University Innovation Fellows - User contributions [en]

Priorities:Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Student Priorities

2016-02-18T03:56:23Z

Ray Parker:

=== Overview: ===

The Innovation and Entrepreneurship Landscape Canvas at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is relatively well-established but is severely lacking in student involvement This lack of involvement stems from a lack of exposure to the resources available on campus and an unclear "access point" for students to begin their involvement in the I&E Ecosystem at Rensselaer. 

Though there is a lack of involvement, Rensselaer clearly values entrepreneurship, as indicated by an excerpt of The Rensselaer Plan found below:

'''"It is imperative that Rensselaer students learn about opportunities to get involved in entrepreneurial pursuits early on in their college career in order for Rensselaer to effectively achieve the goals stated in the Rensselaer Plan." (The Rensselaer Plan - 6.1 Entrepreneurship Education and Research)'''
<div>Entrepreneurship is a way of life that springs from fundamental education and research programs. We work to infuse understanding and encouragement of entrepreneurship through all schools and programs. </div><div> </div><div> </div><div></div>
= Project Pitch Video =

{{#Widget:Youtube|id=dzOqJFkZFcE}}

=== '''Our Plan:''' ===

*Expand the Institute’s fundamental research activity in technological entrepreneurship and the management of innovation.
**Teach the fundamentals of entrepreneurship — and intrapreneurship — to students across all majors, establishing a general curriculum requirement in this area.
**Expand opportunities for students to create innovation by increasing the number of hands-on courses, such as: Introduction to Engineering Design, Inventors Studio, and Multidisciplinary Design Laboratory; programs such as Product Design and Innovation, and competitions such as the Formula SAE car project.
**Provide opportunities for students to work in settings where technology is being commercialized, such as entrepreneurial faculty projects, internships, and co-op experiences.
**Create opportunities in the Rensselaer Union and in the residence halls for students to propose, design, and implement projects, processes, and organizations. 
**The joint venture between the NCIIA and Epicenter is all about '''values '''and '''empowering''' students, with the goal of bringing ideas to life that will be beneficial to society and to the economy. Values such as raising people, especially the most needy, out of poverty and helping them fulfill their potential. These are the kind of values that students must be empowered with and that must be ingrained into engineering education.

 

=== Why does RPI curriculum need to be revamped? ===

A majority of RPI student want to make a difference in the world. They want to change it for the better for billions of people. But, they must be equipped with the right skill sets in order to do so. Innovative and entrepreneurial thinking must be better ingrained into their education. They must learn that TECHNOLOGY has the ability to play a critical role in solving these kinds of problems. Leveraging the power of smartphones, sensors, and the Internet is key in order to create DISRUPTIVE TECHNOLOGIES for health, education, environment, and raising the standard of living. Integrating these values into engineering education is key to empowering students to develop a strong sense of empathy and a passionate desire to take action.

*Some key books that are value-driven, which state that work must be based on clear values are:
**''How Will You Value Your Life'' - Clayton Christianson
**''Start with Why'' - Michael Sinek

Students and professors must be fully aware of the fact that t'''he world has changed'''. Acknowledgment is not enough. RPI has an opportunity to be one of the LEADERS in using technology to benefit billions of people. Dr. Shirley Ann Jackson, the President of RPI, has made innovation and entrepreneurship one of the key goals in the Refresh Rensselaer Plan.Her input, and that of the Provost and the Deans at RPI must be heard. Their suggestions regarding the efforts to expand the ecosystem of innovation and entrepreneurship at RPI must be noted and vocalized; the department heads and heads of curriculum ineach department at RPI must be drilled down with this information.

=== '''What We Teach MUST Change.''' ===

''' '''Professor Tina Seelig said it beautifully in her Innovation Engineer talk - we must learn how to think in the terms of  "? + ? = 10" not "5 + 5 = ?". Sure, “engineers make sure bridges don’t fall down," it is their responsibility. But engineers can also create ''new ways to communicate'', ''new paths to education'', and ''new technology ''that makes it possible for any one person, anywhere in the world, to get the best possible healthcare and education.

Another beautiful example is Max Little's TED talk about Parkinson’s diagnosis. His innovation is '''massively scalable''', continues to learn, and costs essentially nothing. Shouldn’t healthcare, education, and opportunity fit the same requirements? Why aren't students stretched to reach for the ideal in their designs?

=== It is so very important to provide students with '''the right skills.''' ===

 “Knowledge and Thoroughness” is the current RPI motto, along with "Why not change the world?" But what will, and should, the new motto be?  "Change the world" is too vague and does not adequately point out the '''threats '''posed by inequalities. Students need to learn to see opportunities without being told what to do, and they need to make their visions into reality. They can't sit back asking "Why not change the world?" but rather, they need to sit back and say "How can I change the world?" "What is the next step?" "What difference can I make TODAY?" and "Am I doing work that is making an impact? Am I building the skill sets I need?"

Technology must be focused on making life better for the 99%, not for the elite and their fancier kitchens, cars, or toys. If students learn to focus on the most needy, then everyone can use the technology. There are many people right in North Troy, New York who are struggling to survive.  THEY are our customers, not the 1%.

=== '''Overcoming the Barriers of Success:''' ===

=== 1) School Curriculum ===

The Early Adopters and Getting the Movement Started

* Faculty Reach
** The''' '''faculty certainly have not been forced to think differently like this, but they MUST now be encouraged to think differently
**Start with a few faculty members - the “early adopters” - who will introduce creativity, opportunity-finding, innovation, and an entrepreneurial ATTITUDE into their courses.

=== 2) Events that Promote Entrepreneurship ===

* Events that Inspire
**Encourage students to take their academics more seriously, and look at their learning as an opportunity to develop their portfolio of skill sets that will equip them with the tools to make a difference in the world. 
**Gain support from alumni and from companies who hire RPI graduates.
**Reach out to companies that advise each of the departments on campus and get input on changing the curriculum.

=== 3) Maker Space ===

*Creating a location for students to collaborate on school work, independent studies, and startups. 
**Our school lacks a facility where students can work 24hours a day. While we do have some facilities that contain machinery and work tables, most are only open during the hours of 8am-6pm, the exact time when most students are in classes. After interviewing RPI students, it has become apparent that opening a facility open 24 hours would greatly benefit them by giving them an environment where they can work for long periods of time, when they don't have classes, and with other students.
**We are in the process of securing a location in the "J-Building" on campus to serve as a Makerspace. We are continuing to interview students about how much this space would benefit them and how they would like it to be set up.

=== '''OVERALL GOAL FOR RPI:''' ===

'''Change the culture and curriculum of RPI to get more students involved with entrepreneurship and provide a location where students can apply what they have learned to their own personal startups.'''









= '''Related Links''' = [[Meghan Olson|'''Meghan Olson''']] [http://universityinnovation.org/wiki/Ray_Parker Ray Parker] [[Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute|'''Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute''']] [[Category:Student Priorities|Student_Priorities]]

School:Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

2016-02-18T01:31:36Z

Ray Parker:

'''Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Innovation Ecosystem: Promoting student innovation and entrepreneurship'''

= '''Overview''' =

'''''The motto of entrepreneurship at RPI:  A way to think. A way to learn. A way to succeed. ''''' [[File:Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Seal.jpg|thumb|Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Seal.jpg]]

"Entrepreneurial thinking lies at the heart of Rensselaer’s philosophy. Like our faculty, Rensselaer students are encouraged to pursue creativity and discovery — and the results are often spectacular. Our undergraduates embrace change in ways that have transformed how the world works, plays, and lives.

Our entrepreneurship program is built on the premise that ''not everyone wants to, or needs to, become an entrepreneur, but in today’s world everyone should know how to think like one."''

This statement shows RPI's commitment to entrepreneurial thinking, not so much the outcome of entreprenurship. The RPI Exemplar's program is a great example of the culture of entrepreneurship that RPI thrives on, as the Exemplar's program is designed for students who have a high level of interest in complementing their education by aquiring an entrepreneurail perspective.

'''Formal programs:'''

*B.S. Electronic Arts (Media, Ecology, Entrepreneurship and Experimentation)
*BS. Design,Innovationand Society
*M.S. Technological Communication & Entrepreneurship
*Ph.D. Science and Technology Studies
*Minor Entrepreneurship

'''Extracurricular Activities:'''

*[http://www.eship.rpi.edu/exemplars_scholar_edge.html Exemplar's Program]
*[http://www.rpi.edu/dept/lally/centers/severino/foundry.html RPI Foundry]
*[http://designforamerica.com/studios/rensselaer/ RPI Design for America]
*[http://startuptechvalley.org/ Startup Tech Valley]
*[http://lallyschool.rpi.edu/severino-center-competitions Business Model Competition]
*[http://lallyschool.rpi.edu/severino-center-competitions Change the World Challenge]
*[http://lallyschool.rpi.edu/severino-center-competitions Elevator Pitch Competition]

[[File:RPI.png|border|RPI.png]]

'''Conferences and Workshops: '''

*[http://rpihub.org/boss-sponsors/ BOSS Conference]
*[http://www.tvcog.net/ Startup Validation Conference]
*[http://startup.ny.gov/ Startup NY]
*[http://startuptechvalley.org/ StartupTech Valley]

Education geared toward entrepreneurial thinking encourages students at RPI to think in different ways, to come up with new ideas to solve problems and to enter on-campus competitions such as the Change the World Challenge, the Class of ’51 Entrepreneurial Fund, the Elevator Pitch Competition, and the RPI Business Plan Competition.  These programs often provide the spark which gives students the entrepreneurial bug and encourages them to continue pursuing their ideas.

The Severino Center for Technological Entrepreneurship (SCTE), centered in Rensselaer’s Lally School of Management & Technology, helps to foster new generations of budding and successful entrepreneurs through outreach programs, education, and support systems.  In recognition of the fact that most business students aren’t inventors, the Lally School intersects with other schools on campus to encourage the formation of new student teams and the fusing of their ideas.

Small Buhrmaster grants in the amounts of $1,000 to $2,000 are available, as determined by the Director of the Severino Center, for student ventures to test the market feasibility of their business concepts and to establish and define their target customers.  Mr. Buhrmaster, ’69 is a friend of the Lally school and a member of its advisory council.

The Severino Center also provides Mentoring and Resources via the Student Sandbox, Entrepreneurs-in-Residence, the Rensselaer Student Entrepreneurship Club, and assistance in finding teammates.  Experienced entrepreneur volunteers are assigned to coach teams that receive a Buhrmaster grant to help guide them in their market and business development activities.  

= '''Encouraging faculty innovation and entrepreneurship''' =

''Incredible professors like Burt Swersey, Dr. Eric Ledet, and many others''

''"For the last decade, the Rensselaer Plan has provided a blueprint for transformation and impact. It has guided the development of an exceptional campus environment for advancing research with the potential to address science and society’s most challenging problems. Based on this strong foundation, Rensselaer research is creating a better future through the innovation and engineering of a better world. With our accelerated trajectory, the best is yet to come."''

Research is huge on RPI's campus and encouraging innovation is both in line with The Rensselaer Plan and Rensselaer's motto of "why not change the world?"

[[File:Rpi logo tag lg 22.gif]]

== Innovation and Entrepreneurship Classes and Activities ==

There are multiple different types of organizations and classes that try to teach theses sorts of opportunities and ways of thinking at Rensselaer, including a class called How to Change the World and Starting a New Venture. In addition to this, there are activities such as Design for America and Foundry that are also a part of the I&E spectrum. In addition to these supplementary classes, there are also other courses such as Capstone Senior Design Course that help to develop interdisciplinary bridges across multiple academic departments. A prerequisite for this sort of course consists of many different classes across many different academic subjects, as well as the class Introduction to Engineering design during most engineering student's sophomore years, which focus on giving exposure to the design process that will help Rensselaer's engineering students in the future. 

== Other Resources ==

In addition to classes, Rensselaer offers many different types of laboratories that are opened during certain hours of the day. These include the Mercer Lab for Electronics, the MILL, and Student Shop. These labs are opened during certain hours of the day that give certain students access to different types of equipment for them to do prototyping and other types of work with.

There are many different co-op and internship opportunities at Rensselaer as well, that work with many companies. Some of Rensselaer's top employers are United Technology Corporation, Boeing, Cisco, General Electric, GlobalFoundries, Deloitte, Epic Systems, FactSet, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Schlumberger, Hasbro and IBM.

= '''Actively supporting the university technology transfer function''' =

''RPI Office of Technology Commercialization: ''[http://www.rpitechnology.com/ http://www.rpitechnology.com/]

''RPI Technology Transfer/Innovation Hub: ''[http://rpihub.org/author/admin/ http://rpihub.org/author/admin/]

== The Rensselaer Plan ==

The Rensselaer Plan addresses technology transfer and intellectual property policies that encourage entrepreneurship.  Research is the major driver of science and technology transfer, invention, and innovation. Technological entrepreneurship completes the technology lifecycle — from discovery to the creation of impact in the global marketplace. With an expanding research base, we will cultivate a campus culture that provides the spirit and motivation for inventors to pursue commercialization. We will: Increase awareness of intellectual property, preserving its value in research agreements and maximizing its value under shared equity arrangements and licensing agreements, covering intellectual property developed in research and materials developed for distance education.  Create intellectual property policies that encourage entrepreneurship and allowthe university to take equity positions in new ventures as appropriate.  Ensure that intellectual property policies have adequate and appropriate conflictof interest and conflict of commitment provisions. Develop an awareness and infrastructure of intellectual property rights policies, incentives, and marketing to support innovation and commercialization.

== Creating and Supporting New Ventures ==

World-class technological research universities excel in transferring research outputs to the commercial sector. We will create innovative programs targeted at growing major new technological ventures and creating value. We will:  Enhance the process of matching researchers and entrepreneurs to create new ventures that take Rensselaer intellectual property to market  Provide business planning and facilitate venture capital for faculty and students for start-up companies that commercialize leading-edge Rensselaer research.  Expand the Incubator program to accommodate more start-ups and second-stage incubation.  Expand the flow of technology, talent, and ventures into the Rensselaer Technology Park and the Capital Region. Bring new focus to the Rensselaer Technology Park as the locus for mature ventures based on the technologies taught and researched at the Institute. Work with private and public sources to attract new venture capital and entrepreneurial talent to the Capital Region.

= '''Facilitating University-Industry Collaboration''' =

== RPI Tech Park ==

Rensselaer Technology Park is a university related park for technology ventures seeking a unique environment focused on the interface between industry and education.

According to the rpitechpark.com website, the University Interactions Policy of the Tech Park is built upon "a fundamental objective of the Park is to develop interactions between tenant companies and the university.  Such interactions enrich the educational environment of the university and help the companies stay on the leading edge of their technologies.  All companies in the Park automatically become “affiliates” of Rensselaer."  Building a synergistic environment is a responsibility shared by all members of the Park staff."

== EVE (Emerging Ventures Ecosystem) ==

The work of turning ideas into real companies happens in RPI’s incubator, the Emerging Ventures Ecosystem (EVE).  EVE is a distributed incubation program which accelerates the growth of new businesses and boosts the transfer of scientific and technological breakthroughs from the laboratory and classroom to the marketplace, for social and economic impact.

Launched in February 2011, the Emerging Ventures Ecosystem (EVE) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute serves to link “Rensselaer institutional resources and alumni/ae expertise symbiotically with community strengths, in a multi-faceted partnership for mutual benefit.”  The goal of EVE is to nurture new businesses and to build upon the decades of successful efforts of RPI’s previous incubator by helping young businesses grow and succeed.[[File:Evered.gif|thumb|EVE Accelerator Logo]]

Rensselaer’s previous incubator program was opened in 1980 as the nation’s first such program wholly sponsored and operated by a university. In its later stages, the incubator was primarily used for its “brick and mortar” assets, as place for entrepreneurially minded students to rent at a low cost, with convenient access to a photocopier.  The model of RPI’s old incubator was traditional: it was rented by students who were seeking to start a venture, which either lived or died, and then moved on.  The RPI Incubator building was closed in late 2009 simply because it did not make any money for the institution.

The new EVE program utilizes an innovative distributed incubation model, maintaining a central office in Troy, NY and working with each company to find an ideal matchup of space-to-enterprise in Troy and the surrounding area.  EVE is overseen by James Spencer, who has 20 years of experience in leading organizational creation and growth as an entrepreneurial business executive.

Once a new company completes the application process for the EVE program — through which Rensselaer will determine, in part, whether the entrepreneur is willing to put in the effort to make the company successful — the program will assign a status to the company: pre-seed, emerging, or early stage. Assigning these descriptions will help EVE mentors and administrators determine the specific services needed by each business.

Under EVE, businesses that are accepted into the program will receive a series of specific services that will help accelerate their growth.  A board of advisers will be established from community resources or alumni/ae for each new company.  If a company already has a board of advisers or directors, EVE will assign an additional person to the board to act as a liaison to mobilize resources within the Institute.

Upon formation of a board of advisors, three or four key objectives are developed by each company with the help of their advisory board.  Milestones for these objectives are then established for each quarter, in an effort to create a concrete plan for success and to generate measurable objectives; new goals are developed for succeeding semesters.  Companies must continue to show steady progress in order to remain in the program.

As a member of EVE, a company will have access to the Entrepreneur(s)-in-Residence at the Lally School as well as other resources including labs, patenting and licensing services, faculty, and students for work-study assignments, internships (REIP), and student projects.  Additional resources for EVE members include alumni/ae and community volunteers such as attorneys and accountants who are available to answer questions and provide advice and one time assistance for basic questions.  If an EVE company requires further professional assistance, they are encouraged to select a professional service company from a list provided through the EVE program. Such services may be offered at a discount to seed and early stage companies.

EVE hosts monthly peer review meetings, known as CEO Roundtable Discussions, among the CEOs of the incubated companies as a framework for peer-to-peer coaching among the mix of pre-seed, early state, and emerging companies supported by the EVE incubator program.  At these meetings, participants will sign disclosure agreements allowing a platform for confidential open discussions about topics and issues of importance to them.  The companies will also be invited to a monthly meeting featuring a speaker or a lecturer based upon a topic selected by the EVE companies’ CEOs and will also attend quarterly meet-ups for all employees of incubated companies, allowing the employees to build relationships and exchange ideas.

EVE promotes and introduces its companies to investors, assists them in identifying and seeking grant opportunities such as NYSERDA and SBIR, and helps them prepare for business plan competitions; the companies are given assistance in preparing applications, presentations, and pitches.  Additionally, members are provided access to professional grant writers to assist them as needed.

The EVE companies are invited to expand their professional networks through networking opportunities within the local business and academic community in order increase exposure to decision makers, funding sources from grants, and potential angel investors.  EVE is physically located off-campus in an effort to incubate companies directly in the community of Troy, NY and to strategically re-invent the typical “brick and mortar” business incubation model followed by RPI’s old incubator.  EVE is not a center where entrepreneurial students can simply rent space and use a photocopier the way a “brick and mortar” incubator is often used, but it is a 4,000 square foot center which strictly focuses on moving students through a business development continuum and on preparing them to fill vacant business facilities in the Troy community, leased at very low prices by realtors.  EVE does not want to focus on space like the traditional brick and mortar incubation model because if a company takes up too much space, they can’t let others in; student startups enrolled in EVE are treated like real businesses.

EVE was launched in February of 2011 with eight companies and now supports over thirty.  The continuum of business development begins with the formation of customized ninety-day plans which include 3-5 specific short term goals, preparing these young ventures to fill business space in the community.  Each venture enrolled in EVE has access to a huge network of professional individuals which include over 90,000 alumni that can potentially serve as mentors (25-30 of which are very active), the wind tunnel and prototyping capabilities at RPI, NYSERDA money, professional services (the first hour or two of which are provided for free), and accounting firms to help set up Quickbooks.  Although many professional services are not provided for EVE companies, aggressive rates are negotiated with local providers and funding often comes from venture pitches.

