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B-Start to accept applications from Bloomington entrepreneurs through Sept. 30

Posted on by Steve Martin

Indiana University junior Hunter Hawley pitches his business Blueprint Stats to a panel of judges during the 2020 Demo Day Competition, part of the annual B-Start pre-accelerator program from the Bloomington Economic Development Corp. Photo provided by Bloomington Economic Development Corp.

Do you want to launch a for-profit, innovation-based business in Bloomington?

Indiana University Bloomington students, faculty and staff — as well as other Monroe County residents — can apply to participate in the virtual 2020-21 cohort of B-Start, a pre-accelerator program, to help launch their business. Women, minorities, veterans and members of other underrepresented groups are encouraged to apply.

The Bloomington Economic Development Corp. will accept applications until Sept. 30 from Monroe County residents to join the sixth annual B-Start cohort. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, B-Start will be entirely virtual. The four-month program, running October 2020 to February 2021, includes:

  • Individual mentoring by local leaders, entrepreneurs and professionals who have experience or interest in starting and scaling companies.
  • Group workshops and peer meetups to guide cohort members through the startup process. The cohort meets from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. on Thursdays.
  • Demo Day, B-Start’s final event in which entrepreneurs pitch their business plan to judges in a competition format.
  • A stipend for completing the program. The amount of the stipend varies year-to-year. The stipend for the 2019-20 cohort was $750.

Ellyn Sallee, the project/development manager at the Bloomington Economic Development Corporation, directs the B-Start program. She said COVID-19 has forced owners to rethink their business models.

Ellyn Sallee. Photo provided by Bloomington Economic Development Corp.

“Businesses are adapting to new safety measures through innovation, creativity and perseverance while maintaining their production and services,” Sallee said. “B-Start encourages such innovation among entrepreneurs who are looking to start a new business, perhaps with new ideas coming from life changes and uncertainties due to the COVID-19 pandemic. B-Start will continue supporting this entrepreneurial spirit and our local talent base, which will in turn create more jobs for Monroe County.”

Blueprint Stats, founded by then-IU junior Hunter Hawley, won second place and $1,500 in the 2020 Demo Day competition, along with the $750 stipend for completing the B-Start program. Hawley also received a six-month, part-time membership to Dimension Mill, a co-working space in Bloomington. Since then, Blueprint Stats has been awarded $20,000 in funding from the Elevate Ventures Community Ideation Fund and reached a partnership agreement with the District of Columbia State Athletic Association.

For more information and to apply to B-Start, visit the program’s website.

The 2020-21 Shoemaker Scholars: Meet Davis Joseph.

Posted on by Steve Martin

The Shoemaker Scholars program brings together 10 Indiana University Bloomington students from a variety of academic disciplines. They encourage other students to explore their own entrepreneurial and innovative interests, and they oversee the StartupIU website that connects students with university-based startups. John and Donna Shoemaker funded the program, which awards annual scholarships to its members. Travis J. Brown launched and directs the program.

Davis Joseph, a senior from Bloomington, Indiana, majors in informatics in the Luddy School of Informatics, Computing and Engineering. He has been a Shoemaker Scholar for three semesters.

Davis T. Joseph. Photo by James Brosher, Indiana University.

“I’m looking forward to going back to campus because I get to serve my student community and help foster skill development among my peers,” Joseph said. “I’m excited to share what I’ve learned this summer and pass it on to incoming students, and to provide help to students at a greater scale than I could in person.”

Crimson Catalyst: What is the biggest impact Shoemaker Scholars have?

Davis Joseph: The Shoemaker Scholars exist and are driven to foster creativity within students and empower them in these endeavors regardless of what school they are involved with. It is a cross-campus student group dedicated to innovation and intersecting multiple disciplines. The biggest impact Shoemaker Scholars have is one that’s invisible — not because its impact can’t be seen, but because the group acts as infrastructure. Our members connect students to other students, student groups, resources and ideas like a search engine that is reactive and reliant on the group’s collective expertise to be an end-to-end solution for cross-campus innovation. We highlight and support creators so that they can learn deeply and inspire the next class of IU students to maximize their time at school.

CC: How did you learn about the Shoemakers Scholars program?

DJ: I was fortunate to attend many of professor Brown’s talks and meet previous Shoemaker Scholars as a freshman and a sophomore. Through connecting with them and talking with them, I learned about the purpose and mission of the Shoemaker Scholars and then had the chance to join them.

