Project incubator program
Academic Year 2026/2027
Deadline to apply: Monday, September 21, 2026
Do you have a project idea that you can’t seem to get off the ground? Do you need access to specific technologies or consultations with experts? Are you past the prototype phase of your project and need help getting to the next step? Do you have an idea for a grant proposal for a digital scholarship project? Are you looking for a community that will give you feedback and support as your project grows?
The Digital Scholarship Lab (DSL) Incubator program supports transformative research projects at these critical junctures and shepherds them to the next phase.
Selected participants will form a cohort, learning with and from one another, as well as from librarians and experts from around the MSU campus. The Project Incubator begins with a series of workshops, combined with co-working sessions throughout the academic year. Participants will apply the materials to their projects and receive feedback from their peers. A detailed schedule can be found below under “Planned Schedule for the Project Incubator.”
The DSL Project Incubator Program is open to projects led by Michigan State University faculty, specialists, staff, and graduate students. Proposals from individuals or teams are equally welcome, and all team members are encouraged to participate in workshops and co-working sessions.
Benefits of the Incubator program include:
- Guidance using a project lifecycle management framework that includes planning, defining roles on, delivering, and closing your project
- Specific advice on building your project
- Access to the DSL Extension, including co-working rooms, computers with additional software and processing power, and specialized equipment
- Coordinated access to Library colleagues with relevant expertise: we will facilitate DSL and library colleagues’ inclusion on project teams, subject to their availability and interest
- Accountability and community as you move your project forward, as well as forum to present about the status of the project in April
Digital scholarship projects are more likely to be accepted if they meet the following criteria:
- Projects in early phases of development or at a transitional moment, especially those without grant funding, and/or projects with a completed prototype that need help moving to their next step.
- Projects that leverage digital methodologies, tools and platforms available in the DSL or across MSU and that also rely to a significant extent on DSL staff or librarian expertise.
Bi-weekly meetings will be held on Thursdays, 10:30-12:00, starting October 1. To foster a strong cohort experience, most sessions will be held in-person in the DSL Extension. If you are interested in participating but the timing doesn’t work for you this year, please reach out to us via email (koutiany@msu.edu).
We will host an info session on Thursday, September 10, 4:00-5:00 in the DSL Project Room J or you can join us virtually via this Zoom:
https://msu.zoom.us/j/99044854388 Meeting ID: 990 4485 4388 (MSU NetID required)
Proposals must be submitted by the end of the day Monday, September 21, 2026.
All applicants will be notified by Thursday, September 24.
You can find proposal form quesetions here.
Further questions about the Project Incubator may be directed to Tianyi Kou-Herrema (koutiany@msu.edu).
Planned Schedule for the Project Incubator
| Meetings and Topics | Dates | Format |
|---|---|---|
| Introduction & Training: “How Did They Make That?” | Thurs, 10/1, 10:30-12:00 | In person |
| Activity: “Look-a-like” Review Model DS Project | Thurs, 10/15, 10:30-12:00 | In person |
| Training: “Develop a Project Work Plan” | Thurs, 10/29, 10:30-12:00 | In person |
| Activity: Review Project Work Plan | Thurs, 11/12, 10:30-12:00 | In person |
| Training: “Life Cycle of Digital Project: Part 1” | Thurs, 12/3, 10:30-12:00 | In person |
| Co-working Session: Updating Project Work Plan | Thurs, 12/17, 10:30-12:00 | Virtual |
| BREAK | ||
| Training: “Life Cycle of a Digital Project Part 2” | Thurs, 1/21, 10:30-12:00 | In person |
| Co-working Session | Thurs, 2/4, 10:30-12:00 | In person |
| Training: Panel Discussion with Experts and Practitioners | Thurs, 2/18, 10:30-12:00 | In person |
| Co-working Session | Thurs, 3/4, 10:30-12:00 | Virtual |
| Co-working Session | Thurs, 3/18, 10:30-12:00 | In person |
| Co-working Session: Preparation for the Lightning Talk in April | Thurs, 4/1, 10:30-12:00 | In person |
| Project Incubator Showcase at the Digital Humanities End of Year Celebration | TBD (Mid-April) | In person |