The key to RPI’s Emerging Ventures Ecosystem is that companies never graduate from the incubator because business development and iteration is never finalized.  Companies supported by EVE are always welcome to come back and ask for assistance in making new connections with the large international network of individuals.  RPI’s large alumni network serves as a virtual incubator in the sense that the network is leveraged to help grow companies as they experience the transition from technology ideas and intellectual property to commercialization through their education. 

== ==

=   '''Engaging with regional and local economic development efforts''' =

== Startup Tech Valley - Where Entrepreneurs and the Community Come Together ==

A monthly meetup for first-time entrepreneurs, experienced entrepreneurs, aspiring entrepreneurs, investors, mentors, employees of startups, serviceprodiders to startups, and anyone else who wants to be involved.

== Tech Valley Center of Gravity ==

The Tech Valley Center of Gravity is a federation of makers, hackers, crafters, and artists who share camaraderie, space, and resources to do our tinkering. We have a permanent makerspace, several satellite locations, and a community of local individuals and organizations to share and support them. We are based in downtown Troy, NY, and sponsor events all over the New York State Capital Region.

Our primary goal is to build a community around the idea of doing for ourselves, rather than just passively consuming, and learning how the arts, crafts, and technologies that surround us every day work, along the way. We also aim to create a network of contacts for small business and start-ups in the Capital Region to connect with local leaders, like-minded businesses and individuals, and tools and resources they might not otherwise have access to.

== Accelerate518 ==

TAccelerate518 (A518) is a consortium of stakeholders nestled in the heart of our State—New York’s Capital Region. The Capital Region encompasses four counties: Albany, Schenectady, Rensselaer and Saratoga. The synergy of these four counties is the catalyst for invention and innovation.

The Capital Region has a rich history of incubating and growing multinational corporations, including: New York Central Railroad, American Express, Cap Cities, General Electric, American Locomotive Company, Albany International, International Paper, and Albany Molecular Research. Accelerate518 is a platform to facilitate multiple groups working together to advance entrepreneurship and innovation in the Capital Region.  The goals of A518 include fostering active collaboration among educators and stakeholders, providing practical resources for entrepreneurs, sharing resources for education and training, and developing a network of individuals committed to invigorating the startup culture of the Capital Region.  We have aligned our interests to help the regional entrepreneurial ecosystem grow companies and create sustainable jobs. Initial core members of A518 include: CEG, Albany Medical College, Albany Law School, Hudson Valley Community College, RPI, Sage Colleges, Siena College, Skidmore College, Union College, and University at Albany.

= Landscape Canvas and Presentation =

[https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1Ek9pplesv42Ubc0TzcqW7mtASYtgL_XbJmvxJG4e14s/pub?start=true&loop=true&delayms=3000 Landscape Canvas Documentation]

[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1cg47LQI3tLh2gxM4u2FfyEPX1ljnFulr97_amxy4ebc/pubhtml Landscape Presentation]

= Related Links =

[[Meghan Olson|Meghan Olson]]

[http://universityinnovation.org/wiki/Ray_Parker Ray Parker]

[http://universityinnovation.org/wiki/Rensselaer_Polytechnic_Institute_Student_Priorities Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Student Priorities]

[[Category:Universities]]

Priorities:Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Student Priorities

2016-02-17T23:58:42Z

Ray Parker:

=== Overview: ===

The Innovation and Entrepreneurship Landscape Canvas at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is relatively well-established but is severely lacking in student involvement This lack of involvement stems from a lack ofexposure to the resources available on campus and an unclear "access point" for students to begin their involvement in the I&E Ecosystem at Rensselaer. 

Though there is a lack of involvement, Rensselaer clearly values entrepreneurship, as indicated by an excerpt of The Rensselaer Plan found below:

'''"It is imperative that Rensselaer students learn about opportunities to get involved in entrepreneurial pursuits early on in their college career in order for Rensselaer to effectively achieve the goals stated in the Rensselaer Plan." (The Rensselaer Plan - 6.1 Entrepreneurship Education and Research)'''
<div>Entrepreneurship is a way of life that springs from fundamental education and research programs. We work to infuse understanding and encouragement of entrepreneurship through all schools and programs. </div><div> </div><div></div>
=== '''Our Plan:''' ===

*Expand the Institute’s fundamental research activity in technological entrepreneurship and the management of innovation.
**Teach the fundamentals of entrepreneurship — and intrapreneurship — to students across all majors, establishing a general curriculum requirement in this area.
**Expand opportunities for students to create innovation by increasing the number of hands-on courses, such as: Introduction to Engineering Design, Inventors Studio, and Multidisciplinary Design Laboratory; programs such as Product Design and Innovation, and competitions such as the Formula SAE car project.
**Provide opportunities for students to work in settings where technology is being commercialized, such as entrepreneurial faculty projects, internships, and co-op experiences.
**Create opportunities in the Rensselaer Union and in the residence halls for students to propose, design, and implement projects, processes, and organizations. 
**The joint venture between the NCIIA and Epicenter is all about '''values '''and '''empowering''' students, with the goal of bringing ideas to life that will be beneficial to society and to the economy. Values such as raising people, especially the most needy, out of poverty and helping them fulfill their potential. These are the kind of values that students must be empowered with and that must be ingrained into engineering education.

 

=== Why does RPI curriculum need to be revamped? ===

A majority of RPI student want to make a difference in the world. They want to change it for the better for billions of people. But, they must be equipped with the right skill sets in order to do so. Innovative and entrepreneurial thinking must be better ingrained into their education. They must learn that TECHNOLOGY has the ability to play a critical role in solving these kinds of problems. Leveraging the power of smartphones, sensors, and the Internet is key in order to create DISRUPTIVE TECHNOLOGIES for health, education, environment, and raising the standard of living. Integrating these values into engineering education is key to empowering students to develop a strong sense of empathy and a passionate desire to take action.

*Some key books that are value-driven, which state that work must be based on clear values are:
**''How Will You Value Your Life'' - Clayton Christianson
**''Start with Why'' - Michael Sinek

Students and professors must be fully aware of the fact that t'''he world has changed'''. Acknowledgment is not enough. RPI has an opportunity to be one of the LEADERS in using technology to benefit billions of people. Dr. Shirley Ann Jackson, the President of RPI, has made innovation and entrepreneurship one of the key goals in the Refresh Rensselaer Plan.Her input, and that of the Provost and the Deans at RPI must be heard. Their suggestions regarding the efforts to expand the ecosystem of innovation and entrepreneurship at RPI must be noted and vocalized; the department heads and heads of curriculum ineach department at RPI must be drilled down with this information.

=== '''What We Teach MUST Change.''' ===

''' '''Professor Tina Seelig said it beautifully in her Innovation Engineer talk - we must learn how to think in the terms of  "? + ? = 10" not "5 + 5 = ?". Sure, “engineers make sure bridges don’t fall down," it is their responsibility. But engineers can also create ''new ways to communicate'', ''new paths to education'', and ''new technology ''that makes it possible for any one person, anywhere in the world, to get the best possible healthcare and education.

Another beautiful example is Max Little's TED talk about Parkinson’s diagnosis. His innovation is '''massively scalable''', continues to learn, and costs essentially nothing. Shouldn’t healthcare, education, and opportunity fit the same requirements? Why aren't students stretched to reach for the ideal in their designs?

=== It is so very important to provide students with '''the right skills.''' ===

 “Knowledge and Thoroughness” is the current RPI motto, along with "Why not change the world?" But what will, and should, the new motto be?  "Change the world" is too vague and does not adequately point out the '''threats '''posed by inequalities. Students need to learn to see opportunities without being told what to do, and they need to make their visions into reality. They can't sit back asking "Why not change the world?" but rather, they need to sit back and say "How can I change the world?" "What is the next step?" "What difference can I make TODAY?" and "Am I doing work that is making an impact? Am I building the skill sets I need?"

Technology must be focused on making life better for the 99%, not for the elite and their fancier kitchens, cars, or toys. If students learn to focus on the most needy, then everyone can use the technology. There are many people right in North Troy, New York who are struggling to survive.  THEY are our customers, not the 1%.

=== '''Overcoming the Barriers of Success:''' ===

=== 1) School Curriculum ===

The Early Adopters and Getting the Movement Started

* Faculty Reach
** The''' '''faculty certainly have not been forced to think differently like this, but they MUST now be encouraged to think differently
**Start with a few faculty members - the “early adopters” - who will introduce creativity, opportunity-finding, innovation, and an entrepreneurial ATTITUDE into their courses.

=== 2) Events that Promote Entrepreneurship ===

* Events that Inspire
**Encourage students to take their academics more seriously, and look at their learning as an opportunity to develop their portfolio of skill sets that will equip them with the tools to make a difference in the world. 
**Gain support from alumni and from companies who hire RPI graduates.
**Reach out to companies that advise each of the departments on campus and get input on changing the curriculum.

=== 3) Maker Space ===

*Creating a location for students to collaborate on school work, independent studies, and startups. 
**Our school lacks a facility where students can work 24hours a day. While we do have some facilities that contain machinery and work tables, most are only open during the hours of 8am-6pm, the exact time when most students are in classes. After interviewing RPI students, it has become apparent that opening a facility open 24 hours would greatly benefit them by giving them an environment where they can work for long periods of time, when they don't have classes, and with other students.
**We are in the process of securing a location in the "J-Building" on campus to serve as a Makerspace. We are continuing to interview students about how much this space would benefit them and how they would like it to be set up.

=== '''OVERALL GOAL FOR RPI:''' ===

'''Change the culture and curriculum of RPI to get more students involved with entrepreneurship and provide a location where students can apply what they have learned to their own personal startups.'''









= '''Related Links''' = [[Meghan Olson|'''Meghan Olson''']] [http://universityinnovation.org/wiki/Ray_Parker Ray Parker] [[Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute|'''Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute''']] [[Category:Student Priorities|Student_Priorities]]

Priorities:Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Student Priorities

2016-02-17T23:51:16Z

Ray Parker:

<parsererror style="display: block; white-space: pre; border: 2px solid #c77; padding: 0 1em 0 1em; margin: 1em; background-color: #fdd; color: black">
=== ===

=== Below is a rendering of the page up to the first error. ===
</parsererror>
=== Overview: ===

The Innovation and Entrepreneurship Landscape Canvas at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is relatively well-established but is severely lacking in student involvement This lack of involvement stems from a lack ofexposure to the resources available on campus and an unclear "access point" for students to begin their involvement in the I&E Ecosystem at Rensselaer. 

Though there is a lack of involvement, Rensselaer clearly values entrepreneurship, as indicated by an excerpt of The Rensselaer Plan found below:

'''"It is imperative that Rensselaer students learn about opportunities to get involved in entrepreneurial pursuits early on in their college career in order for Rensselaer to effectively achieve the goals stated in the Rensselaer Plan." (The Rensselaer Plan - 6.1 Entrepreneurship Education and Research)'''
<div>Entrepreneurship is a way of life that springs from fundamental education and research programs. We work to infuse understanding and encouragement of entrepreneurship through all schools and programs. </div><div> </div><div></div>

=== '''Our Plan:''' ===

*Expand the Institute’s fundamental research activity in technological entrepreneurship and the management of innovation.
**Teach the fundamentals of entrepreneurship — and intrapreneurship — to students across all majors, establishing a general curriculum requirement in this area.
**Expand opportunities for students to create innovation by increasing the number of hands-on courses, such as: Introduction to Engineering Design, Inventors Studio, and Multidisciplinary Design Laboratory; programs such as Product Design and Innovation, and competitions such as the Formula SAE car project.
**Provide opportunities for students to work in settings where technology is being commercialized, such as entrepreneurial faculty projects, internships, and co-op experiences.
**Create opportunities in the Rensselaer Union and in the residence halls for students to propose, design, and implement projects, processes, and organizations. 
**The joint venture between the NCIIA and Epicenter is all about '''values '''and '''empowering''' students, with the goal of bringing ideas to life that will be beneficial to society and to the economy. Values such as raising people, especially the most needy, out of poverty and helping them fulfill their potential. These are the kind of values that students must be empowered with and that must be ingrained into engineering education.



 

=== Why does RPI curriculum need to be revamped? ===

A majority of RPI student want to make a difference in the world. They want to change it for the better for billions of people. But, they must be equipped with the right skill sets in order to do so. Innovative and entrepreneurial thinking must be better ingrained into their education. They must learn that TECHNOLOGY has the ability to play a critical role in solving these kinds of problems. Leveraging the power of smartphones, sensors, and the Internet is key in order to create DISRUPTIVE TECHNOLOGIES for health, education, environment, and raising the standard of living. Integrating these values into engineering education is key to empowering students to develop a strong sense of empathy and a passionate desire to take action.

*Some key books that are value-driven, which state that work must be based on clear values are:
**''How Will You Value Your Life'' - Clayton Christianson
**''Start with Why'' - Michael Sinek

Students and professors must be fully aware of the fact that t'''he world has changed'''. Acknowledgment is not enough. RPI has an opportunity to be one of the LEADERS in using technology to benefit billions of people. Dr. Shirley Ann Jackson, the President of RPI, has made innovation and entrepreneurship one of the key goals in the Refresh Rensselaer Plan.Her input, and that of the Provost and the Deans at RPI must be heard. Their suggestions regarding the efforts to expand the ecosystem of innovation and entrepreneurship at RPI must be noted and vocalized; the department heads and heads of curriculum ineach department at RPI must be drilled down with this information.

=== '''What We Teach MUST Change.''' ===

''' '''Professor Tina Seelig said it beautifully in her Innovation Engineer talk - we must learn how to think in the terms of  "? + ? = 10" not "5 + 5 = ?". Sure, “engineers make sure bridges don’t fall down," it is their responsibility. But engineers can also create ''new ways to communicate'', ''new paths to education'', and ''new technology ''that makes it possible for any one person, anywhere in the world, to get the best possible healthcare and education.

Another beautiful example is Max Little's TED talk about Parkinson’s diagnosis. His innovation is '''massively scalable''', continues to learn, and costs essentially nothing. Shouldn’t healthcare, education, and opportunity fit the same requirements? Why aren't students stretched to reach for the ideal in their designs?

=== It is so very important to provide students with '''the right skills.''' ===

 “Knowledge and Thoroughness” is the current RPI motto, along with "Why not change the world?" But what will, and should, the new motto be?  "Change the world" is too vague and does not adequately point out the '''threats '''posed by inequalities. Students need to learn to see opportunities without being told what to do, and they need to make their visions into reality. They can't sit back asking "Why not change the world?" but rather, they need to sit back and say "How can I change the world?" "What is the next step?" "What difference can I make TODAY?" and "Am I doing work that is making an impact? Am I building the skill sets I need?"

Technology must be focused on making life better for the 99%, not for the elite and their fancier kitchens, cars, or toys. If students learn to focus on the most needy, then everyone can use the technology. There are many people right in North Troy, New York who are struggling to survive.  THEY are our customers, not the 1%.

=== '''Overcoming the Barriers of Success:''' ===

=== 1) School Curriculum ===

The Early Adopters and Getting the Movement Started

* Faculty Reach
** The''' '''faculty certainly have not been forced to think differently like this, but they MUST now be encouraged to think differently
**Start with a few faculty members - the “early adopters” - who will introduce creativity, opportunity-finding, innovation, and an entrepreneurial ATTITUDE into their courses.

=== 2) Events that Promote Entrepreneurship ===

* Events that Inspire
**Encourage students to take their academics more seriously, and look at their learning as an opportunity to develop their portfolio of skill sets that will equip them with the tools to make a difference in the world. 
**Gain support from alumni and from companies who hire RPI graduates.
**Reach out to companies that advise each of the departments on campus and get input on changing the curriculum.

=== 3) Maker Space ===

*Creating a location for students to collaborate on school work, independent studies, and startups. 
**Our school lacks a facility where students can work 24hours a day. While we do have some facilities that contain machinery and work tables, most are only open during the hours of 8am-6pm, the exact time when most students are in classes. After interviewing RPI students, it has become apparent that opening a facility open 24 hours would greatly benefit them by giving them an environment where they can work for long periods of time, when they don't have classes, and with other students.
**We are in the process of securing a location in the "J-Building" on campus to serve as a Makerspace. We are continuing to interview students about how much this space would benefit them and how they would like it to be set up.

=== '''OVERALL GOAL FOR RPI:''' ===

'''Change the culture and curriculum of RPI to get more students involved with entrepreneurship and provide a location where students can apply what they have learned to their own personal startups.'''









= '''Related Links''' = [[Meghan Olson|'''Meghan Olson''']] [http://universityinnovation.org/wiki/Ray_Parker Ray Parker] [[Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute|'''Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute''']] [[Category:Student Priorities|Student_Priorities]]

Priorities:Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Student Priorities

2016-02-17T23:49:50Z

Ray Parker:

<parsererror style="display: block; white-space: pre; border: 2px solid #c77; padding: 0 1em 0 1em; margin: 1em; background-color: #fdd; color: black">
=== This page contains the following errors: ===
<div style="font-family:monospace;font-size:12px">error on line 1 at column 1501: attributes construct error </div>
=== Below is a rendering of the page up to the first error. ===
</parsererror>
=== Overview: ===

The Innovation and Entrepreneurship Landscape Canvas at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is relatively well-established but is severely lacking in student involvement This lack of involvement stems from a lack ofexposure to the resources available on campus and an unclear "access point" for students to begin their involvement in the I&E Ecosystem at Rensselaer. 

Though there is a lack of involvement, Rensselaer clearly values entrepreneurship, as indicated by an excerpt of The Rensselaer Plan found below:

'''"It is imperative that Rensselaer students learn about opportunities to get involved in entrepreneurial pursuits early on in their college career in order for Rensselaer to effectively achieve the goals stated in the Rensselaer Plan." (The Rensselaer Plan - 6.1 Entrepreneurship Education and Research)'''
<div>Entrepreneurship is a way of life that springs from fundamental education and research programs. We work to infuse understanding and encouragement of entrepreneurship through all schools and programs. </div><div> </div><div></div>

=== '''Our Plan:''' ===

*Expand the Institute’s fundamental research activity in technological entrepreneurship and the management of innovation.
**Teach the fundamentals of entrepreneurship — and intrapreneurship — to students across all majors, establishing a general curriculum requirement in this area.
**Expand opportunities for students to create innovation by increasing the number of hands-on courses, such as: Introduction to Engineering Design, Inventors Studio, and Multidisciplinary Design Laboratory; programs such as Product Design and Innovation, and competitions such as the Formula SAE car project.
**Provide opportunities for students to work in settings where technology is being commercialized, such as entrepreneurial faculty projects, internships, and co-op experiences.
**Create opportunities in the Rensselaer Union and in the residence halls for students to propose, design, and implement projects, processes, and organizations. 
**The joint venture between the NCIIA and Epicenter is all about '''values '''and '''empowering''' students, with the goal of bringing ideas to life that will be beneficial to society and to the economy. Values such as raising people, especially the most needy, out of poverty and helping them fulfill their potential. These are the kind of values that students must be empowered with and that must be ingrained into engineering education.



 

=== Why does RPI curriculum need to be revamped? ===

A majority of RPI student want to make a difference in the world. They want to change it for the better for billions of people. But, they must be equipped with the right skill sets in order to do so. Innovative and entrepreneurial thinking must be better ingrained into their education. They must learn that TECHNOLOGY has the ability to play a critical role in solving these kinds of problems. Leveraging the power of smartphones, sensors, and the Internet is key in order to create DISRUPTIVE TECHNOLOGIES for health, education, environment, and raising the standard of living. Integrating these values into engineering education is key to empowering students to develop a strong sense of empathy and a passionate desire to take action.