CC: What do you enjoy most about being a Shoemaker Scholar?

DJ: It is the most diverse group of individuals I’ve had the pleasure of being in and working with, and with our collective experience, we get things done — and done well. It’s fulfilling, honest work.

CC: What is a common misconception students have about entrepreneurship and innovation?

DJ: People think that entrepreneurship and innovation exist only for students of certain disciplines, usually those involved with tech and/or business. But I say innovation is about making life better, and that is evident in history in multiple forms. We like to refer to entrepreneurship and innovation under the umbrella term “creatorship” because it is not conventionally field specific.

CC: How do you share insights with others, as an ambassador?

DJ: I get to know people personally and talk to them. I listen to people I come across out of these little talks here and there. I get curious and love learning about new things like computing, cooking, ethics, singing and so on, and by meeting people with similar and different interests, I get people talking to each other, even with people they’ve never met before. It’s through those interactions that people unconsciously meander through that birth insight. Insights that I’ve gained and shared experiences I’ve lived or learned from are just talked about; it’s as simple as that.

CC: What are your own entrepreneurial endeavors?

DJ: As of right now, I don’t have any endeavors that I can truly call my own, but I’ve worked for a startup, an open source development team, as a consultant for multiple nonprofits, and for Microsoft as a program management intern. I’m thinking about getting into podcasting, though! I’m thankful because I have had many mentors in my life, and hopefully I’ve acted as a mentor in other capacities than being a Shoemaker Scholar. To me, mentoring and my understanding of the world go beyond teaching and instructing. Mentors, such as Melinda Gates, live their lives supporting and uplifting people, creating moments of lift for all people. I believe everyone has the capacity to be a mentor and that we are asked to be for others around us.

More information about the Shoemaker Scholars program is available at the following websites:

The 2020-21 Shoemaker Scholars: Meet Ryan Evan MacDonald.

Posted on by Steve Martin

The Shoemaker Scholars program brings together 10 Indiana University Bloomington students from a variety of academic disciplines. They encourage other students to explore their own entrepreneurial and innovative interests, and they oversee the StartupIU website that connects students with university-based startups. John and Donna Shoemaker funded the program, which awards annual scholarships to its members. Travis J. Brown launched and directs the program.

Ryan Evan MacDonald, a senior from Valparaiso, Indiana, majors in international studies in the Hamilton Lugar School of Global and International Studies. He has been a Shoemaker Scholar for two semesters.

Ryan Evan MacDonald. Photo by James Brosher, Indiana University.

“I think having an in-person experience this semester is really vital to taking initiative as an entrepreneur. There’s so much our program focuses on, especially when we’re generating ideas that are dependent on interpersonal communication,” MacDonald said. “Regardless of the challenges being on campus might bring, I am excited to be back and help students.”

Crimson Catalyst: What is the biggest impact Shoemaker Scholars have?

Ryan Evan MacDonald: Helping make resources and connections on entrepreneurship available alongside a higher education and not forcing students to choose one or the other.

CC: How did you learn about the Shoemakers Scholars program?

REM: Talking with a friend who turned out to be a Shoemaker Scholar himself.

CC: What do you enjoy most about being a Shoemaker Scholar?

REM: The connections I get to help make for the people this program is designed for. It can be confusing and scary to even think about entrepreneurship, but just talking to other people who can say it’s not that bad — or at least not as bad as you imagined — can do a lot of good. I like taking away some of the stress of pursuing a dream.

CC: What is a common misconception students have about entrepreneurship and innovation?

REM: That there’s some fixed type of people who are entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurship is for anyone who wants to start their own way of living, whether that’s starting your own art studio, bakery or medical practice — all those people are entrepreneurs. Even more so, if someone hasn’t done what you want to do exactly, or your dream job doesn’t exist, entrepreneurship is how you can make it a reality.

CC: How do you share insights with others, as an ambassador?

REM: Asking lots of questions. A lot of times especially ambitious people, myself included, can get caught up in our own heads. We never ask why, just how. The most important thing that I can do is give people a moment to breathe and reflect and ask why they want to start a business. There are a million and two people who would be more than happy to help them with legal services, accounting, and so on. They should be doing this for themselves, not because they feel some external pressure.

CC: What are your own entrepreneurial endeavors?

REM: Some sort of enterprise is in the works for me, and part of why I joined Shoemaker Scholars was to put it on better footing. So I’ll be able to help people while going through the process with them.

