Consider presenting your technology at “Brainstorm, an Accelerate UConn Program”, to be held September 7 at UConn Storrs.
You would make a 5-minute "pitch" of your innovative solution and then engage in brainstorming conversations with others who can potentially give feedback and work with you to apply your technology to solve problems.
Faculty, post-docs, alumni, staff, students and guests from industry with an interest in solving problems are strongly encouraged to attend to help identify potential problems for the solutions presented. The top presenter will receive $1,000 in seed funding, and will be given preferred status to apply for Accelerate UConn.
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BrainStorm
An Accelerate UConn Program
Research-Based Concept Presentations & Team Building Even
Call for applications to present: http://bit.ly/UConnAccelerate2017
Attendee registration page: http://bit.ly/UConnAUattendee
Join us & build your team!
BrainStorm is an evening aimed at creating teams made up of UConn faculty, post-docs, staff, alumni, students and industry mentors that will apply to be a part of Accelerate UConn’s Fall 2017 Cohort.
Research-based concepts will be presented, attendees will brainstorm ways to transition those concepts into the marketplace, and teams will be formed. Likewise – problems can be presented and solutions suggested. Or, a problem and solution can be suggested using the audience for validation of the concepts.
Got an innovative technology that could be the core technology for a commercial venture?
Consider making a 5-minute "pitch" of your innovative solution and engage in brainstorming conversations with others who can potentially work with you to apply your technology to solve problems.
Faculty, post-docs, alumni, staff, and students with an interest in solving problems are strongly encouraged to join us to identify potential problems for the solutions presented.
Following brief solution "pitches", participants will be encouraged to brainstorm how technology solution can be applied to real world problems. Teams formed around projects will be preferred applicants for Accelerate UConn, a program that can validate concepts and provide small grants to support concept development.
When: September 7, 2017, 4:30 pm – 7:30 pm
Where: Information Technologies Engineering Building Lobby
Who: UConn Faculty, Staff, Post-docs, Alumni, Students
Agenda:
4:30pm - 5pm _ Arrivals & Networking
Main Lobby Area, around innovation posters/ meeting tables for each concept.
5:00pm _ Welcome
Comments and setting the stage for the evening, short remarks to the crowd
5:00 – 6:15pm _ Presentations
(:05 allowed per presentation, hold Q&A for discussion time)
6:15 – 7:15pm _ Brainstorming Discussions / Team Building
7:15 – 7:30 pm _ Closing Remarks
7:30 pm _ Adjourn
Call for applications to present: http://bit.ly/UConnAccelerate2017
Attendee registration page: http://bit.ly/UConnAUattendee
About Accelerate UConn:
Accelerate UConn provides teams with seed grants of up to $3,000 and business training that accelerates the commercialization process for early-stage technologies developed at UConn. Participating teams gain valuable insight into the best ways to advance new technologies to the marketplace. Teams that have completed the program have gone on to win additional support through the Connecticut Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation Summer Fellowship, the UConn SPARK Technology Commercialization Fund, the BioPipeline CT Grant program, as well as investments from Connecticut Innovations.
Team ideas or projects can originate from a variety of sources, including research (funded and unfunded), student work, institutional or industrial projects. The topical focus of a project must be in an area(s) of science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) normally supported by NSF, including, but not limited to, medical devices, mobile applications, software, physical products, internet of things, social startups, hardware, wearables, etc..
A typical team includes:
The Entrepreneurial Lead (EL) is typically a post-doctoral scholar, professional staff, graduate or other student with relevant knowledge of the technology and a deep commitment to investigate the commercial landscape surrounding the innovation.
Role details: ELs are responsible for attending and representing the team at all in-person and WebEx meetings during the 7-week program. ELs are also expected to lead the team’s customer discovery efforts and weekly 10-minute presentations on the insights and progress made during this process to the rest of the cohort, and program instructors. ELs should expect to spend 10-12 hours per week on developing and refining their venture’s business model during this program. During the opening and closing weeks, this will be taken up by in-class time. During the interim weeks, 3 hours will be spent on group WebEX calls, and an additional 5-6 hours should be dedicated to customer discovery and the recording of information gained through interviews.
Industry Mentor will typically be an experienced or emerging entrepreneur with proximity to the institution and experience in transitioning technology out of Academic labs. The I-Corps Teams Mentor must be a third-party resource.
Role details: Serving as an Accelerate UConn mentor is a voluntary role, and the mentor should not expect any ownership stake in the company or other form of compensation. Mentors are encouraged, but not required to attend in-person or WebEX meetings during the program. Mentors should expect to spend 1-2 hours per week outside of these meetings assisting the EL and AL during the program.
The Academic Lead / Principal Investigator (PI) will be responsible for overall project management and grant management.
Role details: ALs may have a variety of roles in the program, depending on the makeup of the team, and the relationship with EL. However, a key role of the AL is to support the EL in the identification of critical issues in the business model, and in the process of customer discovery. The Academic Leads who participate in program sessions and check in with their ELs frequently during the program will get the most value from the experience. The opportunity exists to learn effective ways to test and validate the market opportunity associated with your technology. Participating in some customer interviews and joining in the process of analyzing the results is the only way to do this.
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More details:
- Food & drinks will be provided
- This event is open to the UConn community and invited guests
- Contest / Vote for best presentation - Top presenter will receive $1,000 in seed funding, and will be given preferred status to apply for Accelerate UConn!
- Pre-registration is required
Call for applications to present: http://bit.ly/UConnAccelerate2017
Attendee registration page: http://bit.ly/UConnAUattendee
For more information about Accelerate UConn, please contact Accelerate UConn - an NSF I-Corps Site accelerateuconn@uconn.edu
APPLY NOW FOR ACCELERATE UCONN’S FALL 2017 COHORT!
For more information, contact: Paige Rasid at paige.rasid@uconn.edu