*Some key books that are value-driven, which state that work must be based on clear values are:
**''How Will You Value Your Life'' - Clayton Christianson
**''Start with Why'' - Michael Sinek

Students and professors must be fully aware of the fact that t'''he world has changed'''. Acknowledgment is not enough. RPI has an opportunity to be one of the LEADERS in using technology to benefit billions of people. Dr. Shirley Ann Jackson, the President of RPI, has made innovation and entrepreneurship one of the key goals in the Refresh Rensselaer Plan.Her input, and that of the Provost and the Deans at RPI must be heard. Their suggestions regarding the efforts to expand the ecosystem of innovation and entrepreneurship at RPI must be noted and vocalized; the department heads and heads of curriculum ineach department at RPI must be drilled down with this information.

=== '''What We Teach MUST Change.''' ===

''' '''Professor Tina Seelig said it beautifully in her Innovation Engineer talk - we must learn how to think in the terms of  "? + ? = 10" not "5 + 5 = ?". Sure, “engineers make sure bridges don’t fall down," it is their responsibility. But engineers can also create ''new ways to communicate'', ''new paths to education'', and ''new technology ''that makes it possible for any one person, anywhere in the world, to get the best possible healthcare and education.

Another beautiful example is Max Little's TED talk about Parkinson’s diagnosis. His innovation is '''massively scalable''', continues to learn, and costs essentially nothing. Shouldn’t healthcare, education, and opportunity fit the same requirements? Why aren't students stretched to reach for the ideal in their designs?

=== It is so very important to provide students with '''the right skills.''' ===

 “Knowledge and Thoroughness” is the current RPI motto, along with "Why not change the world?" But what will, and should, the new motto be?  "Change the world" is too vague and does not adequately point out the '''threats '''posed by inequalities. Students need to learn to see opportunities without being told what to do, and they need to make their visions into reality. They can't sit back asking "Why not change the world?" but rather, they need to sit back and say "How can I change the world?" "What is the next step?" "What difference can I make TODAY?" and "Am I doing work that is making an impact? Am I building the skill sets I need?"

Technology must be focused on making life better for the 99%, not for the elite and their fancier kitchens, cars, or toys. If students learn to focus on the most needy, then everyone can use the technology. There are many people right in North Troy, New York who are struggling to survive.  THEY are our customers, not the 1%.

=== '''Overcoming the Barriers of Success:''' ===

=== 1) School Curriculum ===

The Early Adopters and Getting the Movement Started

* Faculty Reach
** The''' '''faculty certainly have not been forced to think differently like this, but they MUST now be encouraged to think differently
**Start with a few faculty members - the “early adopters” - who will introduce creativity, opportunity-finding, innovation, and an entrepreneurial ATTITUDE into their courses.

=== 2) Events that Promote Entrepreneurship ===

* Events that Inspire
**Encourage students to take their academics more seriously, and look at their learning as an opportunity to develop their portfolio of skill sets that will equip them with the tools to make a difference in the world. 
**Gain support from alumni and from companies who hire RPI graduates.
**Reach out to companies that advise each of the departments on campus and get input on changing the curriculum.

=== 3) Maker Space ===

*Creating a location for students to collaborate on school work, independent studies, and startups. 
**Our school lacks a facility where students can work 24hours a day. While we do have some facilities that contain machinery and work tables, most are only open during the hours of 8am-6pm, the exact time when most students are in classes. After interviewing RPI students, it has become apparent that opening a facility open 24 hours would greatly benefit them by giving them an environment where they can work for long periods of time, when they don't have classes, and with other students.
**We are in the process of securing a location in the "J-Building" on campus to serve as a Makerspace. We are continuing to interview students about how much this space would benefit them and how they would like it to be set up.

=== '''OVERALL GOAL FOR RPI:''' ===

'''Change the culture and curriculum of RPI to get more students involved with entrepreneurship and provide a location where students can apply what they have learned to their own personal startups.'''









= '''Related Links''' = [[Meghan Olson|'''Meghan Olson''']] [http://universityinnovation.org/wiki/Ray_Parker Ray Parker] [[Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute|'''Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute''']] [[Category:Student Priorities|Student_Priorities]]

Priorities:Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Student Priorities

2016-02-17T23:43:19Z

Ray Parker:

=== Overview: ===

The Innovation and Entrepreneurship Landscape Canvas at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is relatively well-established but is severely lacking in student involvement This lack of involvement stems from a lack ofexposure to the resources available on campus and an unclear "access point" for students to begin their involvement in the I&E Ecosystem at Rensselaer. 

Though there is a lack of involvement, Rensselaer clearly values entrepreneurship, as indicated by an excerpt of The Rensselaer Plan found below:

'''"It is imperative that Rensselaer students learn about opportunities to get involved in entrepreneurial pursuits early on in their college career in order for Rensselaer to effectively achieve the goals stated in the Rensselaer Plan." (The Rensselaer Plan - 6.1 Entrepreneurship Education and Research)'''
<div>Entrepreneurship is a way of life that springs from fundamental education and research programs. We work to infuse understanding and encouragement of entrepreneurship through all schools and programs. </div><div> </div><div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/dzOqJFkZFcE" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>

=== '''Our Plan:''' ===

*Expand the Institute’s fundamental research activity in technological entrepreneurship and the management of innovation.
**Teach the fundamentals of entrepreneurship — and intrapreneurship — to students across all majors, establishing a general curriculum requirement in this area.
**Expand opportunities for students to create innovation by increasing the number of hands-on courses, such as: Introduction to Engineering Design, Inventors Studio, and Multidisciplinary Design Laboratory; programs such as Product Design and Innovation, and competitions such as the Formula SAE car project.
**Provide opportunities for students to work in settings where technology is being commercialized, such as entrepreneurial faculty projects, internships, and co-op experiences.
**Create opportunities in the Rensselaer Union and in the residence halls for students to propose, design, and implement projects, processes, and organizations. 
**The joint venture between the NCIIA and Epicenter is all about '''values '''and '''empowering''' students, with the goal of bringing ideas to life that will be beneficial to society and to the economy. Values such as raising people, especially the most needy, out of poverty and helping them fulfill their potential. These are the kind of values that students must be empowered with and that must be ingrained into engineering education.



 

=== Why does RPI curriculum need to be revamped? ===

A majority of RPI student want to make a difference in the world. They want to change it for the better for billions of people. But, they must be equipped with the right skill sets in order to do so. Innovative and entrepreneurial thinking must be better ingrained into their education. They must learn that TECHNOLOGY has the ability to play a critical role in solving these kinds of problems. Leveraging the power of smartphones, sensors, and the Internet is key in order to create DISRUPTIVE TECHNOLOGIES for health, education, environment, and raising the standard of living. Integrating these values into engineering education is key to empowering students to develop a strong sense of empathy and a passionate desire to take action.

*Some key books that are value-driven, which state that work must be based on clear values are:
**''How Will You Value Your Life'' - Clayton Christianson
**''Start with Why'' - Michael Sinek

Students and professors must be fully aware of the fact that t'''he world has changed'''. Acknowledgment is not enough. RPI has an opportunity to be one of the LEADERS in using technology to benefit billions of people. Dr. Shirley Ann Jackson, the President of RPI, has made innovation and entrepreneurship one of the key goals in the Refresh Rensselaer Plan.Her input, and that of the Provost and the Deans at RPI must be heard. Their suggestions regarding the efforts to expand the ecosystem of innovation and entrepreneurship at RPI must be noted and vocalized; the department heads and heads of curriculum ineach department at RPI must be drilled down with this information.

=== '''What We Teach MUST Change.''' ===

''' '''Professor Tina Seelig said it beautifully in her Innovation Engineer talk - we must learn how to think in the terms of  "? + ? = 10" not "5 + 5 = ?". Sure, “engineers make sure bridges don’t fall down," it is their responsibility. But engineers can also create ''new ways to communicate'', ''new paths to education'', and ''new technology ''that makes it possible for any one person, anywhere in the world, to get the best possible healthcare and education.

Another beautiful example is Max Little's TED talk about Parkinson’s diagnosis. His innovation is '''massively scalable''', continues to learn, and costs essentially nothing. Shouldn’t healthcare, education, and opportunity fit the same requirements? Why aren't students stretched to reach for the ideal in their designs?

=== It is so very important to provide students with '''the right skills.''' ===

 “Knowledge and Thoroughness” is the current RPI motto, along with "Why not change the world?" But what will, and should, the new motto be?  "Change the world" is too vague and does not adequately point out the '''threats '''posed by inequalities. Students need to learn to see opportunities without being told what to do, and they need to make their visions into reality. They can't sit back asking "Why not change the world?" but rather, they need to sit back and say "How can I change the world?" "What is the next step?" "What difference can I make TODAY?" and "Am I doing work that is making an impact? Am I building the skill sets I need?"

Technology must be focused on making life better for the 99%, not for the elite and their fancier kitchens, cars, or toys. If students learn to focus on the most needy, then everyone can use the technology. There are many people right in North Troy, New York who are struggling to survive.  THEY are our customers, not the 1%.

=== '''Overcoming the Barriers of Success:''' ===

=== 1) School Curriculum ===

The Early Adopters and Getting the Movement Started

* Faculty Reach
** The''' '''faculty certainly have not been forced to think differently like this, but they MUST now be encouraged to think differently
**Start with a few faculty members - the “early adopters” - who will introduce creativity, opportunity-finding, innovation, and an entrepreneurial ATTITUDE into their courses.

=== 2) Events that Promote Entrepreneurship ===

* Events that Inspire
**Encourage students to take their academics more seriously, and look at their learning as an opportunity to develop their portfolio of skill sets that will equip them with the tools to make a difference in the world. 
**Gain support from alumni and from companies who hire RPI graduates.
**Reach out to companies that advise each of the departments on campus and get input on changing the curriculum.

=== 3) Maker Space ===

*Creating a location for students to collaborate on school work, independent studies, and startups. 
**Our school lacks a facility where students can work 24hours a day. While we do have some facilities that contain machinery and work tables, most are only open during the hours of 8am-6pm, the exact time when most students are in classes. After interviewing RPI students, it has become apparent that opening a facility open 24 hours would greatly benefit them by giving them an environment where they can work for long periods of time, when they don't have classes, and with other students.
**We are in the process of securing a location in the "J-Building" on campus to serve as a Makerspace. We are continuing to interview students about how much this space would benefit them and how they would like it to be set up.

=== '''OVERALL GOAL FOR RPI:''' ===

'''Change the culture and curriculum of RPI to get more students involved with entrepreneurship and provide a location where students can apply what they have learned to their own personal startups.'''









= '''Related Links''' = [[Meghan Olson|'''Meghan Olson''']] [http://universityinnovation.org/wiki/Ray_Parker Ray Parker] [[Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute|'''Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute''']] [[Category:Student Priorities|Student_Priorities]]

School:Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

2016-02-08T06:27:13Z

Ray Parker:

'''Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Innovation Ecosystem: Promoting student innovation and entrepreneurship'''

= '''Overview''' =

'''''The motto of entrepreneurship at RPI:  A way to think. A way to learn. A way to succeed. ''''' [[File:Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Seal.jpg|thumb|Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Seal.jpg]]

"Entrepreneurial thinking lies at the heart of Rensselaer’s philosophy. Like our faculty, Rensselaer students are encouraged to pursue creativity and discovery — and the results are often spectacular. Our undergraduates embrace change in ways that have transformed how the world works, plays, and lives.

Our entrepreneurship program is built on the premise that ''not everyone wants to, or needs to, become an entrepreneur, but in today’s world everyone should know how to think like one."''

This statement shows RPI's commitment to entrepreneurial thinking, not so much the outcome of entreprenurship. The RPI Exemplar's program is a great example of the culture of entrepreneurship that RPI thrives on, as the Exemplar's program is designed for students who have a high level of interest in complementing their education by aquiring an entrepreneurail perspective.

'''Formal programs:'''

*B.S. Electronic Arts (Media, Ecology, Entrepreneurship and Experimentation)
*BS. Design,Innovationand Society
*M.S. Technological Communication & Entrepreneurship
*Ph.D. Science and Technology Studies
*Minor Entrepreneurship

'''Extracurricular Activities:'''

*[http://www.eship.rpi.edu/exemplars_scholar_edge.html Exemplar's Program]
*[http://www.rpi.edu/dept/lally/centers/severino/foundry.html RPI Foundry]
*[http://designforamerica.com/studios/rensselaer/ RPI Design for America]
*[http://startuptechvalley.org/ Startup Tech Valley]
*[http://lallyschool.rpi.edu/severino-center-competitions Business Model Competition]
*[http://lallyschool.rpi.edu/severino-center-competitions Change the World Challenge]
*[http://lallyschool.rpi.edu/severino-center-competitions Elevator Pitch Competition]

[[File:RPI.png|border|RPI.png]]

'''Conferences and Workshops: '''

*[http://rpihub.org/boss-sponsors/ BOSS Conference]
*[http://www.tvcog.net/ Startup Validation Conference]
*[http://startup.ny.gov/ Startup NY]
*[http://startuptechvalley.org/ StartupTech Valley]

Education geared toward entrepreneurial thinking encourages students at RPI to think in different ways, to come up with new ideas to solve problems and to enter on-campus competitions such as the Change the World Challenge, the Class of ’51 Entrepreneurial Fund, the Elevator Pitch Competition, and the RPI Business Plan Competition.  These programs often provide the spark which gives students the entrepreneurial bug and encourages them to continue pursuing their ideas.

The Severino Center for Technological Entrepreneurship (SCTE), centered in Rensselaer’s Lally School of Management & Technology, helps to foster new generations of budding and successful entrepreneurs through outreach programs, education, and support systems.  In recognition of the fact that most business students aren’t inventors, the Lally School intersects with other schools on campus to encourage the formation of new student teams and the fusing of their ideas.

Small Buhrmaster grants in the amounts of $1,000 to $2,000 are available, as determined by the Director of the Severino Center, for student ventures to test the market feasibility of their business concepts and to establish and define their target customers.  Mr. Buhrmaster, ’69 is a friend of the Lally school and a member of its advisory council.

The Severino Center also provides Mentoring and Resources via the Student Sandbox, Entrepreneurs-in-Residence, the Rensselaer Student Entrepreneurship Club, and assistance in finding teammates.  Experienced entrepreneur volunteers are assigned to coach teams that receive a Buhrmaster grant to help guide them in their market and business development activities.  

= '''Encouraging faculty innovation and entrepreneurship''' =

''Incredible professors like Burt Swersey, Dr. Eric Ledet, and many others''

''"For the last decade, the Rensselaer Plan has provided a blueprint for transformation and impact. It has guided the development of an exceptional campus environment for advancing research with the potential to address science and society’s most challenging problems. Based on this strong foundation, Rensselaer research is creating a better future through the innovation and engineering of a better world. With our accelerated trajectory, the best is yet to come."''

Research is huge on RPI's campus and encouraging innovation is both in line with The Rensselaer Plan and Rensselaer's motto of "why not change the world?"

[[File:Rpi logo tag lg 22.gif]]

== Innovation and Entrepreneurship Classes and Activities ==

There are multiple different types of organizations and classes that try to teach theses sorts of opportunities and ways of thinking at Rensselaer, including a class called How to Change the World and Starting a New Venture. In addition to this, there are activities such as Design for America and Foundry that are also a part of the I&E spectrum. In addition to these supplementary classes, there are also other courses such as Capstone Senior Design Course that help to develop interdisciplinary bridges across multiple academic departments. A prerequisite for this sort of course consists of many different classes across many different academic subjects, as well as the class Introduction to Engineering design during most engineering student's sophomore years, which focus on giving exposure to the design process that will help Rensselaer's engineering students in the future. 

== Other Resources ==

In addition to classes, Rensselaer offers many different types of laboratories that are opened during certain hours of the day. These include the Mercer Lab for Electronics, the MILL, and Student Shop. These labs are opened during certain hours of the day that give certain students access to different types of equipment for them to do prototyping and other types of work with.

There are many different co-op and internship opportunities at Rensselaer as well, that work with many companies. Some of Rensselaer's top employers are United Technology Corporation, Boeing, Cisco, General Electric, GlobalFoundries, Deloitte, Epic Systems, FactSet, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Schlumberger, Hasbro and IBM.

= '''Actively supporting the university technology transfer function''' =

''RPI Office of Technology Commercialization: ''[http://www.rpitechnology.com/ http://www.rpitechnology.com/]

''RPI Technology Transfer/Innovation Hub: ''[http://rpihub.org/author/admin/ http://rpihub.org/author/admin/]

== The Rensselaer Plan ==

The Rensselaer Plan addresses technology transfer and intellectual property policies that encourage entrepreneurship.  Research is the major driver of science and technology transfer, invention, and innovation. Technological entrepreneurship completes the technology lifecycle — from discovery to the creation of impact in the global marketplace. With an expanding research base, we will cultivate a campus culture that provides the spirit and motivation for inventors to pursue commercialization. We will: Increase awareness of intellectual property, preserving its value in research agreements and maximizing its value under shared equity arrangements and licensing agreements, covering intellectual property developed in research and materials developed for distance education.  Create intellectual property policies that encourage entrepreneurship and allowthe university to take equity positions in new ventures as appropriate.  Ensure that intellectual property policies have adequate and appropriate conflictof interest and conflict of commitment provisions. Develop an awareness and infrastructure of intellectual property rights policies, incentives, and marketing to support innovation and commercialization.

== Creating and Supporting New Ventures ==

World-class technological research universities excel in transferring research outputs to the commercial sector. We will create innovative programs targeted at growing major new technological ventures and creating value. We will:  Enhance the process of matching researchers and entrepreneurs to create new ventures that take Rensselaer intellectual property to market  Provide business planning and facilitate venture capital for faculty and students for start-up companies that commercialize leading-edge Rensselaer research.  Expand the Incubator program to accommodate more start-ups and second-stage incubation.  Expand the flow of technology, talent, and ventures into the Rensselaer Technology Park and the Capital Region. Bring new focus to the Rensselaer Technology Park as the locus for mature ventures based on the technologies taught and researched at the Institute. Work with private and public sources to attract new venture capital and entrepreneurial talent to the Capital Region.

= '''Facilitating University-Industry Collaboration''' =

== RPI Tech Park ==

Rensselaer Technology Park is a university related park for technology ventures seeking a unique environment focused on the interface between industry and education.

According to the rpitechpark.com website, the University Interactions Policy of the Tech Park is built upon "a fundamental objective of the Park is to develop interactions between tenant companies and the university.  Such interactions enrich the educational environment of the university and help the companies stay on the leading edge of their technologies.  All companies in the Park automatically become “affiliates” of Rensselaer."  Building a synergistic environment is a responsibility shared by all members of the Park staff."

== EVE (Emerging Ventures Ecosystem) ==

The work of turning ideas into real companies happens in RPI’s incubator, the Emerging Ventures Ecosystem (EVE).  EVE is a distributed incubation program which accelerates the growth of new businesses and boosts the transfer of scientific and technological breakthroughs from the laboratory and classroom to the marketplace, for social and economic impact.

Launched in February 2011, the Emerging Ventures Ecosystem (EVE) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute serves to link “Rensselaer institutional resources and alumni/ae expertise symbiotically with community strengths, in a multi-faceted partnership for mutual benefit.”  The goal of EVE is to nurture new businesses and to build upon the decades of successful efforts of RPI’s previous incubator by helping young businesses grow and succeed.[[File:Evered.gif|thumb|EVE Accelerator Logo]]

Rensselaer’s previous incubator program was opened in 1980 as the nation’s first such program wholly sponsored and operated by a university. In its later stages, the incubator was primarily used for its “brick and mortar” assets, as place for entrepreneurially minded students to rent at a low cost, with convenient access to a photocopier.  The model of RPI’s old incubator was traditional: it was rented by students who were seeking to start a venture, which either lived or died, and then moved on.  The RPI Incubator building was closed in late 2009 simply because it did not make any money for the institution.