More information about the Shoemaker Scholars program is available at the following websites:

The 2020-21 Shoemaker Scholars: Meet Nicolas Narducci.

Posted on by Steve Martin

The Shoemaker Scholars program brings together 10 Indiana University Bloomington students from a variety of academic disciplines. They encourage other students to explore their own entrepreneurial and innovative interests, and they oversee the StartupIU website that connects students with university-based startups. John and Donna Shoemaker funded the program, which awards annual scholarships to its members. Travis J. Brown launched and directs the program.

Nicolas Narducci, a sophomore from Bloomington, Indiana, majors in finance and entrepreneurship in the Kelley School of Business. He has been a Shoemaker Scholar for one semester.

Nicolas Narducci. Photo provided by Nicolas Narducci.

“Although I am concerned about the state of campuswide activities due to COVID-19, I know that groups like Shoemaker Scholars will help provide an outlet for creative people to continue their endeavors,” Narducci said.

Crimson Catalyst: What is the biggest impact Shoemaker Scholars?

Nicolas Narducci: Although I have only been a part of the group for one semester, I can already see its impact on campus. Most student organizations and groups are school-centric and exist within their own bubbles of study. The Shoemaker Scholars function as a bridge between these campuses. This is essential to entrepreneurship, because the concept of entrepreneurship knows no bounds. At its core, it is creating something. The idea of creation exists across all fields of study and doctrines, so limiting resources to those enrolled in specific schools is shutting out the majority of students who would benefit the most from them. This is the purpose of the Shoemaker Scholars program, and why the group is essential to fostering entrepreneurship and creation across all areas of study on campus.

CC: How did you learn about the Shoemakers Scholars program?

NN: As a client of the Shoebox with my startup, I and other clients were informed about it by Travis Brown. As I learned about the members and the program, it seemed like an incredible opportunity to work with accomplished and focused individuals as well as make a difference in the university.

CC: What do you enjoy most about being a Shoemaker Scholar?

NN: I enjoy the community the most. Despite not being able to talk face-to-face due to COVID-19, I still feel connected to the other members of the group and know that I have a support system.

CC: What is a common misconception students have about entrepreneurship and innovation?

NN: A common misconception is that you have to be a business student to pursue it. That can’t be further from the truth. In fact, I would say the majority of students in the Shoemaker Innovation Center and the Shoemaker Scholars program are studying for degrees with little or no relation to business at all. Through these groups, I have talked to people pursuing degrees in everything from jazz to creative writing. Entrepreneurship is not limited to business, and I would highly encourage anyone who even has inkling of an idea to reach out and talk with any of the Shoemaker Scholars.

CC: How do you share insights with others, as an ambassador?

NN: I always offer my help and talk to anyone who expresses interest. As an avid supporter of the Shoemaker Innovation Center, I always encourage them to reach out and talk through their idea, or even just get involved in the network.

CC: What are your own entrepreneurial endeavors?

NN: I am currently the co-founder of a financial literacy education startup called fyscal. We are clients of the Shoebox and participate in as many campus and Bloomington events as we can. Outside of my startup work, I have worked as a mentor in my former high school, Bloomington North, for its entrepreneurship class, and I offer my contact info and help to anyone looking to get connected.

More information about the Shoemaker Scholars program is available at the following websites:

The 2020-21 Shoemaker Scholars: Meet Kacey Wood.

Posted on by Steve Martin

The Shoemaker Scholars program brings together 10 Indiana University Bloomington students from a variety of academic disciplines. They encourage other students to explore their own entrepreneurial and innovative interests, and they oversee the StartupIU website that connects students with university-based startups. John and Donna Shoemaker funded the program, which awards annual scholarships to its members. Travis J. Brown launched and directs the program.

Kacey Wood, a senior from Granger, Indiana, majors in information systems and business analytics in the Kelley School of Business. She has been a Shoemaker Scholar for four semesters.

Kacey Wood. Photo by James Brosher, Indiana University.

“I am excited to return to campus because of the importance of establishing connections and networking with other students at IU,” Wood said. “Having a virtual experience still permits student interaction, but being around the same proximity while social distancing opens up a new opportunity to get to know the other students beyond talking to them behind a screen.”

Crimson Catalyst: What is the biggest impact Shoemaker Scholars have?

