their proposal’s status on or around 1 August 2008.

Q. I am a university professor seeking an HP equipment or cash grant. Can I apply through this program?
A. The HP Labs Innovation Research Program is designed to fund breakthrough collaborative research projects with universities, and as such does not fund equipment or cash donations, nor can it support student projects, event sponsorships, or teaching activities.

Q. Is this program part of HP’s Philanthropy grant programs?
A. No. The HP Labs Innovation Research Program is designed to fund collaborative research projects, not to provide philanthropic support to universities. HP’s Philanthropy grant programs are separate programs that are part of HP’s overall Global Citizenship goals. More information can be found here.

Q. I am a researcher that is not associated with a university or research institution. Can I submit a proposal to HP through this process?
A. The HP Labs Innovation Research Program is only designed to fund collaborative research projects with researchers at universities or research institutes. If you are interested in sending your ideas to HP, please click here.

Q. I'm a student. Does HP have scholarships and internships?
A. HP does offer summer internships. Review current openings and submit your resume on-line at our Jobs@HP website.

Proposal submission system questions

Q. How do I apply?
A. Please review the Request for Proposals and accompanying documents for information on research topics, proposal guidelines and eligibility requirements. Proposals must be submitted through the online web-based system beginning on 7 May 2008.

Q. What is the deadline for applications to be submitted?
A. Proposals must be submitted to HP Labs through the online submission system by Wednesday, 18 June 2008 by 5:00 PM Pacific Time.

Q. How does the online submission system work?
A. From 7 May to 18 June 2008, applicants will be able to access the online proposal submission system. Applicants will be required to enter plain text into a web form in response to several questions (which are detailed in the Proposal Format Guide) Please note there is a character limit for each question.

Applicants will also be required to upload a signed copy of the Acceptance Letter, as well as a Curriculum Vitae (CV) of the primary researcher(s). These answers and the uploaded attachments will constitute your entire proposal.

Q. I noticed that the Proposal Format Guide was updated May 21, 2008. What has changed?
A. The Proposal Format Guide (and Appendix 3 of the RFP) were updated to correct an error in the maximum number of characters specified for each item. In addition, in the proposal submission system, field sizes have been adjusted to accept the requisite number of characters. Total approximate page length of proposals (approximately 10 pages) remains the same.

 Q. May I include references or other figures in my proposal? How should these be provided?
A. Yes. The proposal submission system will allow you to upload an “attachment” file that can include any references, bibliography, figures, images or other supporting information that you would like to provide. You should provide this information as a single file in PDF, Word or Text format, no larger than 10 MB in size. Please note that you must still enter your proposal information in the text fields provided by the Proposal Submission System.

Q. Can I enter some information now and return to it later to complete my submission?
A. No. The proposal submission system only allows you to enter your answers and complete submission during one session. Since you cannot “save” your answers and come back to them later, it is recommended that you draft your responses in a separate text file and copy and paste them into the online system for submission.

Q. Can I upload a single file for my proposal instead of entering responses individually into the online form?
A. No. The online proposal submission system has been specifically designed to allow HP to receive a large number of proposals. Proposals will not be accepted in any other format.

Q. How will I know that HP has received my submission?
A. Once your proposal is successfully submitted through the system, you will receive an e-mail confirming that your proposal has been received.

Q. What happens if I need to make a change to my proposal after submission?
A. Our online submission system is not designed to allow you to make changes to a proposal after it is submitted. However, if you feel strongly that you must make changes to your proposal you must submit a new proposal through the online system.

Click here to provide feedback for the Innovation Research Program.