The new EVE program utilizes an innovative distributed incubation model, maintaining a central office in Troy, NY and working with each company to find an ideal matchup of space-to-enterprise in Troy and the surrounding area.  EVE is overseen by James Spencer, who has 20 years of experience in leading organizational creation and growth as an entrepreneurial business executive.

Once a new company completes the application process for the EVE program — through which Rensselaer will determine, in part, whether the entrepreneur is willing to put in the effort to make the company successful — the program will assign a status to the company: pre-seed, emerging, or early stage. Assigning these descriptions will help EVE mentors and administrators determine the specific services needed by each business.

Under EVE, businesses that are accepted into the program will receive a series of specific services that will help accelerate their growth.  A board of advisers will be established from community resources or alumni/ae for each new company.  If a company already has a board of advisers or directors, EVE will assign an additional person to the board to act as a liaison to mobilize resources within the Institute.

Upon formation of a board of advisors, three or four key objectives are developed by each company with the help of their advisory board.  Milestones for these objectives are then established for each quarter, in an effort to create a concrete plan for success and to generate measurable objectives; new goals are developed for succeeding semesters.  Companies must continue to show steady progress in order to remain in the program.

As a member of EVE, a company will have access to the Entrepreneur(s)-in-Residence at the Lally School as well as other resources including labs, patenting and licensing services, faculty, and students for work-study assignments, internships (REIP), and student projects.  Additional resources for EVE members include alumni/ae and community volunteers such as attorneys and accountants who are available to answer questions and provide advice and one time assistance for basic questions.  If an EVE company requires further professional assistance, they are encouraged to select a professional service company from a list provided through the EVE program. Such services may be offered at a discount to seed and early stage companies.

EVE hosts monthly peer review meetings, known as CEO Roundtable Discussions, among the CEOs of the incubated companies as a framework for peer-to-peer coaching among the mix of pre-seed, early state, and emerging companies supported by the EVE incubator program.  At these meetings, participants will sign disclosure agreements allowing a platform for confidential open discussions about topics and issues of importance to them.  The companies will also be invited to a monthly meeting featuring a speaker or a lecturer based upon a topic selected by the EVE companies’ CEOs and will also attend quarterly meet-ups for all employees of incubated companies, allowing the employees to build relationships and exchange ideas.

EVE promotes and introduces its companies to investors, assists them in identifying and seeking grant opportunities such as NYSERDA and SBIR, and helps them prepare for business plan competitions; the companies are given assistance in preparing applications, presentations, and pitches.  Additionally, members are provided access to professional grant writers to assist them as needed.

The EVE companies are invited to expand their professional networks through networking opportunities within the local business and academic community in order increase exposure to decision makers, funding sources from grants, and potential angel investors.  EVE is physically located off-campus in an effort to incubate companies directly in the community of Troy, NY and to strategically re-invent the typical “brick and mortar” business incubation model followed by RPI’s old incubator.  EVE is not a center where entrepreneurial students can simply rent space and use a photocopier the way a “brick and mortar” incubator is often used, but it is a 4,000 square foot center which strictly focuses on moving students through a business development continuum and on preparing them to fill vacant business facilities in the Troy community, leased at very low prices by realtors.  EVE does not want to focus on space like the traditional brick and mortar incubation model because if a company takes up too much space, they can’t let others in; student startups enrolled in EVE are treated like real businesses.

EVE was launched in February of 2011 with eight companies and now supports over thirty.  The continuum of business development begins with the formation of customized ninety-day plans which include 3-5 specific short term goals, preparing these young ventures to fill business space in the community.  Each venture enrolled in EVE has access to a huge network of professional individuals which include over 90,000 alumni that can potentially serve as mentors (25-30 of which are very active), the wind tunnel and prototyping capabilities at RPI, NYSERDA money, professional services (the first hour or two of which are provided for free), and accounting firms to help set up Quickbooks.  Although many professional services are not provided for EVE companies, aggressive rates are negotiated with local providers and funding often comes from venture pitches.

The key to RPI’s Emerging Ventures Ecosystem is that companies never graduate from the incubator because business development and iteration is never finalized.  Companies supported by EVE are always welcome to come back and ask for assistance in making new connections with the large international network of individuals.  RPI’s large alumni network serves as a virtual incubator in the sense that the network is leveraged to help grow companies as they experience the transition from technology ideas and intellectual property to commercialization through their education. 

== ==

=   '''Engaging with regional and local economic development efforts''' =

== Startup Tech Valley - Where Entrepreneurs and the Community Come Together ==

A monthly meetup for first-time entrepreneurs, experienced entrepreneurs, aspiring entrepreneurs, investors, mentors, employees of startups, serviceprodiders to startups, and anyone else who wants to be involved.

== Tech Valley Center of Gravity ==

The Tech Valley Center of Gravity is a federation of makers, hackers, crafters, and artists who share camaraderie, space, and resources to do our tinkering. We have a permanent makerspace, several satellite locations, and a community of local individuals and organizations to share and support them. We are based in downtown Troy, NY, and sponsor events all over the New York State Capital Region.

Our primary goal is to build a community around the idea of doing for ourselves, rather than just passively consuming, and learning how the arts, crafts, and technologies that surround us every day work, along the way. We also aim to create a network of contacts for small business and start-ups in the Capital Region to connect with local leaders, like-minded businesses and individuals, and tools and resources they might not otherwise have access to.

== Accelerate518 ==

TAccelerate518 (A518) is a consortium of stakeholders nestled in the heart of our State—New York’s Capital Region. The Capital Region encompasses four counties: Albany, Schenectady, Rensselaer and Saratoga. The synergy of these four counties is the catalyst for invention and innovation.

The Capital Region has a rich history of incubating and growing multinational corporations, including: New York Central Railroad, American Express, Cap Cities, General Electric, American Locomotive Company, Albany International, International Paper, and Albany Molecular Research. Accelerate518 is a platform to facilitate multiple groups working together to advance entrepreneurship and innovation in the Capital Region.  The goals of A518 include fostering active collaboration among educators and stakeholders, providing practical resources for entrepreneurs, sharing resources for education and training, and developing a network of individuals committed to invigorating the startup culture of the Capital Region.  We have aligned our interests to help the regional entrepreneurial ecosystem grow companies and create sustainable jobs. Initial core members of A518 include: CEG, Albany Medical College, Albany Law School, Hudson Valley Community College, RPI, Sage Colleges, Siena College, Skidmore College, Union College, and University at Albany.

= Landscape Canvas and Presentation =

[https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1Ek9pplesv42Ubc0TzcqW7mtASYtgL_XbJmvxJG4e14s/pub?start=true&loop=true&delayms=3000 Landscape Canvas Documentation]

[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1cg47LQI3tLh2gxM4u2FfyEPX1ljnFulr97_amxy4ebc/pubhtml Landscape Presentation]

= Related Links =

[[Meghan Olson|Meghan Olson]]

[http://universityinnovation.org/wiki/Ray_Parker Ray Parker]

[[Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Strategic Priorities|Rensselaer_Polytechnic_Institute_Strategic_Priorities]]

[[Category:Universities]]

File:Rpi logo tag lg 22.gif

2016-02-08T06:24:47Z

Ray Parker:

File:RPI BPC logo.jpg

2016-02-08T06:24:36Z

Ray Parker:

File:RPI2.jpg

2016-02-08T06:24:19Z

Ray Parker:

School:Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

2016-02-08T06:20:44Z

Ray Parker:

'''Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Innovation Ecosystem: Promoting student innovation and entrepreneurship'''

= '''Overview''' =

'''''The motto of entrepreneurship at RPI:  A way to think. A way to learn. A way to succeed. ''''' [[File:Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Seal.jpg|thumb|Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Seal.jpg]]

"Entrepreneurial thinking lies at the heart of Rensselaer’s philosophy. Like our faculty, Rensselaer students are encouraged to pursue creativity and discovery — and the results are often spectacular. Our undergraduates embrace change in ways that have transformed how the world works, plays, and lives.

Our entrepreneurship program is built on the premise that ''not everyone wants to, or needs to, become an entrepreneur, but in today’s world everyone should know how to think like one."''

This statement shows RPI's commitment to entrepreneurial thinking, not so much the outcome of entreprenurship. The RPI Exemplar's program is a great example of the culture of entrepreneurship that RPI thrives on, as the Exemplar's program is designed for students who have a high level of interest in complementing their education by aquiring an entrepreneurail perspective.

'''Formal programs:'''

*B.S. Electronic Arts (Media, Ecology, Entrepreneurship and Experimentation)
*BS. Design,Innovationand Society
*M.S. Technological Communication & Entrepreneurship
*Ph.D. Science and Technology Studies
*Minor Entrepreneurship

'''Extracurricular Activities:'''

*[http://www.eship.rpi.edu/exemplars_scholar_edge.html Exemplar's Program]
*[http://www.rpi.edu/dept/lally/centers/severino/foundry.html RPI Foundry]
*[http://designforamerica.com/studios/rensselaer/ RPI Design for America]
*[http://startuptechvalley.org/ Startup Tech Valley]
*[http://lallyschool.rpi.edu/severino-center-competitions Business Model Competition]
*[http://lallyschool.rpi.edu/severino-center-competitions Change the World Challenge]
*[http://lallyschool.rpi.edu/severino-center-competitions Elevator Pitch Competition]

[[File:RPI.png|border|RPI.png]]

'''Conferences and Workshops: '''

*[http://rpihub.org/boss-sponsors/ BOSS Conference]
*[http://www.tvcog.net/ Startup Validation Conference]
*[http://startup.ny.gov/ Startup NY]
*[http://startuptechvalley.org/ StartupTech Valley]

Education geared toward entrepreneurial thinking encourages students at RPI to think in different ways, to come up with new ideas to solve problems and to enter on-campus competitions such as the Change the World Challenge, the Class of ’51 Entrepreneurial Fund, the Elevator Pitch Competition, and the RPI Business Plan Competition.  These programs often provide the spark which gives students the entrepreneurial bug and encourages them to continue pursuing their ideas.

The Severino Center for Technological Entrepreneurship (SCTE), centered in Rensselaer’s Lally School of Management & Technology, helps to foster new generations of budding and successful entrepreneurs through outreach programs, education, and support systems.  In recognition of the fact that most business students aren’t inventors, the Lally School intersects with other schools on campus to encourage the formation of new student teams and the fusing of their ideas.

Small Buhrmaster grants in the amounts of $1,000 to $2,000 are available, as determined by the Director of the Severino Center, for student ventures to test the market feasibility of their business concepts and to establish and define their target customers.  Mr. Buhrmaster, ’69 is a friend of the Lally school and a member of its advisory council.

The Severino Center also provides Mentoring and Resources via the Student Sandbox, Entrepreneurs-in-Residence, the Rensselaer Student Entrepreneurship Club, and assistance in finding teammates.  Experienced entrepreneur volunteers are assigned to coach teams that receive a Buhrmaster grant to help guide them in their market and business development activities.  

= '''Encouraging faculty innovation and entrepreneurship''' =

''Incredible professors like Burt Swersey, Dr. Eric Ledet, and many others''

''"For the last decade, the Rensselaer Plan has provided a blueprint for transformation and impact. It has guided the development of an exceptional campus environment for advancing research with the potential to address science and society’s most challenging problems. Based on this strong foundation, Rensselaer research is creating a better future through the innovation and engineering of a better world. With our accelerated trajectory, the best is yet to come."''

Research is huge on RPI's campus and encouraging innovation is both in line with The Rensselaer Plan and Rensselaer's motto of "why not change the world?"

== Innovation and Entrepreneurship Classes and Activities ==

There are multiple different types of organizations and classes that try to teach theses sorts of opportunities and ways of thinking at Rensselaer, including a class called How to Change the World and Starting a New Venture. In addition to this, there are activities such as Design for America and Foundry that are also a part of the I&E spectrum. In addition to these supplementary classes, there are also other courses such as Capstone Senior Design Course that help to develop interdisciplinary bridges across multiple academic departments. A prerequisite for this sort of course consists of many different classes across many different academic subjects, as well as the class Introduction to Engineering design during most engineering student's sophomore years, which focus on giving exposure to the design process that will help Rensselaer's engineering students in the future. 

== Other Resources ==

In addition to classes, Rensselaer offers many different types of laboratories that are opened during certain hours of the day. These include the Mercer Lab for Electronics, the MILL, and Student Shop. These labs are opened during certain hours of the day that give certain students access to different types of equipment for them to do prototyping and other types of work with.

There are many different co-op and internship opportunities at Rensselaer as well, that work with many companies. Some of Rensselaer's top employers are United Technology Corporation, Boeing, Cisco, General Electric, GlobalFoundries, Deloitte, Epic Systems, FactSet, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Schlumberger, Hasbro and IBM.

= '''Actively supporting the university technology transfer function''' =

''RPI Office of Technology Commercialization: ''[http://www.rpitechnology.com/ http://www.rpitechnology.com/]

''RPI Technology Transfer/Innovation Hub: ''[http://rpihub.org/author/admin/ http://rpihub.org/author/admin/]

== The Rensselaer Plan ==

The Rensselaer Plan addresses technology transfer and intellectual property policies that encourage entrepreneurship.  Research is the major driver of science and technology transfer, invention, and innovation. Technological entrepreneurship completes the technology lifecycle — from discovery to the creation of impact in the global marketplace. With an expanding research base, we will cultivate a campus culture that provides the spirit and motivation for inventors to pursue commercialization. We will: Increase awareness of intellectual property, preserving its value in research agreements and maximizing its value under shared equity arrangements and licensing agreements, covering intellectual property developed in research and materials developed for distance education.  Create intellectual property policies that encourage entrepreneurship and allowthe university to take equity positions in new ventures as appropriate.  Ensure that intellectual property policies have adequate and appropriate conflictof interest and conflict of commitment provisions. Develop an awareness and infrastructure of intellectual property rights policies, incentives, and marketing to support innovation and commercialization.

== Creating and Supporting New Ventures ==

World-class technological research universities excel in transferring research outputs to the commercial sector. We will create innovative programs targeted at growing major new technological ventures and creating value. We will:  Enhance the process of matching researchers and entrepreneurs to create new ventures that take Rensselaer intellectual property to market  Provide business planning and facilitate venture capital for faculty and students for start-up companies that commercialize leading-edge Rensselaer research.  Expand the Incubator program to accommodate more start-ups and second-stage incubation.  Expand the flow of technology, talent, and ventures into the Rensselaer Technology Park and the Capital Region. Bring new focus to the Rensselaer Technology Park as the locus for mature ventures based on the technologies taught and researched at the Institute. Work with private and public sources to attract new venture capital and entrepreneurial talent to the Capital Region.

= '''Facilitating University-Industry Collaboration''' =

== RPI Tech Park ==

Rensselaer Technology Park is a university related park for technology ventures seeking a unique environment focused on the interface between industry and education.

According to the rpitechpark.com website, the University Interactions Policy of the Tech Park is built upon "a fundamental objective of the Park is to develop interactions between tenant companies and the university.  Such interactions enrich the educational environment of the university and help the companies stay on the leading edge of their technologies.  All companies in the Park automatically become “affiliates” of Rensselaer."  Building a synergistic environment is a responsibility shared by all members of the Park staff."

== EVE (Emerging Ventures Ecosystem) ==

The work of turning ideas into real companies happens in RPI’s incubator, the Emerging Ventures Ecosystem (EVE).  EVE is a distributed incubation program which accelerates the growth of new businesses and boosts the transfer of scientific and technological breakthroughs from the laboratory and classroom to the marketplace, for social and economic impact.

Launched in February 2011, the Emerging Ventures Ecosystem (EVE) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute serves to link “Rensselaer institutional resources and alumni/ae expertise symbiotically with community strengths, in a multi-faceted partnership for mutual benefit.”  The goal of EVE is to nurture new businesses and to build upon the decades of successful efforts of RPI’s previous incubator by helping young businesses grow and succeed.[[File:Evered.gif|thumb|EVE Accelerator Logo]]

Rensselaer’s previous incubator program was opened in 1980 as the nation’s first such program wholly sponsored and operated by a university. In its later stages, the incubator was primarily used for its “brick and mortar” assets, as place for entrepreneurially minded students to rent at a low cost, with convenient access to a photocopier.  The model of RPI’s old incubator was traditional: it was rented by students who were seeking to start a venture, which either lived or died, and then moved on.  The RPI Incubator building was closed in late 2009 simply because it did not make any money for the institution.

The new EVE program utilizes an innovative distributed incubation model, maintaining a central office in Troy, NY and working with each company to find an ideal matchup of space-to-enterprise in Troy and the surrounding area.  EVE is overseen by James Spencer, who has 20 years of experience in leading organizational creation and growth as an entrepreneurial business executive.

Once a new company completes the application process for the EVE program — through which Rensselaer will determine, in part, whether the entrepreneur is willing to put in the effort to make the company successful — the program will assign a status to the company: pre-seed, emerging, or early stage. Assigning these descriptions will help EVE mentors and administrators determine the specific services needed by each business.

Under EVE, businesses that are accepted into the program will receive a series of specific services that will help accelerate their growth.  A board of advisers will be established from community resources or alumni/ae for each new company.  If a company already has a board of advisers or directors, EVE will assign an additional person to the board to act as a liaison to mobilize resources within the Institute.

Upon formation of a board of advisors, three or four key objectives are developed by each company with the help of their advisory board.  Milestones for these objectives are then established for each quarter, in an effort to create a concrete plan for success and to generate measurable objectives; new goals are developed for succeeding semesters.  Companies must continue to show steady progress in order to remain in the program.

As a member of EVE, a company will have access to the Entrepreneur(s)-in-Residence at the Lally School as well as other resources including labs, patenting and licensing services, faculty, and students for work-study assignments, internships (REIP), and student projects.  Additional resources for EVE members include alumni/ae and community volunteers such as attorneys and accountants who are available to answer questions and provide advice and one time assistance for basic questions.  If an EVE company requires further professional assistance, they are encouraged to select a professional service company from a list provided through the EVE program. Such services may be offered at a discount to seed and early stage companies.

EVE hosts monthly peer review meetings, known as CEO Roundtable Discussions, among the CEOs of the incubated companies as a framework for peer-to-peer coaching among the mix of pre-seed, early state, and emerging companies supported by the EVE incubator program.  At these meetings, participants will sign disclosure agreements allowing a platform for confidential open discussions about topics and issues of importance to them.  The companies will also be invited to a monthly meeting featuring a speaker or a lecturer based upon a topic selected by the EVE companies’ CEOs and will also attend quarterly meet-ups for all employees of incubated companies, allowing the employees to build relationships and exchange ideas.

EVE promotes and introduces its companies to investors, assists them in identifying and seeking grant opportunities such as NYSERDA and SBIR, and helps them prepare for business plan competitions; the companies are given assistance in preparing applications, presentations, and pitches.  Additionally, members are provided access to professional grant writers to assist them as needed.

