University Start-Ups: Lessons for TTOs in Support, Funding, Licensing, Ecosystem Development, and Management

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For most tech transfer offices, creating start-ups out of university IP has become as central to their work as licensing to established companies, if not moreso. And start-ups require a completely different set of skills and bring complex challenges for TTOs, which must act as part advisor, part CEO recruiter, part fundraiser, part economic developer, part educator, and of course part licensor.

With multiple start-ups at different stages all competing for attention, it’s a whole lot to handle.

That’s why we’ve curated this 156-page report providing from-the-field guidance on the full range of challenges you face in the complex arena of new venture development based on university innovations.

The report is broken into five sections:

Start-up Germination and Support

Covering incubation and acceleration, matching IP with entrepreneurs, nurturing early-stage ventures and educating founders

Start-up Funding

Guidance on capital attraction, working with angels and VCs, building internal funding mechanisms, SBIR/STTR, and crowdfunding

Start-up Licensing

Examples of express start-up licensing programs, a model term sheet, and pre-incorporation option agreements

Start-up Ecosystem Development

Filling the entrepreneur gap, using university resources to assist non-university start-ups, building a local venture community, and talent attraction

Start-up Management Issues

Going beyond start-up to scale-up, managing EIR and mentor programs, equity and cap table management, internal de-risking, board participation, building start-up teams, and exit strategy

Here’s just a small sample of the 40+ detailed articles you’ll get in this idea-packed report:

• U Memphis hires post-docs full-time to start businesses using university IP
• Sweat Equity Challenge attracts software start-ups for NC State
• Venture studio model gaining traction as nurturer of university start-ups
• Penn State’s ‘ENtern’ program seeks to foster future entrepreneurs
• U-M Startup Pipeline report helps raise early-stage investment capital
• Tell your SBIR/STTR companies about this little-known supplement
• As venture deal terms narrow, TTOs should focus on investor quality
• U Georgia’s new start-up license offers speed and favorable terms in two-phase approach
• U of Arkansas creates new option agreement for ‘pre-incorporation’ teams
• UMB New Venture Group’s model succeeds in boosting region’s start-up ecosystem
• NJIT targets entrepreneur gap with series of DEI-focused programs
• Columbia program takes in non-university ventures to boost impact, grow ecosystem
• TTOs take varied approaches to EIR and mentor programs
• Using stock options as a vehicle for hiring university start-up teams
• Start-up board positions must be filled carefully and used appropriately

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University Start-Ups: Lessons for TTOs in Support, Funding, Licensing, Ecosystem Development, and Management is available for immediate PDF delivery for $189.