Innovate ND is a voucher-based reimbursement program designed to help North Dakota entrepreneurs advance their businesses by supporting customer and market research.
Donor Name: North Dakota Department of Commerce
State: North Dakota
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant | Reimbursement
Deadline: 11/26/2025
Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000
Grant Duration: 1 Year
Details:
Goals
- Grow the entrepreneurial ecosystem in North Dakota and enhance economic development and economic diversity in the state.
- Educate and assist participants on the lean business model canvas, value proposition, and customer identification.
- Assist participants to validate their product and market by tracking metrics such as investment, sales, or customer interviews.
- Support the development of new, innovative businesses with clear potential for Primary Sector Certification.
Innovate ND is administered through four Entrepreneur Centers:
Entrepreneurs must meet the following criteria for acceptance into Phase 1:
- North Dakota-based business with at least one founder residing in the state.
- The business is headquartered in North Dakota and is registered and in good standing with the North Dakota Secretary of State’s Office.
- The business is scalable with potential to become a certified primary sector business. Retail, hospitality, and local service-based ventures are not eligible.
- Must demonstrate in their application they have reached the following levels:
- Founding Team: Founder(s) with a team of different skillsets and aspirations to scale.
- Problem: Team has identified a specific problem and the problem is large enough to have significant market potential or have significant market share.
- Value Proposition: Team has clarified what they believe is the unique value proposition for their target audience.
- Customer Validation: Team has evidence to support they have potential customers that are willing to pay for their solution.
- Product: Team has a basic prototype or proof-of-concept that solves the problem and/or has a product development roadmap.
- Go-to-Market: Team has a basic understanding of their industry and can identify the target customer, the total addressable market, and their initial go-to-market strategy with supporting key metrics.
- Business Model: Team has identified an initial revenue model and can point to similar products in the market as evidence their revenue assumptions are reasonable.
- Business Roadmap: Team has identified a 12-month roadmap of their business with milestones and key assumptions.
Funding Information
The program is divided into two phases, each offering up to $25,000 in reimbursements. Participants have six months per phase, with a maximum of 12 months to complete the full program
Eligibility Criteria
- North Dakota-based for-profit business with at least one founder residing in the state.
- Registration and good standing with the ND Secretary of State’s Office
- A scalable business model with high-growth potential to reach Primary Sector Certification. Retail, hospitality, and local service-based ventures are not eligible.
- Acceptance into Phase 1 or Phase 2 is not guaranteed.
- Reimbursements are only issued once all requirements are met, expenses are approved, and proof of payment is submitted. Expenses must occur within the program phase timeframe. • All requirements must be completed within six months per phase. In rare cases, Commerce may pause the participant’s progress due to significant life events.
- Participants must complete a survey post-program.
- Funding is distributed on a first-come, first-served basis.
- Businesses that have previously participated in the program, regardless of the phase completed, are not eligible.
- Non-profit organizations are not eligible.
For more information, visit NDDC.