The EVE companies are invited to expand their professional networks through networking opportunities within the local business and academic community in order increase exposure to decision makers, funding sources from grants, and potential angel investors.  EVE is physically located off-campus in an effort to incubate companies directly in the community of Troy, NY and to strategically re-invent the typical “brick and mortar” business incubation model followed by RPI’s old incubator.  EVE is not a center where entrepreneurial students can simply rent space and use a photocopier the way a “brick and mortar” incubator is often used, but it is a 4,000 square foot center which strictly focuses on moving students through a business development continuum and on preparing them to fill vacant business facilities in the Troy community, leased at very low prices by realtors.  EVE does not want to focus on space like the traditional brick and mortar incubation model because if a company takes up too much space, they can’t let others in; student startups enrolled in EVE are treated like real businesses.

EVE was launched in February of 2011 with eight companies and now supports over thirty.  The continuum of business development begins with the formation of customized ninety-day plans which include 3-5 specific short term goals, preparing these young ventures to fill business space in the community.  Each venture enrolled in EVE has access to a huge network of professional individuals which include over 90,000 alumni that can potentially serve as mentors (25-30 of which are very active), the wind tunnel and prototyping capabilities at RPI, NYSERDA money, professional services (the first hour or two of which are provided for free), and accounting firms to help set up Quickbooks.  Although many professional services are not provided for EVE companies, aggressive rates are negotiated with local providers and funding often comes from venture pitches.

The key to RPI’s Emerging Ventures Ecosystem is that companies never graduate from the incubator because business development and iteration is never finalized.  Companies supported by EVE are always welcome to come back and ask for assistance in making new connections with the large international network of individuals.  RPI’s large alumni network serves as a virtual incubator in the sense that the network is leveraged to help grow companies as they experience the transition from technology ideas and intellectual property to commercialization through their education. 

== ==

=   '''Engaging with regional and local economic development efforts''' =

== Startup Tech Valley - Where Entrepreneurs and the Community Come Together ==

A monthly meetup for first-time entrepreneurs, experienced entrepreneurs, aspiring entrepreneurs, investors, mentors, employees of startups, serviceprodiders to startups, and anyone else who wants to be involved.

== Tech Valley Center of Gravity ==

The Tech Valley Center of Gravity is a federation of makers, hackers, crafters, and artists who share camaraderie, space, and resources to do our tinkering. We have a permanent makerspace, several satellite locations, and a community of local individuals and organizations to share and support them. We are based in downtown Troy, NY, and sponsor events all over the New York State Capital Region.

Our primary goal is to build a community around the idea of doing for ourselves, rather than just passively consuming, and learning how the arts, crafts, and technologies that surround us every day work, along the way. We also aim to create a network of contacts for small business and start-ups in the Capital Region to connect with local leaders, like-minded businesses and individuals, and tools and resources they might not otherwise have access to.

== Accelerate518 ==

TAccelerate518 (A518) is a consortium of stakeholders nestled in the heart of our State—New York’s Capital Region. The Capital Region encompasses four counties: Albany, Schenectady, Rensselaer and Saratoga. The synergy of these four counties is the catalyst for invention and innovation.

The Capital Region has a rich history of incubating and growing multinational corporations, including: New York Central Railroad, American Express, Cap Cities, General Electric, American Locomotive Company, Albany International, International Paper, and Albany Molecular Research. Accelerate518 is a platform to facilitate multiple groups working together to advance entrepreneurship and innovation in the Capital Region.  The goals of A518 include fostering active collaboration among educators and stakeholders, providing practical resources for entrepreneurs, sharing resources for education and training, and developing a network of individuals committed to invigorating the startup culture of the Capital Region.  We have aligned our interests to help the regional entrepreneurial ecosystem grow companies and create sustainable jobs. Initial core members of A518 include: CEG, Albany Medical College, Albany Law School, Hudson Valley Community College, RPI, Sage Colleges, Siena College, Skidmore College, Union College, and University at Albany.

= Landscape Canvas and Presentation =

[https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1Ek9pplesv42Ubc0TzcqW7mtASYtgL_XbJmvxJG4e14s/pub?start=true&loop=true&delayms=3000 Landscape Canvas Documentation]

[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1cg47LQI3tLh2gxM4u2FfyEPX1ljnFulr97_amxy4ebc/pubhtml Landscape Presentation]

= Related Links =

[[Meghan Olson|Meghan Olson]]

[http://universityinnovation.org/wiki/Ray_Parker Ray Parker]

[[Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Strategic Priorities|Rensselaer_Polytechnic_Institute_Strategic_Priorities]]

[[Category:Universities]]

File:RPI.png

2016-02-08T06:19:07Z

Ray Parker:

School:Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

2016-02-08T06:17:01Z

Ray Parker:

'''Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Innovation Ecosystem: Promoting student innovation and entrepreneurship'''

= '''Overview''' =

'''''The motto of entrepreneurship at RPI:  A way to think. A way to learn. A way to succeed. ''''' [[File:Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Seal.jpg|thumb|Rensselaer Logo]]

"Entrepreneurial thinking lies at the heart of Rensselaer’s philosophy. Like our faculty, Rensselaer students are encouraged to pursue creativity and discovery — and the results are often spectacular. Our undergraduates embrace change in ways that have transformed how the world works, plays, and lives.

Our entrepreneurship program is built on the premise that ''not everyone wants to, or needs to, become an entrepreneur, but in today’s world everyone should know how to think like one."''

This statement shows RPI's commitment to entrepreneurial thinking, not so much the outcome of entreprenurship. The RPI Exemplar's program is a great example of the culture of entrepreneurship that RPI thrives on, as the Exemplar's program is designed for students who have a high level of interest in complementing their education by aquiring an entrepreneurail perspective.

'''Formal programs:'''

*B.S. Electronic Arts (Media, Ecology, Entrepreneurship and Experimentation)
*BS. Design,Innovationand Society
*M.S. Technological Communication & Entrepreneurship
*Ph.D. Science and Technology Studies
*Minor Entrepreneurship

'''Extracurricular Activities:'''

*[http://www.eship.rpi.edu/exemplars_scholar_edge.html Exemplar's Program]
*[http://www.rpi.edu/dept/lally/centers/severino/foundry.html RPI Foundry]
*[http://designforamerica.com/studios/rensselaer/ RPI Design for America]
*[http://startuptechvalley.org/ Startup Tech Valley]
*[http://lallyschool.rpi.edu/severino-center-competitions Business Model Competition]
*[http://lallyschool.rpi.edu/severino-center-competitions Change the World Challenge]
*[http://lallyschool.rpi.edu/severino-center-competitions Elevator Pitch Competition]

'''Conferences and Workshops: '''

*[http://rpihub.org/boss-sponsors/ BOSS Conference]
*[http://www.tvcog.net/ Startup Validation Conference]
*[http://startup.ny.gov/ Startup NY]
*[http://startuptechvalley.org/ StartupTech Valley]

Education geared toward entrepreneurial thinking encourages students at RPI to think in different ways, to come up with new ideas to solve problems and to enter on-campus competitions such as the Change the World Challenge, the Class of ’51 Entrepreneurial Fund, the Elevator Pitch Competition, and the RPI Business Plan Competition.  These programs often provide the spark which gives students the entrepreneurial bug and encourages them to continue pursuing their ideas.

The Severino Center for Technological Entrepreneurship (SCTE), centered in Rensselaer’s Lally School of Management & Technology, helps to foster new generations of budding and successful entrepreneurs through outreach programs, education, and support systems.  In recognition of the fact that most business students aren’t inventors, the Lally School intersects with other schools on campus to encourage the formation of new student teams and the fusing of their ideas.

Small Buhrmaster grants in the amounts of $1,000 to $2,000 are available, as determined by the Director of the Severino Center, for student ventures to test the market feasibility of their business concepts and to establish and define their target customers.  Mr. Buhrmaster, ’69 is a friend of the Lally school and a member of its advisory council.

The Severino Center also provides Mentoring and Resources via the Student Sandbox, Entrepreneurs-in-Residence, the Rensselaer Student Entrepreneurship Club, and assistance in finding teammates.  Experienced entrepreneur volunteers are assigned to coach teams that receive a Buhrmaster grant to help guide them in their market and business development activities.  

= '''Encouraging faculty innovation and entrepreneurship''' =

''Incredible professors like Burt Swersey, Dr. Eric Ledet, and many others''

''"For the last decade, the Rensselaer Plan has provided a blueprint for transformation and impact. It has guided the development of an exceptional campus environment for advancing research with the potential to address science and society’s most challenging problems. Based on this strong foundation, Rensselaer research is creating a better future through the innovation and engineering of a better world. With our accelerated trajectory, the best is yet to come."''

Research is huge on RPI's campus and encouraging innovation is both in line with The Rensselaer Plan and Rensselaer's motto of "why not change the world?"

== Innovation and Entrepreneurship Classes and Activities ==

There are multiple different types of organizations and classes that try to teach theses sorts of opportunities and ways of thinking at Rensselaer, including a class called How to Change the World and Starting a New Venture. In addition to this, there are activities such as Design for America and Foundry that are also a part of the I&E spectrum. In addition to these supplementary classes, there are also other courses such as Capstone Senior Design Course that help to develop interdisciplinary bridges across multiple academic departments. A prerequisite for this sort of course consists of many different classes across many different academic subjects, as well as the class Introduction to Engineering design during most engineering student's sophomore years, which focus on giving exposure to the design process that will help Rensselaer's engineering students in the future. 

== Other Resources ==

In addition to classes, Rensselaer offers many different types of laboratories that are opened during certain hours of the day. These include the Mercer Lab for Electronics, the MILL, and Student Shop. These labs are opened during certain hours of the day that give certain students access to different types of equipment for them to do prototyping and other types of work with.

There are many different co-op and internship opportunities at Rensselaer as well, that work with many companies. Some of Rensselaer's top employers are United Technology Corporation, Boeing, Cisco, General Electric, GlobalFoundries, Deloitte, Epic Systems, FactSet, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Schlumberger, Hasbro and IBM.

= '''Actively supporting the university technology transfer function''' =

''RPI Office of Technology Commercialization: ''[http://www.rpitechnology.com/ http://www.rpitechnology.com/]

''RPI Technology Transfer/Innovation Hub: ''[http://rpihub.org/author/admin/ http://rpihub.org/author/admin/]

== The Rensselaer Plan ==

The Rensselaer Plan addresses technology transfer and intellectual property policies that encourage entrepreneurship.  Research is the major driver of science and technology transfer, invention, and innovation. Technological entrepreneurship completes the technology lifecycle — from discovery to the creation of impact in the global marketplace. With an expanding research base, we will cultivate a campus culture that provides the spirit and motivation for inventors to pursue commercialization. We will: Increase awareness of intellectual property, preserving its value in research agreements and maximizing its value under shared equity arrangements and licensing agreements, covering intellectual property developed in research and materials developed for distance education.  Create intellectual property policies that encourage entrepreneurship and allowthe university to take equity positions in new ventures as appropriate.  Ensure that intellectual property policies have adequate and appropriate conflictof interest and conflict of commitment provisions. Develop an awareness and infrastructure of intellectual property rights policies, incentives, and marketing to support innovation and commercialization.

== Creating and Supporting New Ventures ==

World-class technological research universities excel in transferring research outputs to the commercial sector. We will create innovative programs targeted at growing major new technological ventures and creating value. We will:  Enhance the process of matching researchers and entrepreneurs to create new ventures that take Rensselaer intellectual property to market  Provide business planning and facilitate venture capital for faculty and students for start-up companies that commercialize leading-edge Rensselaer research.  Expand the Incubator program to accommodate more start-ups and second-stage incubation.  Expand the flow of technology, talent, and ventures into the Rensselaer Technology Park and the Capital Region. Bring new focus to the Rensselaer Technology Park as the locus for mature ventures based on the technologies taught and researched at the Institute. Work with private and public sources to attract new venture capital and entrepreneurial talent to the Capital Region.

= '''Facilitating University-Industry Collaboration''' =

== RPI Tech Park ==

Rensselaer Technology Park is a university related park for technology ventures seeking a unique environment focused on the interface between industry and education.

According to the rpitechpark.com website, the University Interactions Policy of the Tech Park is built upon "a fundamental objective of the Park is to develop interactions between tenant companies and the university.  Such interactions enrich the educational environment of the university and help the companies stay on the leading edge of their technologies.  All companies in the Park automatically become “affiliates” of Rensselaer."  Building a synergistic environment is a responsibility shared by all members of the Park staff."

== EVE (Emerging Ventures Ecosystem) ==

The work of turning ideas into real companies happens in RPI’s incubator, the Emerging Ventures Ecosystem (EVE).  EVE is a distributed incubation program which accelerates the growth of new businesses and boosts the transfer of scientific and technological breakthroughs from the laboratory and classroom to the marketplace, for social and economic impact.

Launched in February 2011, the Emerging Ventures Ecosystem (EVE) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute serves to link “Rensselaer institutional resources and alumni/ae expertise symbiotically with community strengths, in a multi-faceted partnership for mutual benefit.”  The goal of EVE is to nurture new businesses and to build upon the decades of successful efforts of RPI’s previous incubator by helping young businesses grow and succeed.[[File:Evered.gif|thumb|EVE Accelerator Logo]]

Rensselaer’s previous incubator program was opened in 1980 as the nation’s first such program wholly sponsored and operated by a university. In its later stages, the incubator was primarily used for its “brick and mortar” assets, as place for entrepreneurially minded students to rent at a low cost, with convenient access to a photocopier.  The model of RPI’s old incubator was traditional: it was rented by students who were seeking to start a venture, which either lived or died, and then moved on.  The RPI Incubator building was closed in late 2009 simply because it did not make any money for the institution.

The new EVE program utilizes an innovative distributed incubation model, maintaining a central office in Troy, NY and working with each company to find an ideal matchup of space-to-enterprise in Troy and the surrounding area.  EVE is overseen by James Spencer, who has 20 years of experience in leading organizational creation and growth as an entrepreneurial business executive.

Once a new company completes the application process for the EVE program — through which Rensselaer will determine, in part, whether the entrepreneur is willing to put in the effort to make the company successful — the program will assign a status to the company: pre-seed, emerging, or early stage. Assigning these descriptions will help EVE mentors and administrators determine the specific services needed by each business.

Under EVE, businesses that are accepted into the program will receive a series of specific services that will help accelerate their growth.  A board of advisers will be established from community resources or alumni/ae for each new company.  If a company already has a board of advisers or directors, EVE will assign an additional person to the board to act as a liaison to mobilize resources within the Institute.

Upon formation of a board of advisors, three or four key objectives are developed by each company with the help of their advisory board.  Milestones for these objectives are then established for each quarter, in an effort to create a concrete plan for success and to generate measurable objectives; new goals are developed for succeeding semesters.  Companies must continue to show steady progress in order to remain in the program.

As a member of EVE, a company will have access to the Entrepreneur(s)-in-Residence at the Lally School as well as other resources including labs, patenting and licensing services, faculty, and students for work-study assignments, internships (REIP), and student projects.  Additional resources for EVE members include alumni/ae and community volunteers such as attorneys and accountants who are available to answer questions and provide advice and one time assistance for basic questions.  If an EVE company requires further professional assistance, they are encouraged to select a professional service company from a list provided through the EVE program. Such services may be offered at a discount to seed and early stage companies.

EVE hosts monthly peer review meetings, known as CEO Roundtable Discussions, among the CEOs of the incubated companies as a framework for peer-to-peer coaching among the mix of pre-seed, early state, and emerging companies supported by the EVE incubator program.  At these meetings, participants will sign disclosure agreements allowing a platform for confidential open discussions about topics and issues of importance to them.  The companies will also be invited to a monthly meeting featuring a speaker or a lecturer based upon a topic selected by the EVE companies’ CEOs and will also attend quarterly meet-ups for all employees of incubated companies, allowing the employees to build relationships and exchange ideas.

EVE promotes and introduces its companies to investors, assists them in identifying and seeking grant opportunities such as NYSERDA and SBIR, and helps them prepare for business plan competitions; the companies are given assistance in preparing applications, presentations, and pitches.  Additionally, members are provided access to professional grant writers to assist them as needed.

The EVE companies are invited to expand their professional networks through networking opportunities within the local business and academic community in order increase exposure to decision makers, funding sources from grants, and potential angel investors.  EVE is physically located off-campus in an effort to incubate companies directly in the community of Troy, NY and to strategically re-invent the typical “brick and mortar” business incubation model followed by RPI’s old incubator.  EVE is not a center where entrepreneurial students can simply rent space and use a photocopier the way a “brick and mortar” incubator is often used, but it is a 4,000 square foot center which strictly focuses on moving students through a business development continuum and on preparing them to fill vacant business facilities in the Troy community, leased at very low prices by realtors.  EVE does not want to focus on space like the traditional brick and mortar incubation model because if a company takes up too much space, they can’t let others in; student startups enrolled in EVE are treated like real businesses.

EVE was launched in February of 2011 with eight companies and now supports over thirty.  The continuum of business development begins with the formation of customized ninety-day plans which include 3-5 specific short term goals, preparing these young ventures to fill business space in the community.  Each venture enrolled in EVE has access to a huge network of professional individuals which include over 90,000 alumni that can potentially serve as mentors (25-30 of which are very active), the wind tunnel and prototyping capabilities at RPI, NYSERDA money, professional services (the first hour or two of which are provided for free), and accounting firms to help set up Quickbooks.  Although many professional services are not provided for EVE companies, aggressive rates are negotiated with local providers and funding often comes from venture pitches.

The key to RPI’s Emerging Ventures Ecosystem is that companies never graduate from the incubator because business development and iteration is never finalized.  Companies supported by EVE are always welcome to come back and ask for assistance in making new connections with the large international network of individuals.  RPI’s large alumni network serves as a virtual incubator in the sense that the network is leveraged to help grow companies as they experience the transition from technology ideas and intellectual property to commercialization through their education. 

== ==

=   '''Engaging with regional and local economic development efforts''' =

== Startup Tech Valley - Where Entrepreneurs and the Community Come Together ==

A monthly meetup for first-time entrepreneurs, experienced entrepreneurs, aspiring entrepreneurs, investors, mentors, employees of startups, serviceprodiders to startups, and anyone else who wants to be involved.

== Tech Valley Center of Gravity ==

The Tech Valley Center of Gravity is a federation of makers, hackers, crafters, and artists who share camaraderie, space, and resources to do our tinkering. We have a permanent makerspace, several satellite locations, and a community of local individuals and organizations to share and support them. We are based in downtown Troy, NY, and sponsor events all over the New York State Capital Region.

Our primary goal is to build a community around the idea of doing for ourselves, rather than just passively consuming, and learning how the arts, crafts, and technologies that surround us every day work, along the way. We also aim to create a network of contacts for small business and start-ups in the Capital Region to connect with local leaders, like-minded businesses and individuals, and tools and resources they might not otherwise have access to.

== Accelerate518 ==

TAccelerate518 (A518) is a consortium of stakeholders nestled in the heart of our State—New York’s Capital Region. The Capital Region encompasses four counties: Albany, Schenectady, Rensselaer and Saratoga. The synergy of these four counties is the catalyst for invention and innovation.

The Capital Region has a rich history of incubating and growing multinational corporations, including: New York Central Railroad, American Express, Cap Cities, General Electric, American Locomotive Company, Albany International, International Paper, and Albany Molecular Research. Accelerate518 is a platform to facilitate multiple groups working together to advance entrepreneurship and innovation in the Capital Region.  The goals of A518 include fostering active collaboration among educators and stakeholders, providing practical resources for entrepreneurs, sharing resources for education and training, and developing a network of individuals committed to invigorating the startup culture of the Capital Region.  We have aligned our interests to help the regional entrepreneurial ecosystem grow companies and create sustainable jobs. Initial core members of A518 include: CEG, Albany Medical College, Albany Law School, Hudson Valley Community College, RPI, Sage Colleges, Siena College, Skidmore College, Union College, and University at Albany.

