Innovation Mentoring
Innovation Mentoring

Innovation Mentoring: Turning university commercialization into funding

Innovation Mentoring: Turning university commercialization into fundingInnovation Mentoring: Turning university commercialization into fundingInnovation Mentoring: Turning university commercialization into fundingInnovation Mentoring: Turning university commercialization into funding

Transforming commercialization into a funding machine by harnessing the power of alumni.

Learn More

Innovation Mentoring: Turning university commercialization into funding

Innovation Mentoring: Turning university commercialization into fundingInnovation Mentoring: Turning university commercialization into fundingInnovation Mentoring: Turning university commercialization into fundingInnovation Mentoring: Turning university commercialization into funding

Transforming commercialization into a funding machine by harnessing the power of alumni.

Learn More

The State of University Commercialization & Innovation

A woman presents AI-related ideas on a glass board to colleagues in a meeting room.

Under pressure from all angles

  • Revenue generation - federal funding pressures
  • Corporates less willing to license early and invest meaning university must invest more for longer
  • More development need to ready technologies
  • IP portfolios that are opaque to potential licensors
  • Increased emphasis by Boards of Trustees
  • Deans for funding burden increasing
  • Researcher recruiting and retention increasingly competitive

Missing Components

  • Researchers lack commercialization experience
  • Accurate assessment of the commercial, technical, and investment readiness of the technologies
  • Experienced people to advance technologies
  • Funding
  • A defined methodology for technology advancement and abandoning them when there is no viable path
  • A formula to “make it all work”

Commercialization Delivered

Maximizing the Return on Research

Innovation mentoring is a process that accelerates the velocity of commercialization by utilizing free university resources. It creates a spark and connection between university researchers and experts who know how to effectively transfer technology into the market.

Two human profiles with circuit lines, symbolizing innovation mentoring.

Why Innovation Mentoring?

Researchers

Tech transfer

Researchers

Prestige, lab funding, recognition, tenure, and most importantly - personal mission fulfillment are all reasons that researchers benefit. They travel a path with expertise, help, and do so effectively and efficiently.

Colleges

Tech transfer

Researchers

University colleges fight a constant battle to produce research and raise funds. A consistent pipeline of commercialization success supported by their college alumni enhances financial resources.

Tech transfer

Tech transfer

Tech transfer

Licensors wanting de-risked technologies result in more time and investment are extending technology transfer efforts. Innovation Mentoring delivers known, commercial-ready deal flow that is primed for exit.

Development

Entrepreneurs

Tech transfer

Development’s challenge is engaging alumni without asking for money. Innovation Mentoring engages alumni at the deepest level. It is an ongoing, direct engagement with the researcher and college that asks only time and talent. Once linked, the alumni become an “insider” to college and labs.

Corporate

Entrepreneurs

Entrepreneurs

Corporate licensors want: A technically advanced (high TRL), market validated, scalable, technology that fits their current portfolio strategic needs. That is the outcome the Innovation Mentoring process is designed to achieve.

Entrepreneurs

Entrepreneurs

Entrepreneurs

Startups are successes for universities and a great example for other faculty of the potential for commercialization. The mentoring process delivers a far better outcome than the entrepreneur figuring it out on their own. They end up with a more developed technology and solid path to market.

Culture

Culture

Culture

A culture of sustained and expected commercialization can be built. Once that culture is established it becomes self sustaining and evolves. Innovation Mentoring is the low cost method for creating the community, culture, and momentum.

Funding

Culture

Culture

Funding has never been more challenging and uncertain. Innovation Mentoring supports the creation of growing licensing funding. Grant funding is also enhanced given the documented technology advancement.

How and Why Innovation Mentoring Works

Words 'UNICORN' and 'STARTUP' underlined in red on graph paper with marker pens.

Innovation mentoring works because it is intentional and specifically designed for University commercialization. It is NOT a traditional entrepreneurial mentoring program. It takes into account the unique nature of university IP based commercialization and does not treat the process as an educational exercise. Real time, real money, real world changing technologies are at stake. Innovation Mentoring treats them with the rigor that they deserve.


The process works because it is:

  • Curated - each step is mapped out and adjusted as needed
  • Measured - progress tracking metrics are integral
  • Formal - the program is by nomination and invitation only
  • Commercialization plan based - each technology has its own bespoke plan
  • Milestone based - value driving milestones mark each phase
  • Provides a thorough assessment of:
    • Technical Readiness Level (TRL)
    • Commercial Readiness Level (CRL)
    • Investment Readiness Level (IRL)
  • Formal schedule progress assessments are performed
  • Assists with funding
  • Not trying to create entrepreneurs


If a university has an accelerator - this is the perfect outcomes-based graduate program.

About Innovation Mentoring

Innovation mentoring was developed through over a decade of experience at the intersection of university technology commercialization, entrepreneurial mentoring, and actively engaging with technologies emerging from research labs. This perspective was cultivated by not being a direct part of any specific player, but rather by assisting them all in the technology transfer process. With a background as a founder and entrepreneur, this amalgamation fosters a deep understanding of how to effectively bring university technologies from the lab to market.


Information, ideas, and experience have been gathered from: 

- Starting and growing a technology company 

- Instructing the NSF I-Corps Program and its incarnation at The Ohio State University, I-Corps@Ohio 

- Developing and architecting the largest entrepreneurial mentoring program in the country 

- Designing and establishing multiple other entrepreneurial mentoring programs 

- Collaborating with university technologists as a mentor and guide to starting a company 

- Coaching hundreds of entrepreneurs 

- Identifying and commercializing various university technologies 


Innovation mentoring is a construct born from these diverse experiences and the extensive data set they represent.

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