With a beneficiant reward from an nameless donor, the College of Dayton Workplace of Know-how and Entrepreneurial Partnerships has launched Propel Dayton, a program designed to assist potential entrepreneurs in beginning a brand new enterprise round a expertise developed at UD.
Propel Dayton was created in response to UD President Eric F. Spina’s inaugural speech calling for the creation of “progressive insurance policies, practices and incentives” to advance entrepreneurship throughout the College. Whereas this system was created primarily to assist UD college and employees in commercializing their applied sciences, Propel Dayton additionally will work with promising entrepreneurs within the Dayton area curious about bringing applied sciences developed by the College to market.
“Progressive tech start-ups are necessary to financial improvement,” stated Mathew Willenbrink, director of expertise and entrepreneurial partnerships at UD. “A lot of Dayton’s financial system was primarily based on entrepreneurship traditionally, and our objective is to supply alternatives and assets for native entrepreneurs to construct on that legacy and create new companies from regionally grown applied sciences. It is good for them and it is good for the area.”
College leaders hope this system will faucet UD’s wealthy portfolio of expertise and mental property developed by the College of Dayton Analysis Institute and different analysis efforts. By means of conducting greater than $2 billion in sponsored analysis in areas comparable to corrosion safety, nanotechnology, supplies, inexperienced expertise and picture evaluation, UD has developed a variety of promising cutting-edge applied sciences with industrial potential.
More information about UD technologies and patents available for license can be found here.
Propel Dayton will present those that enter this system with a wide range of assets, from recommendation in growing a marketing strategy to connections with seasoned entrepreneurs. This system consists of three phases, the primary of which entails exploring industrial alternatives with new entrepreneurs and outlining the assets obtainable to them. candidates are then despatched by means of a pre-accelerator program earlier than the ultimate stage, when new corporations are launched.
“We’ll additionally present an in-depth define of what’s concerned in beginning a brand new enterprise and assist them resolve whether or not it is one thing they actually wish to pursue,” Willenbrink stated.
Willenbrink stated an nameless reward designated to assist start-up corporations primarily based on expertise developed on the College is permitting Propel Dayton to get began.
“We’re taking a look at this as a smooth roll-out, however we’ll nonetheless have the ability to present a variety of companies to fledgling entrepreneurs, comparable to schooling, steering and networking alternatives,” he stated. “We stay up for taking Propel Dayton to its fullest potential after we’re on the opposite facet of the pandemic. At the moment we may have extra assets and alternatives, which is able to permit us to take this system even additional.”
Willenbrink added there are plans to ultimately maintain “pitch occasions,” a College model of Shark Tank.
“Profitable ventures that began on our very personal campus have yielded financial advantages to the founders and neighborhood and supplied vital instructional alternatives for our college students,” Willenbrink stated. “This program will present a way for a fair higher variety of College of Dayton and metropolis of Dayton entrepreneurs to get pleasure from related successes.”
To be taught extra about Propel Dayton, contact Willenbrink at mwillenbrink1@udayton.edu or visit Propel Dayton’s website.
For interviews, contact Shawn Robinson, affiliate director of stories and communications, at srobinson1@udayton.edu.
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