= Landscape Canvas and Presentation =

[https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1Ek9pplesv42Ubc0TzcqW7mtASYtgL_XbJmvxJG4e14s/pub?start=true&loop=true&delayms=3000 Landscape Canvas Documentation]

[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1cg47LQI3tLh2gxM4u2FfyEPX1ljnFulr97_amxy4ebc/pubhtml Landscape Presentation]

= Related Links =

[[Meghan Olson|Meghan Olson]]

[http://universityinnovation.org/wiki/Ray_Parker Ray Parker]

[[Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Strategic Priorities|Rensselaer_Polytechnic_Institute_Strategic_Priorities]]

[[Category:Universities]]

School:Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

2016-02-08T06:14:31Z

Ray Parker:

'''Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Innovation Ecosystem: Promoting student innovation and entrepreneurship'''

= '''Overview''' =

'''''The motto of entrepreneurship at RPI:  A way to think. A way to learn. A way to succeed. '''''

"Entrepreneurial thinking lies at the heart of Rensselaer’s philosophy. Like our faculty, Rensselaer students are encouraged to pursue creativity and discovery — and the results are often spectacular. Our undergraduates embracechange in ways that have transformed how the world works, plays, and lives.[[File:Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Seal.jpg|thumb|Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Logo]]

Our entrepreneurship program is built on the premise that ''not everyone wants to, or needs to, become an entrepreneur, but in today’s world everyone should know how to think like one."''

This statement shows RPI's commitment to entrepreneurial thinking, not so much the outcome of entreprenurship. The RPI Exemplar's program is a great example of the culture of entrepreneurship that RPI thrives on, as the Exemplar's program is designed for students who have a high level of interest in complementing their education by aquiring an entrepreneurail perspective.

'''Formal programs:'''

*B.S. Electronic Arts (Media, Ecology, Entrepreneurship and Experimentation)
*BS. Design,Innovationand Society
*M.S. Technological Communication & Entrepreneurship
*Ph.D. Science and Technology Studies
*Minor Entrepreneurship

'''Extracurricular Activities:'''

*[http://www.eship.rpi.edu/exemplars_scholar_edge.html Exemplar's Program]
*[http://www.rpi.edu/dept/lally/centers/severino/foundry.html RPI Foundry]
*[http://designforamerica.com/studios/rensselaer/ RPI Design for America]
*[http://startuptechvalley.org/ Startup Tech Valley]
*[http://lallyschool.rpi.edu/severino-center-competitions Business Model Competition]
*[http://lallyschool.rpi.edu/severino-center-competitions Change the World Challenge]
*[http://lallyschool.rpi.edu/severino-center-competitions Elevator Pitch Competition]

'''Conferences and Workshops: '''

*[http://rpihub.org/boss-sponsors/ BOSS Conference]
*[http://www.tvcog.net/ Startup Validation Conference]
*[http://startup.ny.gov/ Startup NY]
*[http://startuptechvalley.org/ StartupTech Valley]

Education geared toward entrepreneurial thinking encourages students at RPI to think in different ways, to come up with new ideas to solve problems and to enter on-campus competitions such as the Change the World Challenge, the Class of ’51 Entrepreneurial Fund, the Elevator Pitch Competition, and the RPI Business Plan Competition.  These programs often provide the spark which gives students the entrepreneurial bug and encourages them to continue pursuing their ideas.

The Severino Center for Technological Entrepreneurship (SCTE), centered in Rensselaer’s Lally School of Management & Technology, helps to foster new generations of budding and successful entrepreneurs through outreach programs, education, and support systems.  In recognition of the fact that most business students aren’t inventors, the Lally School intersects with other schools on campus to encourage the formation of new student teams and the fusing of their ideas.

Small Buhrmaster grants in the amounts of $1,000 to $2,000 are available, as determined by the Director of the Severino Center, for student ventures to test the market feasibility of their business concepts and to establish and define their target customers.  Mr. Buhrmaster, ’69 is a friend of the Lally school and a member of its advisory council.

The Severino Center also provides Mentoring and Resources via the Student Sandbox, Entrepreneurs-in-Residence, the Rensselaer Student Entrepreneurship Club, and assistance in finding teammates.  Experienced entrepreneur volunteers are assigned to coach teams that receive a Buhrmaster grant to help guide them in their market and business development activities.  

= '''Encouraging faculty innovation and entrepreneurship''' =

''Incredible professors like Burt Swersey, Dr. Eric Ledet, and many others''

''"For the last decade, the Rensselaer Plan has provided a blueprint for transformation and impact. It has guided the development of an exceptional campus environment for advancing research with the potential to address science and society’s most challenging problems. Based on this strong foundation, Rensselaer research is creating a better future through the innovation and engineering of a better world. With our accelerated trajectory, the best is yet to come."''

Research is huge on RPI's campus and encouraging innovation is both in line with The Rensselaer Plan and Rensselaer's motto of "why not change the world?"

== Innovation and Entrepreneurship Classes and Activities ==

There are multiple different types of organizations and classes that try to teach theses sorts of opportunities and ways of thinking at Rensselaer, including a class called How to Change the World and Starting a New Venture. In addition to this, there are activities such as Design for America and Foundry that are also a part of the I&E spectrum. In addition to these supplementary classes, there are also other courses such as Capstone Senior Design Course that help to develop interdisciplinary bridges across multiple academic departments. A prerequisite for this sort of course consists of many different classes across many different academic subjects, as well as the class Introduction to Engineering design during most engineering student's sophomore years, which focus on giving exposure to the design process that will help Rensselaer's engineering students in the future. 

== Other Resources ==

In addition to classes, Rensselaer offers many different types of laboratories that are opened during certain hours of the day. These include the Mercer Lab for Electronics, the MILL, and Student Shop. These labs are opened during certain hours of the day that give certain students access to different types of equipment for them to do prototyping and other types of work with.

There are many different co-op and internship opportunities at Rensselaer as well, that work with many companies. Some of Rensselaer's top employers are United Technology Corporation, Boeing, Cisco, General Electric, GlobalFoundries, Deloitte, Epic Systems, FactSet, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Schlumberger, Hasbro and IBM.

= '''Actively supporting the university technology transfer function''' =

''RPI Office of Technology Commercialization: ''[http://www.rpitechnology.com/ http://www.rpitechnology.com/]

''RPI Technology Transfer/Innovation Hub: ''[http://rpihub.org/author/admin/ http://rpihub.org/author/admin/]

== The Rensselaer Plan ==

The Rensselaer Plan addresses technology transfer and intellectual property policies that encourage entrepreneurship.  Research is the major driver of science and technology transfer, invention, and innovation. Technological entrepreneurship completes the technology lifecycle — from discovery to the creation of impact in the global marketplace. With an expanding research base, we will cultivate a campus culture that provides the spirit and motivation for inventors to pursue commercialization. We will: Increase awareness of intellectual property, preserving its value in research agreements and maximizing its value under shared equity arrangements and licensing agreements, covering intellectual property developed in research and materials developed for distance education.  Create intellectual property policies that encourage entrepreneurship and allowthe university to take equity positions in new ventures as appropriate.  Ensure that intellectual property policies have adequate and appropriate conflictof interest and conflict of commitment provisions. Develop an awareness and infrastructure of intellectual property rights policies, incentives, and marketing to support innovation and commercialization.

== Creating and Supporting New Ventures ==

World-class technological research universities excel in transferring research outputs to the commercial sector. We will create innovative programs targeted at growing major new technological ventures and creating value. We will:  Enhance the process of matching researchers and entrepreneurs to create new ventures that take Rensselaer intellectual property to market  Provide business planning and facilitate venture capital for faculty and students for start-up companies that commercialize leading-edge Rensselaer research.  Expand the Incubator program to accommodate more start-ups and second-stage incubation.  Expand the flow of technology, talent, and ventures into the Rensselaer Technology Park and the Capital Region. Bring new focus to the Rensselaer Technology Park as the locus for mature ventures based on the technologies taught and researched at the Institute. Work with private and public sources to attract new venture capital and entrepreneurial talent to the Capital Region.

= '''Facilitating University-Industry Collaboration''' =

== RPI Tech Park ==

Rensselaer Technology Park is a university related park for technology ventures seeking a unique environment focused on the interface between industry and education.

According to the rpitechpark.com website, the University Interactions Policy of the Tech Park is built upon "a fundamental objective of the Park is to develop interactions between tenant companies and the university.  Such interactions enrich the educational environment of the university and help the companies stay on the leading edge of their technologies.  All companies in the Park automatically become “affiliates” of Rensselaer."  Building a synergistic environment is a responsibility shared by all members of the Park staff."

== EVE (Emerging Ventures Ecosystem) ==

The work of turning ideas into real companies happens in RPI’s incubator, the Emerging Ventures Ecosystem (EVE).  EVE is a distributed incubation program which accelerates the growth of new businesses and boosts the transfer of scientific and technological breakthroughs from the laboratory and classroom to the marketplace, for social and economic impact.

Launched in February 2011, the Emerging Ventures Ecosystem (EVE) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute serves to link “Rensselaer institutional resources and alumni/ae expertise symbiotically with community strengths, in a multi-faceted partnership for mutual benefit.”  The goal of EVE is to nurture new businesses and to build upon the decades of successful efforts of RPI’s previous incubator by helping young businesses grow and succeed.[[File:Evered.gif|thumb|EVE Accelerator Logo]]

Rensselaer’s previous incubator program was opened in 1980 as the nation’s first such program wholly sponsored and operated by a university. In its later stages, the incubator was primarily used for its “brick and mortar” assets, as place for entrepreneurially minded students to rent at a low cost, with convenient access to a photocopier.  The model of RPI’s old incubator was traditional: it was rented by students who were seeking to start a venture, which either lived or died, and then moved on.  The RPI Incubator building was closed in late 2009 simply because it did not make any money for the institution.

The new EVE program utilizes an innovative distributed incubation model, maintaining a central office in Troy, NY and working with each company to find an ideal matchup of space-to-enterprise in Troy and the surrounding area.  EVE is overseen by James Spencer, who has 20 years of experience in leading organizational creation and growth as an entrepreneurial business executive.

Once a new company completes the application process for the EVE program — through which Rensselaer will determine, in part, whether the entrepreneur is willing to put in the effort to make the company successful — the program will assign a status to the company: pre-seed, emerging, or early stage. Assigning these descriptions will help EVE mentors and administrators determine the specific services needed by each business.

Under EVE, businesses that are accepted into the program will receive a series of specific services that will help accelerate their growth.  A board of advisers will be established from community resources or alumni/ae for each new company.  If a company already has a board of advisers or directors, EVE will assign an additional person to the board to act as a liaison to mobilize resources within the Institute.

Upon formation of a board of advisors, three or four key objectives are developed by each company with the help of their advisory board.  Milestones for these objectives are then established for each quarter, in an effort to create a concrete plan for success and to generate measurable objectives; new goals are developed for succeeding semesters.  Companies must continue to show steady progress in order to remain in the program.

As a member of EVE, a company will have access to the Entrepreneur(s)-in-Residence at the Lally School as well as other resources including labs, patenting and licensing services, faculty, and students for work-study assignments, internships (REIP), and student projects.  Additional resources for EVE members include alumni/ae and community volunteers such as attorneys and accountants who are available to answer questions and provide advice and one time assistance for basic questions.  If an EVE company requires further professional assistance, they are encouraged to select a professional service company from a list provided through the EVE program. Such services may be offered at a discount to seed and early stage companies.

EVE hosts monthly peer review meetings, known as CEO Roundtable Discussions, among the CEOs of the incubated companies as a framework for peer-to-peer coaching among the mix of pre-seed, early state, and emerging companies supported by the EVE incubator program.  At these meetings, participants will sign disclosure agreements allowing a platform for confidential open discussions about topics and issues of importance to them.  The companies will also be invited to a monthly meeting featuring a speaker or a lecturer based upon a topic selected by the EVE companies’ CEOs and will also attend quarterly meet-ups for all employees of incubated companies, allowing the employees to build relationships and exchange ideas.

EVE promotes and introduces its companies to investors, assists them in identifying and seeking grant opportunities such as NYSERDA and SBIR, and helps them prepare for business plan competitions; the companies are given assistance in preparing applications, presentations, and pitches.  Additionally, members are provided access to professional grant writers to assist them as needed.

The EVE companies are invited to expand their professional networks through networking opportunities within the local business and academic community in order increase exposure to decision makers, funding sources from grants, and potential angel investors.  EVE is physically located off-campus in an effort to incubate companies directly in the community of Troy, NY and to strategically re-invent the typical “brick and mortar” business incubation model followed by RPI’s old incubator.  EVE is not a center where entrepreneurial students can simply rent space and use a photocopier the way a “brick and mortar” incubator is often used, but it is a 4,000 square foot center which strictly focuses on moving students through a business development continuum and on preparing them to fill vacant business facilities in the Troy community, leased at very low prices by realtors.  EVE does not want to focus on space like the traditional brick and mortar incubation model because if a company takes up too much space, they can’t let others in; student startups enrolled in EVE are treated like real businesses.

EVE was launched in February of 2011 with eight companies and now supports over thirty.  The continuum of business development begins with the formation of customized ninety-day plans which include 3-5 specific short term goals, preparing these young ventures to fill business space in the community.  Each venture enrolled in EVE has access to a huge network of professional individuals which include over 90,000 alumni that can potentially serve as mentors (25-30 of which are very active), the wind tunnel and prototyping capabilities at RPI, NYSERDA money, professional services (the first hour or two of which are provided for free), and accounting firms to help set up Quickbooks.  Although many professional services are not provided for EVE companies, aggressive rates are negotiated with local providers and funding often comes from venture pitches.

The key to RPI’s Emerging Ventures Ecosystem is that companies never graduate from the incubator because business development and iteration is never finalized.  Companies supported by EVE are always welcome to come back and ask for assistance in making new connections with the large international network of individuals.  RPI’s large alumni network serves as a virtual incubator in the sense that the network is leveraged to help grow companies as they experience the transition from technology ideas and intellectual property to commercialization through their education. 

== ==

=   '''Engaging with regional and local economic development efforts''' =

== Startup Tech Valley - Where Entrepreneurs and the Community Come Together ==

A monthly meetup for first-time entrepreneurs, experienced entrepreneurs, aspiring entrepreneurs, investors, mentors, employees of startups, serviceprodiders to startups, and anyone else who wants to be involved.

== Tech Valley Center of Gravity ==

The Tech Valley Center of Gravity is a federation of makers, hackers, crafters, and artists who share camaraderie, space, and resources to do our tinkering. We have a permanent makerspace, several satellite locations, and a community of local individuals and organizations to share and support them. We are based in downtown Troy, NY, and sponsor events all over the New York State Capital Region.

Our primary goal is to build a community around the idea of doing for ourselves, rather than just passively consuming, and learning how the arts, crafts, and technologies that surround us every day work, along the way. We also aim to create a network of contacts for small business and start-ups in the Capital Region to connect with local leaders, like-minded businesses and individuals, and tools and resources they might not otherwise have access to.

== Accelerate518 ==

TAccelerate518 (A518) is a consortium of stakeholders nestled in the heart of our State—New York’s Capital Region. The Capital Region encompasses four counties: Albany, Schenectady, Rensselaer and Saratoga. The synergy of these four counties is the catalyst for invention and innovation.

The Capital Region has a rich history of incubating and growing multinational corporations, including: New York Central Railroad, American Express, Cap Cities, General Electric, American Locomotive Company, Albany International, International Paper, and Albany Molecular Research. Accelerate518 is a platform to facilitate multiple groups working together to advance entrepreneurship and innovation in the Capital Region.  The goals of A518 include fostering active collaboration among educators and stakeholders, providing practical resources for entrepreneurs, sharing resources for education and training, and developing a network of individuals committed to invigorating the startup culture of the Capital Region.  We have aligned our interests to help the regional entrepreneurial ecosystem grow companies and create sustainable jobs. Initial core members of A518 include: CEG, Albany Medical College, Albany Law School, Hudson Valley Community College, RPI, Sage Colleges, Siena College, Skidmore College, Union College, and University at Albany.

= Landscape Canvas and Presentation =

[https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1Ek9pplesv42Ubc0TzcqW7mtASYtgL_XbJmvxJG4e14s/pub?start=true&loop=true&delayms=3000 Landscape Canvas Documentation]

[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1cg47LQI3tLh2gxM4u2FfyEPX1ljnFulr97_amxy4ebc/pubhtml Landscape Presentation]

= Related Links =

[[Meghan Olson|Meghan Olson]]

[http://universityinnovation.org/wiki/Ray_Parker Ray Parker]

[[Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Strategic Priorities|Rensselaer_Polytechnic_Institute_Strategic_Priorities]]

[[Category:Universities]]

File:Evered.gif

2016-02-08T06:14:01Z

Ray Parker:

School:Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

2016-02-08T06:12:51Z

Ray Parker:

'''Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Innovation Ecosystem: Promoting student innovation and entrepreneurship'''

= '''Overview''' =

'''''The motto of entrepreneurship at RPI:  A way to think. A way to learn. A way to succeed. '''''

"Entrepreneurial thinking lies at the heart of Rensselaer’s philosophy. Like our faculty, Rensselaer students are encouraged to pursue creativity and discovery — and the results are often spectacular. Our undergraduates embracechange in ways that have transformed how the world works, plays, and lives.[[File:Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Seal.jpg|thumb|Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Logo]]

Our entrepreneurship program is built on the premise that ''not everyone wants to, or needs to, become an entrepreneur, but in today’s world everyone should know how to think like one."''

This statement shows RPI's commitment to entrepreneurial thinking, not so much the outcome of entreprenurship. The RPI Exemplar's program is a great example of the culture of entrepreneurship that RPI thrives on, as the Exemplar's program is designed for students who have a high level of interest in complementing their education by aquiring an entrepreneurail perspective.

'''Formal programs:'''

*B.S. Electronic Arts (Media, Ecology, Entrepreneurship and Experimentation)
*BS. Design,Innovationand Society
*M.S. Technological Communication & Entrepreneurship
*Ph.D. Science and Technology Studies
*Minor Entrepreneurship

'''Extracurricular Activities:'''

*[http://www.eship.rpi.edu/exemplars_scholar_edge.html Exemplar's Program]
*[http://www.rpi.edu/dept/lally/centers/severino/foundry.html RPI Foundry]
*[http://designforamerica.com/studios/rensselaer/ RPI Design for America]
*[http://startuptechvalley.org/ Startup Tech Valley]
*[http://lallyschool.rpi.edu/severino-center-competitions Business Model Competition]
*[http://lallyschool.rpi.edu/severino-center-competitions Change the World Challenge]
*[http://lallyschool.rpi.edu/severino-center-competitions Elevator Pitch Competition]

'''Conferences and Workshops: '''

*[http://rpihub.org/boss-sponsors/ BOSS Conference]
*[http://www.tvcog.net/ Startup Validation Conference]
*[http://startup.ny.gov/ Startup NY]
*[http://startuptechvalley.org/ StartupTech Valley]

Education geared toward entrepreneurial thinking encourages students at RPI to think in different ways, to come up with new ideas to solve problems and to enter on-campus competitions such as the Change the World Challenge, the Class of ’51 Entrepreneurial Fund, the Elevator Pitch Competition, and the RPI Business Plan Competition.  These programs often provide the spark which gives students the entrepreneurial bug and encourages them to continue pursuing their ideas.

The Severino Center for Technological Entrepreneurship (SCTE), centered in Rensselaer’s Lally School of Management & Technology, helps to foster new generations of budding and successful entrepreneurs through outreach programs, education, and support systems.  In recognition of the fact that most business students aren’t inventors, the Lally School intersects with other schools on campus to encourage the formation of new student teams and the fusing of their ideas.