Kacey Wood: Shoemaker Scholars are a communicative and collaborative group that promotes news, events and opportunities for students interested in innovation. Our biggest impact is normalizing the idea of building your own startup and promoting that idea to students to pursue their passions. Oftentimes students are afraid to begin a startup project because it might turn out to be too hard or they have little understanding of where to start. But the Shoemaker Scholars provide assistance within this entire process and are willing to answer any questions to help students get started and work on their own innovative projects.

CC: How did you learn about the Shoemakers Scholars program?

KW: As a freshman, I found out about the program through the StartupIU newsletter. I initially used this newsletter to learn about activities and events that were taking place across campus. If you are not subscribed to the StartupIU newsletter, you definitely should be!

CC: What do you enjoy most about being a Shoemaker Scholar?

KW: I enjoy the student interaction during various events that we promote across campus. Being able to hear students’ stories, plans and goals about their innovation and entrepreneurship journeys reminds me of how entrepreneurship can be found anywhere, no matter your major or interests. As a group, the Shoemaker Scholars put special efforts in holding events across the entire campus so that it is accessible for these diverse and bright-minded individuals. As a member of the group, I can certainly say these events are the most enjoyable part for me, as well as meeting any student who utilizes them for networking and an opportunity to grow their innovative ideas.

CC: What is a common misconception students have about entrepreneurship and innovation?

KW: Most students believe that entrepreneurship and innovation only align with business majors. This is 100 percent not true. Innovation is found anywhere. Whether you are interested in music, photography, dance, computer programming, education, or whatever, all areas apply.

CC: How do you share insights with others, as an ambassador?

KW: By spreading the word about the StartupIU newsletter and the spotlight series. On a continual basis, the Shoemaker Scholars share a newsletter featuring stories, news and information regarding events across campus. Another way I like to share insights with others is by communicating to them about the Shoemaker Scholars’ spotlight series. Every month, this series tells the story of one student on campus and their entrepreneurship journey. This series not only opens up discussion about the topic written about in the story, but it inspires and shows potential students that it is doable to start up and run a business throughout their college careers.

CC: What are your own entrepreneurial endeavors?

KW: In the past, I have been involved in a couple of startup projects, but I am currently not working on any entrepreneurial endeavors. Instead, I engage in conversations and chats outside of the group. I love meeting with people and learning about their own journey, giving my own insights, and hearing their short-term and long-term goals. I invite every student to please feel free to reach out if you want to have a coffee chat. I am always available and excited to talk more about entrepreneurship and innovation!

More information about the Shoemaker Scholars program is available at the following websites:

5th annual Innovation and Commercialization Conference goes virtual

Posted on by Steve Martin

The Indiana University Office of Innovation and Commercialization will host the fifth annual Innovation and Commercialization Conference on Sept. 17 and 18 on Zoom. It is co-sponsored by the Office of the Vice President for Research, the Office of the Vice President for Government Relations and Economic Engagement, the Office of Business Partnerships, and the Office of Research Administration.

This free online event introduces attendees to IU experts on new processes and resources for developing partnerships with industry; research agreements with federal and industrial partners; strategies for intellectual property protection and commercialization of their research; and startups to take their technology to market.

Nancy T. Chang

Fred Cate, IU vice president for research, will introduce keynote speaker Nancy T. Chang. In 1986, Chang co-founded biopharmaceutical company Tanox; she acted as its president and CEO while also serving on the faculty of the Baylor College of Medicine. The company developed Xolair, an asthma drug approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2003. In 2007, Genentech acquired Tanox for $919 million.

The Innovation and Commercialization Conference will run from 11 a.m. to 1:40 p.m. Sept. 17 and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sept. 18. Currently scheduled speakers are:

  • David Clemmer, Distinguished Professor and Robert and Marjorie Mann Chair of Chemistry, IU Bloomington.
  • Val Gill, IU associate vice president for business partnerships.
  • Samantha Ginther, senior associate and head of platform, IU Ventures.
  • Clark Greiner, director of business development, Bloomington Economic Development Corp.
  • Sherry Knighton-Schwandt, IU executive director for research development and IU Bloomington assistant vice provost for research.
  • Steve Martin, IU associate vice president for research administration.
  • Katie Morris, IU director of research contracting.
  • Mitesh Patel, BioCrossroads chief scientific officer and loaned executive, Lilly Research Laboratories.
  • Gary Schwebach, professor of practice in health informatics, IUPUI School of Informatics and Computing.
  • Simran Trana, IU associate vice president of innovation and commercialization.
  • Kathleen Unroe, associate professor of medicine, IU School of Medicine.
  • Ted Widlanski, IU Bloomington professor of chemistry and IU Investment Committee member.
  • Teri Willey, executive director of IU Ventures and fund manager for the IU Philanthropic Venture Fund.
  • Merv Yoder, Distinguished Professor Emeritus, IU School of Medicine.