Small Buhrmaster grants in the amounts of $1,000 to $2,000 are available, as determined by the Director of the Severino Center, for student ventures to test the market feasibility of their business concepts and to establish and define their target customers.  Mr. Buhrmaster, ’69 is a friend of the Lally school and a member of its advisory council.

The Severino Center also provides Mentoring and Resources via the Student Sandbox, Entrepreneurs-in-Residence, the Rensselaer Student Entrepreneurship Club, and assistance in finding teammates.  Experienced entrepreneur volunteers are assigned to coach teams that receive a Buhrmaster grant to help guide them in their market and business development activities.  

= '''Encouraging faculty innovation and entrepreneurship''' =

''Incredible professors like Burt Swersey, Dr. Eric Ledet, and many others''

''"For the last decade, the Rensselaer Plan has provided a blueprint for transformation and impact. It has guided the development of an exceptional campus environment for advancing research with the potential to address science and society’s most challenging problems. Based on this strong foundation, Rensselaer research is creating a better future through the innovation and engineering of a better world. With our accelerated trajectory, the best is yet to come."''

Research is huge on RPI's campus and encouraging innovation is both in line with The Rensselaer Plan and Rensselaer's motto of "why not change the world?"

== Innovation and Entrepreneurship Classes and Activities ==

There are multiple different types of organizations and classes that try to teach theses sorts of opportunities and ways of thinking at Rensselaer, including a class called How to Change the World and Starting a New Venture. In addition to this, there are activities such as Design for America and Foundry that are also a part of the I&E spectrum. In addition to these supplementary classes, there are also other courses such as Capstone Senior Design Course that help to develop interdisciplinary bridges across multiple academic departments. A prerequisite for this sort of course consists of many different classes across many different academic subjects, as well as the class Introduction to Engineering design during most engineering student's sophomore years, which focus on giving exposure to the design process that will help Rensselaer's engineering students in the future. 

== Other Resources ==

In addition to classes, Rensselaer offers many different types of laboratories that are opened during certain hours of the day. These include the Mercer Lab for Electronics, the MILL, and Student Shop. These labs are opened during certain hours of the day that give certain students access to different types of equipment for them to do prototyping and other types of work with.

There are many different co-op and internship opportunities at Rensselaer as well, that work with many companies. Some of Rensselaer's top employers are United Technology Corporation, Boeing, Cisco, General Electric, GlobalFoundries, Deloitte, Epic Systems, FactSet, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Schlumberger, Hasbro and IBM.

= '''Actively supporting the university technology transfer function''' =

''RPI Office of Technology Commercialization: ''[http://www.rpitechnology.com/ http://www.rpitechnology.com/]

''RPI Technology Transfer/Innovation Hub: ''[http://rpihub.org/author/admin/ http://rpihub.org/author/admin/]

== The Rensselaer Plan ==

The Rensselaer Plan addresses technology transfer and intellectual property policies that encourage entrepreneurship.  Research is the major driver of science and technology transfer, invention, and innovation. Technological entrepreneurship completes the technology lifecycle — from discovery to the creation of impact in the global marketplace. With an expanding research base, we will cultivate a campus culture that provides the spirit and motivation for inventors to pursue commercialization. We will: Increase awareness of intellectual property, preserving its value in research agreements and maximizing its value under shared equity arrangements and licensing agreements, covering intellectual property developed in research and materials developed for distance education.  Create intellectual property policies that encourage entrepreneurship and allowthe university to take equity positions in new ventures as appropriate.  Ensure that intellectual property policies have adequate and appropriate conflictof interest and conflict of commitment provisions. Develop an awareness and infrastructure of intellectual property rights policies, incentives, and marketing to support innovation and commercialization.

== Creating and Supporting New Ventures ==

World-class technological research universities excel in transferring research outputs to the commercial sector. We will create innovative programs targeted at growing major new technological ventures and creating value. We will:  Enhance the process of matching researchers and entrepreneurs to create new ventures that take Rensselaer intellectual property to market  Provide business planning and facilitate venture capital for faculty and students for start-up companies that commercialize leading-edge Rensselaer research.  Expand the Incubator program to accommodate more start-ups and second-stage incubation.  Expand the flow of technology, talent, and ventures into the Rensselaer Technology Park and the Capital Region. Bring new focus to the Rensselaer Technology Park as the locus for mature ventures based on the technologies taught and researched at the Institute. Work with private and public sources to attract new venture capital and entrepreneurial talent to the Capital Region.

= '''Facilitating University-Industry Collaboration''' =

== RPI Tech Park ==

Rensselaer Technology Park is a university related park for technology ventures seeking a unique environment focused on the interface between industry and education.

According to the rpitechpark.com website, the University Interactions Policy of the Tech Park is built upon "a fundamental objective of the Park is to develop interactions between tenant companies and the university.  Such interactions enrich the educational environment of the university and help the companies stay on the leading edge of their technologies.  All companies in the Park automatically become “affiliates” of Rensselaer."  Building a synergistic environment is a responsibility shared by all members of the Park staff."

== EVE (Emerging Ventures Ecosystem) ==

The work of turning ideas into real companies happens in RPI’s incubator, the Emerging Ventures Ecosystem (EVE).  EVE is a distributed incubation program which accelerates the growth of new businesses and boosts the transfer of scientific and technological breakthroughs from the laboratory and classroom to the marketplace, for social and economic impact.

Launched in February 2011, the Emerging Ventures Ecosystem (EVE) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute serves to link “Rensselaer institutional resources and alumni/ae expertise symbiotically with community strengths, in a multi-faceted partnership for mutual benefit.”  The goal of EVE is to nurture new businesses and to build upon the decades of successful efforts of RPI’s previous incubator by helping young businesses grow and succeed.

Rensselaer’s previous incubator program was opened in 1980 as the nation’s first such program wholly sponsored and operated by a university. In its later stages, the incubator was primarily used for its “brick and mortar” assets, as place for entrepreneurially minded students to rent at a low cost, with convenient access to a photocopier.  The model of RPI’s old incubator was traditional: it was rented by students who were seeking to start a venture, which either lived or died, and then moved on.  The RPI Incubator building was closed in late 2009 simply because it did not make any money for the institution.

The new EVE program utilizes an innovative distributed incubation model, maintaining a central office in Troy, NY and working with each company to find an ideal matchup of space-to-enterprise in Troy and the surrounding area.  EVE is overseen by James Spencer, who has 20 years of experience in leading organizational creation and growth as an entrepreneurial business executive.

Once a new company completes the application process for the EVE program — through which Rensselaer will determine, in part, whether the entrepreneur is willing to put in the effort to make the company successful — the program will assign a status to the company: pre-seed, emerging, or early stage. Assigning these descriptions will help EVE mentors and administrators determine the specific services needed by each business.

Under EVE, businesses that are accepted into the program will receive a series of specific services that will help accelerate their growth.  A board of advisers will be established from community resources or alumni/ae for each new company.  If a company already has a board of advisers or directors, EVE will assign an additional person to the board to act as a liaison to mobilize resources within the Institute.

Upon formation of a board of advisors, three or four key objectives are developed by each company with the help of their advisory board.  Milestones for these objectives are then established for each quarter, in an effort to create a concrete plan for success and to generate measurable objectives; new goals are developed for succeeding semesters.  Companies must continue to show steady progress in order to remain in the program.

As a member of EVE, a company will have access to the Entrepreneur(s)-in-Residence at the Lally School as well as other resources including labs, patenting and licensing services, faculty, and students for work-study assignments, internships (REIP), and student projects.  Additional resources for EVE members include alumni/ae and community volunteers such as attorneys and accountants who are available to answer questions and provide advice and one time assistance for basic questions.  If an EVE company requires further professional assistance, they are encouraged to select a professional service company from a list provided through the EVE program. Such services may be offered at a discount to seed and early stage companies.

EVE hosts monthly peer review meetings, known as CEO Roundtable Discussions, among the CEOs of the incubated companies as a framework for peer-to-peer coaching among the mix of pre-seed, early state, and emerging companies supported by the EVE incubator program.  At these meetings, participants will sign disclosure agreements allowing a platform for confidential open discussions about topics and issues of importance to them.  The companies will also be invited to a monthly meeting featuring a speaker or a lecturer based upon a topic selected by the EVE companies’ CEOs and will also attend quarterly meet-ups for all employees of incubated companies, allowing the employees to build relationships and exchange ideas.

EVE promotes and introduces its companies to investors, assists them in identifying and seeking grant opportunities such as NYSERDA and SBIR, and helps them prepare for business plan competitions; the companies are given assistance in preparing applications, presentations, and pitches.  Additionally, members are provided access to professional grant writers to assist them as needed.

The EVE companies are invited to expand their professional networks through networking opportunities within the local business and academic community in order increase exposure to decision makers, funding sources from grants, and potential angel investors.  EVE is physically located off-campus in an effort to incubate companies directly in the community of Troy, NY and to strategically re-invent the typical “brick and mortar” business incubation model followed by RPI’s old incubator.  EVE is not a center where entrepreneurial students can simply rent space and use a photocopier the way a “brick and mortar” incubator is often used, but it is a 4,000 square foot center which strictly focuses on moving students through a business development continuum and on preparing them to fill vacant business facilities in the Troy community, leased at very low prices by realtors.  EVE does not want to focus on space like the traditional brick and mortar incubation model because if a company takes up too much space, they can’t let others in; student startups enrolled in EVE are treated like real businesses.

EVE was launched in February of 2011 with eight companies and now supports over thirty.  The continuum of business development begins with the formation of customized ninety-day plans which include 3-5 specific short term goals, preparing these young ventures to fill business space in the community.  Each venture enrolled in EVE has access to a huge network of professional individuals which include over 90,000 alumni that can potentially serve as mentors (25-30 of which are very active), the wind tunnel and prototyping capabilities at RPI, NYSERDA money, professional services (the first hour or two of which are provided for free), and accounting firms to help set up Quickbooks.  Although many professional services are not provided for EVE companies, aggressive rates are negotiated with local providers and funding often comes from venture pitches.

The key to RPI’s Emerging Ventures Ecosystem is that companies never graduate from the incubator because business development and iteration is never finalized.  Companies supported by EVE are always welcome to come back and ask for assistance in making new connections with the large international network of individuals.  RPI’s large alumni network serves as a virtual incubator in the sense that the network is leveraged to help grow companies as they experience the transition from technology ideas and intellectual property to commercialization through their education. 

== ==

=   '''Engaging with regional and local economic development efforts''' =

== Startup Tech Valley - Where Entrepreneurs and the Community Come Together ==

A monthly meetup for first-time entrepreneurs, experienced entrepreneurs, aspiring entrepreneurs, investors, mentors, employees of startups, serviceprodiders to startups, and anyone else who wants to be involved.

== Tech Valley Center of Gravity ==

The Tech Valley Center of Gravity is a federation of makers, hackers, crafters, and artists who share camaraderie, space, and resources to do our tinkering. We have a permanent makerspace, several satellite locations, and a community of local individuals and organizations to share and support them. We are based in downtown Troy, NY, and sponsor events all over the New York State Capital Region.

Our primary goal is to build a community around the idea of doing for ourselves, rather than just passively consuming, and learning how the arts, crafts, and technologies that surround us every day work, along the way. We also aim to create a network of contacts for small business and start-ups in the Capital Region to connect with local leaders, like-minded businesses and individuals, and tools and resources they might not otherwise have access to.

== Accelerate518 ==

TAccelerate518 (A518) is a consortium of stakeholders nestled in the heart of our State—New York’s Capital Region. The Capital Region encompasses four counties: Albany, Schenectady, Rensselaer and Saratoga. The synergy of these four counties is the catalyst for invention and innovation.

The Capital Region has a rich history of incubating and growing multinational corporations, including: New York Central Railroad, American Express, Cap Cities, General Electric, American Locomotive Company, Albany International, International Paper, and Albany Molecular Research. Accelerate518 is a platform to facilitate multiple groups working together to advance entrepreneurship and innovation in the Capital Region.  The goals of A518 include fostering active collaboration among educators and stakeholders, providing practical resources for entrepreneurs, sharing resources for education and training, and developing a network of individuals committed to invigorating the startup culture of the Capital Region.  We have aligned our interests to help the regional entrepreneurial ecosystem grow companies and create sustainable jobs. Initial core members of A518 include: CEG, Albany Medical College, Albany Law School, Hudson Valley Community College, RPI, Sage Colleges, Siena College, Skidmore College, Union College, and University at Albany.

= Landscape Canvas and Presentation =

[https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1Ek9pplesv42Ubc0TzcqW7mtASYtgL_XbJmvxJG4e14s/pub?start=true&loop=true&delayms=3000 Landscape Canvas Documentation]

[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1cg47LQI3tLh2gxM4u2FfyEPX1ljnFulr97_amxy4ebc/pubhtml Landscape Presentation]

= Related Links =

[[Meghan Olson|Meghan Olson]]

[http://universityinnovation.org/wiki/Ray_Parker Ray Parker]

[[Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Strategic Priorities|Rensselaer_Polytechnic_Institute_Strategic_Priorities]]

[[Category:Universities]]

School:Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

2016-02-08T06:12:10Z

Ray Parker:

'''Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Innovation Ecosystem: Promoting student innovation and entrepreneurship'''

= '''Overview''' =

'''''The motto of entrepreneurship at RPI:  A way to think. A way to learn. A way to succeed. '''''

"Entrepreneurial thinking lies at the heart of Rensselaer’s philosophy. Like our faculty, Rensselaer students are encouraged to pursue creativity and discovery — and the results are often spectacular. Our undergraduates embracechange in ways that have transformed how the world works, plays, and lives.[[File:Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Seal.jpg]]

Our entrepreneurship program is built on the premise that ''not everyone wants to, or needs to, become an entrepreneur, but in today’s world everyone should know how to think like one."''

This statement shows RPI's commitment to entrepreneurial thinking, not so much the outcome of entreprenurship. The RPI Exemplar's program is a great example of the culture of entrepreneurship that RPI thrives on, as the Exemplar's program is designed for students who have a high level of interest in complementing their education by aquiring an entrepreneurail perspective.

'''Formal programs:'''

*B.S. Electronic Arts (Media, Ecology, Entrepreneurship and Experimentation)
*BS. Design,Innovationand Society
*M.S. Technological Communication & Entrepreneurship
*Ph.D. Science and Technology Studies
*Minor Entrepreneurship

'''Extracurricular Activities:'''

*[http://www.eship.rpi.edu/exemplars_scholar_edge.html Exemplar's Program]
*[http://www.rpi.edu/dept/lally/centers/severino/foundry.html RPI Foundry]
*[http://designforamerica.com/studios/rensselaer/ RPI Design for America]
*[http://startuptechvalley.org/ Startup Tech Valley]
*[http://lallyschool.rpi.edu/severino-center-competitions Business Model Competition]
*[http://lallyschool.rpi.edu/severino-center-competitions Change the World Challenge]
*[http://lallyschool.rpi.edu/severino-center-competitions Elevator Pitch Competition]

'''Conferences and Workshops: '''

*[http://rpihub.org/boss-sponsors/ BOSS Conference]
*[http://www.tvcog.net/ Startup Validation Conference]
*[http://startup.ny.gov/ Startup NY]
*[http://startuptechvalley.org/ StartupTech Valley]

Education geared toward entrepreneurial thinking encourages students at RPI to think in different ways, to come up with new ideas to solve problems and to enter on-campus competitions such as the Change the World Challenge, the Class of ’51 Entrepreneurial Fund, the Elevator Pitch Competition, and the RPI Business Plan Competition.  These programs often provide the spark which gives students the entrepreneurial bug and encourages them to continue pursuing their ideas.

The Severino Center for Technological Entrepreneurship (SCTE), centered in Rensselaer’s Lally School of Management & Technology, helps to foster new generations of budding and successful entrepreneurs through outreach programs, education, and support systems.  In recognition of the fact that most business students aren’t inventors, the Lally School intersects with other schools on campus to encourage the formation of new student teams and the fusing of their ideas.

Small Buhrmaster grants in the amounts of $1,000 to $2,000 are available, as determined by the Director of the Severino Center, for student ventures to test the market feasibility of their business concepts and to establish and define their target customers.  Mr. Buhrmaster, ’69 is a friend of the Lally school and a member of its advisory council.

The Severino Center also provides Mentoring and Resources via the Student Sandbox, Entrepreneurs-in-Residence, the Rensselaer Student Entrepreneurship Club, and assistance in finding teammates.  Experienced entrepreneur volunteers are assigned to coach teams that receive a Buhrmaster grant to help guide them in their market and business development activities.  

= '''Encouraging faculty innovation and entrepreneurship''' =

''Incredible professors like Burt Swersey, Dr. Eric Ledet, and many others''

''"For the last decade, the Rensselaer Plan has provided a blueprint for transformation and impact. It has guided the development of an exceptional campus environment for advancing research with the potential to address science and society’s most challenging problems. Based on this strong foundation, Rensselaer research is creating a better future through the innovation and engineering of a better world. With our accelerated trajectory, the best is yet to come."''

Research is huge on RPI's campus and encouraging innovation is both in line with The Rensselaer Plan and Rensselaer's motto of "why not change the world?"

== Innovation and Entrepreneurship Classes and Activities ==

There are multiple different types of organizations and classes that try to teach theses sorts of opportunities and ways of thinking at Rensselaer, including a class called How to Change the World and Starting a New Venture. In addition to this, there are activities such as Design for America and Foundry that are also a part of the I&E spectrum. In addition to these supplementary classes, there are also other courses such as Capstone Senior Design Course that help to develop interdisciplinary bridges across multiple academic departments. A prerequisite for this sort of course consists of many different classes across many different academic subjects, as well as the class Introduction to Engineering design during most engineering student's sophomore years, which focus on giving exposure to the design process that will help Rensselaer's engineering students in the future. 

== Other Resources ==

In addition to classes, Rensselaer offers many different types of laboratories that are opened during certain hours of the day. These include the Mercer Lab for Electronics, the MILL, and Student Shop. These labs are opened during certain hours of the day that give certain students access to different types of equipment for them to do prototyping and other types of work with.

There are many different co-op and internship opportunities at Rensselaer as well, that work with many companies. Some of Rensselaer's top employers are United Technology Corporation, Boeing, Cisco, General Electric, GlobalFoundries, Deloitte, Epic Systems, FactSet, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Schlumberger, Hasbro and IBM.

= '''Actively supporting the university technology transfer function''' =

''RPI Office of Technology Commercialization: ''[http://www.rpitechnology.com/ http://www.rpitechnology.com/]

''RPI Technology Transfer/Innovation Hub: ''[http://rpihub.org/author/admin/ http://rpihub.org/author/admin/]

== The Rensselaer Plan ==

The Rensselaer Plan addresses technology transfer and intellectual property policies that encourage entrepreneurship.  Research is the major driver of science and technology transfer, invention, and innovation. Technological entrepreneurship completes the technology lifecycle — from discovery to the creation of impact in the global marketplace. With an expanding research base, we will cultivate a campus culture that provides the spirit and motivation for inventors to pursue commercialization. We will: Increase awareness of intellectual property, preserving its value in research agreements and maximizing its value under shared equity arrangements and licensing agreements, covering intellectual property developed in research and materials developed for distance education.  Create intellectual property policies that encourage entrepreneurship and allowthe university to take equity positions in new ventures as appropriate.  Ensure that intellectual property policies have adequate and appropriate conflictof interest and conflict of commitment provisions. Develop an awareness and infrastructure of intellectual property rights policies, incentives, and marketing to support innovation and commercialization.