The complete agenda for the free, two-day conference is available on the IU Research website.

Trana said the primary audience for IU ICO conferences and webinars is targeted yet broad.

Simran Trana

“These events are provided to help IU faculty, staff and students on all campuses and academic centers who are interested in learning more about resources that support innovation and entrepreneurial activity throughout the university,” Trana said. “Researchers and students focused on developing their research ideas and understanding how they can transform their research into impactful solutions for society would find the conference informative.”

Trana said the events also would be attractive to IU’s faculty inventors, members of the public who want to learn more about entrepreneurial activity at the university, and venture capitalists and economic development offices who want to engage with the university.

The fifth annual Innovation and Commercialization Conference is free, but online registration is required. Registration closes Sept. 16.

Chairman and CEO of Cummins to speak at Economic Club of Indiana’s Sept. 17 luncheon

Posted on by Steve Martin

Tom Linebarger

Tom Linebarger, chairman and CEO of Cummins Inc., will speak at the Economic Club of Indiana’s luncheon Thursday, Sept. 17. The luncheon will begin at noon. It is a free virtual event, but registration is required.

Indiana University and IUPUI are platinum sponsors of the Economic Club of Indiana’s luncheon season.

IU Ventures’ impact in fiscal year 2019-20: successes everywhere

Posted on by Steve Martin

The team at IU Ventures, who connects investors and donors to Indiana University-affiliated startups, made significant progress during the 2019-20 fiscal year, despite the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Teri Willey

“We met with more than 100 IU entrepreneurs and innovators during the year, and the work they have done in their respective industries is heartening. We have seen firsthand how IU people and technologies are impacting Indiana and the world,” said Teri Willey, executive director of IU Ventures and fund manager of IU Philanthropic Venture Fund LLC and Innovate Indiana Fund LLC. “Those meetings have led to several opportunities to strengthen IU’s entrepreneurial impact through fund investments and angel network connections.”

Fund investments

IU Ventures makes and oversees IU Philanthropic Venture Fund and the Innovate Indiana Fund investments.

Seven Philanthropic Venture Fund investments totaling $2,675,000 were made during IU’s 2019-20 fiscal year:

It made three follow-on investments worth $776,000:

The Philanthropic Venture Fund’s emphasis on syndication, or co-investing to complete one or more rounds of financing, facilitated another $20 million in investments made in addition to the fund’s own.

The Philanthropic Venture Fund saw its first company exit the portfolio. In August, Doxly was acquired by Chicago-based Litera Microsystems.

The Innovate Indiana Fund made three follow-on investments in 2019-20:

  • Diagnotes, $125,000
  • Periodic, $100,000
  • MomentPath, $50,000

And Costello become the third company to exit the Innovate Indiana Fund portfolio. Costello was acquired by Atlanta-based SalesLoft in October 2019.

“Companies leaving either portfolio is a cause for celebration because it means they have been able to fully repay the fund’s investment, founders and investors earn a return to further invest or donate and IU innovations reach the public,” Willey said. “Because returns to the IU Ventures are reinvested, the successes of our current portfolio companies will directly impact future support for IU and investments in other IU-affiliated businesses.”

Angel Network

IU Ventures also leads and manages the IU Angel Network, which launched in 2020. IU Angel Network facilitates connections between IU-affiliated startups and prospective angel investors among Indiana University’s global community of alumni, faculty, staff, students and other friends of IU.

Since it started receiving pitches from IU-affiliated companies in February 2020, the IU Angel Network has grown to 26 members. The network of angel investors has received seven live pitches, which led to $200,000 in total investments:

Jason Whitney

“The IU Angel Network has seen a steady increase in growth related to recruiting new angels, and we have been fortunate to fund additional new deals,” said Jason Whitney, executive director. “We will continue to expand the network’s footprint by doing intentional outreach to markets we have not previously done work in including Dallas, Atlanta and Seattle.”

IU Ventures was also recognized as one of the top five most active venture capital firms based on the number of deals in Indiana made in the first half of 2020.

Samantha Ginther

“Recognition of our work at IU Ventures is always encouraging,” said Samantha Ginther, senior associate and head of platform at IU Ventures. “We are especially honored to be named alongside Elevate Ventures, High Alpha, Techstars Sports Accelerator and Pit Road Fund, who are leaders in the Indiana venture ecosystem. Being in their company shows we are on the right track with two relatively new initiatives.”

Shoemaker Scholars lead new initiatives for IUB student creators, innovators and entrepreneurs in the 2020-21 year

Posted on by IU Communications

Students of Indiana University,

The Shoemaker Scholars are a group of students from different schools on the Bloomington campus dedicated to serving the StartupIU community and ushering in ways for students from all disciplines to collaborate and engage with each other.

This is an unprecedented time for IU and its student body. As Shoemaker Scholars, it is our duty to support fellow student creators, innovators and entrepreneurs through their endeavors. In this state of chaos, we have committed our efforts to fostering the community and keeping the entrepreneurial spirit alive.

It’s what we’ve done before with the creation, revamp and continued development of the StartupIU website and newsletter, and what we continue to do. We’ve trailblazed the infrastructure needed to keep the student body engaged, we’ve helped lead workshops around creatorship, and we’ve connected students with clubs and organizations that are committed to upskilling students. This will never change.

What is changing is our approach. We’re fully online, with lots of things in the works. We are doubling down on our commitment to the IU creatorship community.

In addition to what we have historically done, we are leading new initiatives:

  • We are giving the StartupIU community a feeling of home with a weekly chat called CatchupIU, when we hold “office hours” for aspiring student startups.
  • We are bringing students to student clubs with a premier collaboration event around ideaship and creatorship. This event will be completely virtual, as all our events are planned to be for the 2020-2021 academic year.
  • We are bringing students to student startups with our community-favorite StartupIU Fair so students can connect and see what IU startups are doing.

The StartupIU community is tenacious and knows how to make the most out of a messy situation. What we ask of fellow students is to come together and rally in support of each other. Create opportunities for each other. Help us help you. We have an established student network and would love to help you “start up.”

If you are lost and feel alone in this, you’re not the only one. We’re in this together! If you have an idea of how we as Shoemaker Scholars can serve you and the StartupIU community, please fill out this form. To keep in the know about events regarding creatorship, innovation and entrepreneurship at IU, subscribe to our newsletter by entering your email address on the StartupIU homepage to subscribe.

We’re here for you,

The Shoemaker Scholars

IU ICO Perspectives: a process to closely align with faculty

Posted on by IU Communications

By Simran Trana, associate vice president, IU Innovation and Commercialization Office

Over the six months that I have been at Indiana University, IU ICO has been reviewing its processes, practices and development programs that will align us more closely with faculty and what they need in terms of commercializing their intellectual property.

Simran Trana

Our commercialization managers are available to work with IU researchers to evaluate the discoveries and create an IP management and commercialization strategy, specifically aligned to each faculty member, their goals and priorities, the stage of development of their technology, and their area of research to make sure that university resources are invested in a way that will maximize the opportunity for commercial development of their technology.

Below is a high-level diagram that provides the process by which ICO evaluates markets and commercializes opportunity technologies developed at Indiana.

The process begins when IU researchers – including faculty, staff and students – discover something they consider new or noteworthy in their laboratory or other workspace. The researcher then submits a research discovery innovation to IU ICO. Disclosures can be made online or via email.

When ICO receives the disclosure, it is assigned to a commercialization manager who conducts due diligence on the invention’s novelty and market potential. That information is shared during a meeting with all ICO personnel, when we determine the next steps for the IP, including creating a marketing and commercialization plan, or offering a return of rights to the inventor. The process continues as ICO personnel market the IP to find companies and assist with startups to license the technology and bring it to market.

ICO looks forward to developing an integrated program with faculty by analyzing patents and potential markets to develop a plan to support commercialization efforts. We look forward to working closely with the OVCR and OVPR offices to develop programs to help support some internal development until we have technology that is ready for external investment. ICO is excited to have the opportunity to work with our premier research community. Connect with ICO at:  https://research.iu.edu/innovation-commercialization/index.html

Thank you for the warm welcome and ICO looks forward to making innovation and commercialization a featured and integral strength for Indiana University.