== Creating and Supporting New Ventures ==

World-class technological research universities excel in transferring research outputs to the commercial sector. We will create innovative programs targeted at growing major new technological ventures and creating value. We will:  Enhance the process of matching researchers and entrepreneurs to create new ventures that take Rensselaer intellectual property to market  Provide business planning and facilitate venture capital for faculty and students for start-up companies that commercialize leading-edge Rensselaer research.  Expand the Incubator program to accommodate more start-ups and second-stage incubation.  Expand the flow of technology, talent, and ventures into the Rensselaer Technology Park and the Capital Region. Bring new focus to the Rensselaer Technology Park as the locus for mature ventures based on the technologies taught and researched at the Institute. Work with private and public sources to attract new venture capital and entrepreneurial talent to the Capital Region.

= '''Facilitating University-Industry Collaboration''' =

== RPI Tech Park ==

Rensselaer Technology Park is a university related park for technology ventures seeking a unique environment focused on the interface between industry and education.

According to the rpitechpark.com website, the University Interactions Policy of the Tech Park is built upon "a fundamental objective of the Park is to develop interactions between tenant companies and the university.  Such interactions enrich the educational environment of the university and help the companies stay on the leading edge of their technologies.  All companies in the Park automatically become “affiliates” of Rensselaer."  Building a synergistic environment is a responsibility shared by all members of the Park staff."

== EVE (Emerging Ventures Ecosystem) ==

The work of turning ideas into real companies happens in RPI’s incubator, the Emerging Ventures Ecosystem (EVE).  EVE is a distributed incubation program which accelerates the growth of new businesses and boosts the transfer of scientific and technological breakthroughs from the laboratory and classroom to the marketplace, for social and economic impact.

Launched in February 2011, the Emerging Ventures Ecosystem (EVE) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute serves to link “Rensselaer institutional resources and alumni/ae expertise symbiotically with community strengths, in a multi-faceted partnership for mutual benefit.”  The goal of EVE is to nurture new businesses and to build upon the decades of successful efforts of RPI’s previous incubator by helping young businesses grow and succeed.

Rensselaer’s previous incubator program was opened in 1980 as the nation’s first such program wholly sponsored and operated by a university. In its later stages, the incubator was primarily used for its “brick and mortar” assets, as place for entrepreneurially minded students to rent at a low cost, with convenient access to a photocopier.  The model of RPI’s old incubator was traditional: it was rented by students who were seeking to start a venture, which either lived or died, and then moved on.  The RPI Incubator building was closed in late 2009 simply because it did not make any money for the institution.

The new EVE program utilizes an innovative distributed incubation model, maintaining a central office in Troy, NY and working with each company to find an ideal matchup of space-to-enterprise in Troy and the surrounding area.  EVE is overseen by James Spencer, who has 20 years of experience in leading organizational creation and growth as an entrepreneurial business executive.

Once a new company completes the application process for the EVE program — through which Rensselaer will determine, in part, whether the entrepreneur is willing to put in the effort to make the company successful — the program will assign a status to the company: pre-seed, emerging, or early stage. Assigning these descriptions will help EVE mentors and administrators determine the specific services needed by each business.

Under EVE, businesses that are accepted into the program will receive a series of specific services that will help accelerate their growth.  A board of advisers will be established from community resources or alumni/ae for each new company.  If a company already has a board of advisers or directors, EVE will assign an additional person to the board to act as a liaison to mobilize resources within the Institute.

Upon formation of a board of advisors, three or four key objectives are developed by each company with the help of their advisory board.  Milestones for these objectives are then established for each quarter, in an effort to create a concrete plan for success and to generate measurable objectives; new goals are developed for succeeding semesters.  Companies must continue to show steady progress in order to remain in the program.

As a member of EVE, a company will have access to the Entrepreneur(s)-in-Residence at the Lally School as well as other resources including labs, patenting and licensing services, faculty, and students for work-study assignments, internships (REIP), and student projects.  Additional resources for EVE members include alumni/ae and community volunteers such as attorneys and accountants who are available to answer questions and provide advice and one time assistance for basic questions.  If an EVE company requires further professional assistance, they are encouraged to select a professional service company from a list provided through the EVE program. Such services may be offered at a discount to seed and early stage companies.

EVE hosts monthly peer review meetings, known as CEO Roundtable Discussions, among the CEOs of the incubated companies as a framework for peer-to-peer coaching among the mix of pre-seed, early state, and emerging companies supported by the EVE incubator program.  At these meetings, participants will sign disclosure agreements allowing a platform for confidential open discussions about topics and issues of importance to them.  The companies will also be invited to a monthly meeting featuring a speaker or a lecturer based upon a topic selected by the EVE companies’ CEOs and will also attend quarterly meet-ups for all employees of incubated companies, allowing the employees to build relationships and exchange ideas.

EVE promotes and introduces its companies to investors, assists them in identifying and seeking grant opportunities such as NYSERDA and SBIR, and helps them prepare for business plan competitions; the companies are given assistance in preparing applications, presentations, and pitches.  Additionally, members are provided access to professional grant writers to assist them as needed.

The EVE companies are invited to expand their professional networks through networking opportunities within the local business and academic community in order increase exposure to decision makers, funding sources from grants, and potential angel investors.  EVE is physically located off-campus in an effort to incubate companies directly in the community of Troy, NY and to strategically re-invent the typical “brick and mortar” business incubation model followed by RPI’s old incubator.  EVE is not a center where entrepreneurial students can simply rent space and use a photocopier the way a “brick and mortar” incubator is often used, but it is a 4,000 square foot center which strictly focuses on moving students through a business development continuum and on preparing them to fill vacant business facilities in the Troy community, leased at very low prices by realtors.  EVE does not want to focus on space like the traditional brick and mortar incubation model because if a company takes up too much space, they can’t let others in; student startups enrolled in EVE are treated like real businesses.

EVE was launched in February of 2011 with eight companies and now supports over thirty.  The continuum of business development begins with the formation of customized ninety-day plans which include 3-5 specific short term goals, preparing these young ventures to fill business space in the community.  Each venture enrolled in EVE has access to a huge network of professional individuals which include over 90,000 alumni that can potentially serve as mentors (25-30 of which are very active), the wind tunnel and prototyping capabilities at RPI, NYSERDA money, professional services (the first hour or two of which are provided for free), and accounting firms to help set up Quickbooks.  Although many professional services are not provided for EVE companies, aggressive rates are negotiated with local providers and funding often comes from venture pitches.

The key to RPI’s Emerging Ventures Ecosystem is that companies never graduate from the incubator because business development and iteration is never finalized.  Companies supported by EVE are always welcome to come back and ask for assistance in making new connections with the large international network of individuals.  RPI’s large alumni network serves as a virtual incubator in the sense that the network is leveraged to help grow companies as they experience the transition from technology ideas and intellectual property to commercialization through their education. 

== ==

=   '''Engaging with regional and local economic development efforts''' =

== Startup Tech Valley - Where Entrepreneurs and the Community Come Together ==

A monthly meetup for first-time entrepreneurs, experienced entrepreneurs, aspiring entrepreneurs, investors, mentors, employees of startups, serviceprodiders to startups, and anyone else who wants to be involved.

== Tech Valley Center of Gravity ==

The Tech Valley Center of Gravity is a federation of makers, hackers, crafters, and artists who share camaraderie, space, and resources to do our tinkering. We have a permanent makerspace, several satellite locations, and a community of local individuals and organizations to share and support them. We are based in downtown Troy, NY, and sponsor events all over the New York State Capital Region.

Our primary goal is to build a community around the idea of doing for ourselves, rather than just passively consuming, and learning how the arts, crafts, and technologies that surround us every day work, along the way. We also aim to create a network of contacts for small business and start-ups in the Capital Region to connect with local leaders, like-minded businesses and individuals, and tools and resources they might not otherwise have access to.

== Accelerate518 ==

TAccelerate518 (A518) is a consortium of stakeholders nestled in the heart of our State—New York’s Capital Region. The Capital Region encompasses four counties: Albany, Schenectady, Rensselaer and Saratoga. The synergy of these four counties is the catalyst for invention and innovation.

The Capital Region has a rich history of incubating and growing multinational corporations, including: New York Central Railroad, American Express, Cap Cities, General Electric, American Locomotive Company, Albany International, International Paper, and Albany Molecular Research. Accelerate518 is a platform to facilitate multiple groups working together to advance entrepreneurship and innovation in the Capital Region.  The goals of A518 include fostering active collaboration among educators and stakeholders, providing practical resources for entrepreneurs, sharing resources for education and training, and developing a network of individuals committed to invigorating the startup culture of the Capital Region.  We have aligned our interests to help the regional entrepreneurial ecosystem grow companies and create sustainable jobs. Initial core members of A518 include: CEG, Albany Medical College, Albany Law School, Hudson Valley Community College, RPI, Sage Colleges, Siena College, Skidmore College, Union College, and University at Albany.

= Landscape Canvas and Presentation =

[https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1Ek9pplesv42Ubc0TzcqW7mtASYtgL_XbJmvxJG4e14s/pub?start=true&loop=true&delayms=3000 Landscape Canvas Documentation]

[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1cg47LQI3tLh2gxM4u2FfyEPX1ljnFulr97_amxy4ebc/pubhtml Landscape Presentation]

= Related Links =

[[Meghan Olson|Meghan Olson]]

[http://universityinnovation.org/wiki/Ray_Parker Ray Parker]

[[Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Strategic Priorities|Rensselaer_Polytechnic_Institute_Strategic_Priorities]]

[[Category:Universities]]

File:Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Seal.jpg

2016-02-08T06:11:02Z

Ray Parker:

School:Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

2016-02-07T04:56:07Z

Ray Parker:

'''Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Innovation Ecosystem: Promoting student innovation and entrepreneurship'''

= '''Overview''' =

'''''The motto of entrepreneurship at RPI:  A way to think. A way to learn. A way to succeed. '''''

"Entrepreneurial thinking lies at the heart of Rensselaer’s philosophy. Like our faculty, Rensselaer students are encouraged to pursue creativity and discovery — and the results are often spectacular. Our undergraduates embrace change in ways that have transformed how the world works, plays, and lives.

Our entrepreneurship program is built on the premise that ''not everyone wants to, or needs to, become an entrepreneur, but in today’s world everyone should know how to think like one."''

This statement shows RPI's commitment to entrepreneurial thinking, not so much the outcome of entreprenurship. The RPI Exemplar's program is a great example of the culture of entrepreneurship that RPI thrives on, as the Exemplar's program is designed for students who have a high level of interest in complementing their education by aquiring an entrepreneurail perspective.

'''Formal programs:'''

*B.S. Electronic Arts (Media, Ecology, Entrepreneurship and Experimentation)
*BS. Design,Innovationand Society
*M.S. Technological Communication & Entrepreneurship
*Ph.D. Science and Technology Studies
*Minor Entrepreneurship

'''Extracurricular Activities:'''

*[http://www.eship.rpi.edu/exemplars_scholar_edge.html Exemplar's Program]
*[http://www.rpi.edu/dept/lally/centers/severino/foundry.html RPI Foundry]
*[http://designforamerica.com/studios/rensselaer/ RPI Design for America]
*[http://startuptechvalley.org/ Startup Tech Valley]
*[http://lallyschool.rpi.edu/severino-center-competitions Business Model Competition]
*[http://lallyschool.rpi.edu/severino-center-competitions Change the World Challenge]
*[http://lallyschool.rpi.edu/severino-center-competitions Elevator Pitch Competition]



'''Conferences and Workshops: '''

*[http://rpihub.org/boss-sponsors/ BOSS Conference]
*[http://www.tvcog.net/ Startup Validation Conference]
*[http://startup.ny.gov/ Startup NY]
*[http://startuptechvalley.org/ StartupTech Valley]

Education geared toward entrepreneurial thinking encourages students at RPI to think in different ways, to come up with new ideas to solve problems and to enter on-campus competitions such as the Change the World Challenge, the Class of ’51 Entrepreneurial Fund, the Elevator Pitch Competition, and the RPI Business Plan Competition.  These programs often provide the spark which gives students the entrepreneurial bug and encourages them to continue pursuing their ideas.

The Severino Center for Technological Entrepreneurship (SCTE), centered in Rensselaer’s Lally School of Management & Technology, helps to foster new generations of budding and successful entrepreneurs through outreach programs, education, and support systems.  In recognition of the fact that most business students aren’t inventors, the Lally School intersects with other schools on campus to encourage the formation of new student teams and the fusing of their ideas.

Small Buhrmaster grants in the amounts of $1,000 to $2,000 are available, as determined by the Director of the Severino Center, for student ventures to test the market feasibility of their business concepts and to establish and define their target customers.  Mr. Buhrmaster, ’69 is a friend of the Lally school and a member of its advisory council.

The Severino Center also provides Mentoring and Resources via the Student Sandbox, Entrepreneurs-in-Residence, the Rensselaer Student Entrepreneurship Club, and assistance in finding teammates.  Experienced entrepreneur volunteers are assigned to coach teams that receive a Buhrmaster grant to help guide them in their market and business development activities.  

= '''Encouraging faculty innovation and entrepreneurship''' =

''Incredible professors like Burt Swersey, Dr. Eric Ledet, and many others''

''"For the last decade, the Rensselaer Plan has provided a blueprint for transformation and impact. It has guided the development of an exceptional campus environment for advancing research with the potential to address science and society’s most challenging problems. Based on this strong foundation, Rensselaer research is creating a better future through the innovation and engineering of a better world. With our accelerated trajectory, the best is yet to come."''

Research is huge on RPI's campus and encouraging innovation is both in line with The Rensselaer Plan and Rensselaer's motto of "why not change the world?"

== Innovation and Entrepreneurship Classes and Activities ==

There are multiple different types of organizations and classes that try to teach theses sorts of opportunities and ways of thinking at Rensselaer, including a class called How to Change the World and Starting a New Venture. In addition to this, there are activities such as Design for America and Foundry that are also a part of the I&E spectrum. In addition to these supplementary classes, there are also other courses such as Capstone Senior Design Course that help to develop interdisciplinary bridges across multiple academic departments. A prerequisite for this sort of course consists of many different classes across many different academic subjects, as well as the class Introduction to Engineering design during most engineering student's sophomore years, which focus on giving exposure to the design process that will help Rensselaer's engineering students in the future. 

== Other Resources ==

In addition to classes, Rensselaer offers many different types of laboratories that are opened during certain hours of the day. These include the Mercer Lab for Electronics, the MILL, and Student Shop. These labs are opened during certain hours of the day that give certain students access to different types of equipment for them to do prototyping and other types of work with.

There are many different co-op and internship opportunities at Rensselaer as well, that work with many companies. Some of Rensselaer's top employers are United Technology Corporation, Boeing, Cisco, General Electric, GlobalFoundries, Deloitte, Epic Systems, FactSet, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Schlumberger, Hasbro and IBM.

= '''Actively supporting the university technology transfer function''' =

''RPI Office of Technology Commercialization: ''[http://www.rpitechnology.com/ http://www.rpitechnology.com/]

''RPI Technology Transfer/Innovation Hub: ''[http://rpihub.org/author/admin/ http://rpihub.org/author/admin/]

== The Rensselaer Plan ==

The Rensselaer Plan addresses technology transfer and intellectual property policies that encourage entrepreneurship.  Research is the major driver of science and technology transfer, invention, and innovation. Technological entrepreneurship completes the technology lifecycle — from discovery to the creation of impact in the global marketplace. With an expanding research base, we will cultivate a campus culture that provides the spirit and motivation for inventors to pursue commercialization. We will: Increase awareness of intellectual property, preserving its value in research agreements and maximizing its value under shared equity arrangements and licensing agreements, covering intellectual property developed in research and materials developed for distance education.  Create intellectual property policies that encourage entrepreneurship and allowthe university to take equity positions in new ventures as appropriate.  Ensure that intellectual property policies have adequate and appropriate conflictof interest and conflict of commitment provisions. Develop an awareness and infrastructure of intellectual property rights policies, incentives, and marketing to support innovation and commercialization.

== Creating and Supporting New Ventures ==

World-class technological research universities excel in transferring research outputs to the commercial sector. We will create innovative programs targeted at growing major new technological ventures and creating value. We will:  Enhance the process of matching researchers and entrepreneurs to create new ventures that take Rensselaer intellectual property to market  Provide business planning and facilitate venture capital for faculty and students for start-up companies that commercialize leading-edge Rensselaer research.  Expand the Incubator program to accommodate more start-ups and second-stage incubation.  Expand the flow of technology, talent, and ventures into the Rensselaer Technology Park and the Capital Region. Bring new focus to the Rensselaer Technology Park as the locus for mature ventures based on the technologies taught and researched at the Institute. Work with private and public sources to attract new venture capital and entrepreneurial talent to the Capital Region.

= '''Facilitating University-Industry Collaboration''' =

== RPI Tech Park ==

Rensselaer Technology Park is a university related park for technology ventures seeking a unique environment focused on the interface between industry and education.

According to the rpitechpark.com website, the University Interactions Policy of the Tech Park is built upon "a fundamental objective of the Park is to develop interactions between tenant companies and the university.  Such interactions enrich the educational environment of the university and help the companies stay on the leading edge of their technologies.  All companies in the Park automatically become “affiliates” of Rensselaer."  Building a synergistic environment is a responsibility shared by all members of the Park staff."

== EVE (Emerging Ventures Ecosystem) ==

The work of turning ideas into real companies happens in RPI’s incubator, the Emerging Ventures Ecosystem (EVE).  EVE is a distributed incubation program which accelerates the growth of new businesses and boosts the transfer of scientific and technological breakthroughs from the laboratory and classroom to the marketplace, for social and economic impact.

Launched in February 2011, the Emerging Ventures Ecosystem (EVE) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute serves to link “Rensselaer institutional resources and alumni/ae expertise symbiotically with community strengths, in a multi-faceted partnership for mutual benefit.”  The goal of EVE is to nurture new businesses and to build upon the decades of successful efforts of RPI’s previous incubator by helping young businesses grow and succeed.

Rensselaer’s previous incubator program was opened in 1980 as the nation’s first such program wholly sponsored and operated by a university. In its later stages, the incubator was primarily used for its “brick and mortar” assets, as place for entrepreneurially minded students to rent at a low cost, with convenient access to a photocopier.  The model of RPI’s old incubator was traditional: it was rented by students who were seeking to start a venture, which either lived or died, and then moved on.  The RPI Incubator building was closed in late 2009 simply because it did not make any money for the institution.

The new EVE program utilizes an innovative distributed incubation model, maintaining a central office in Troy, NY and working with each company to find an ideal matchup of space-to-enterprise in Troy and the surrounding area.  EVE is overseen by James Spencer, who has 20 years of experience in leading organizational creation and growth as an entrepreneurial business executive.

Once a new company completes the application process for the EVE program — through which Rensselaer will determine, in part, whether the entrepreneur is willing to put in the effort to make the company successful — the program will assign a status to the company: pre-seed, emerging, or early stage. Assigning these descriptions will help EVE mentors and administrators determine the specific services needed by each business.

Under EVE, businesses that are accepted into the program will receive a series of specific services that will help accelerate their growth.  A board of advisers will be established from community resources or alumni/ae for each new company.  If a company already has a board of advisers or directors, EVE will assign an additional person to the board to act as a liaison to mobilize resources within the Institute.

Upon formation of a board of advisors, three or four key objectives are developed by each company with the help of their advisory board.  Milestones for these objectives are then established for each quarter, in an effort to create a concrete plan for success and to generate measurable objectives; new goals are developed for succeeding semesters.  Companies must continue to show steady progress in order to remain in the program.

As a member of EVE, a company will have access to the Entrepreneur(s)-in-Residence at the Lally School as well as other resources including labs, patenting and licensing services, faculty, and students for work-study assignments, internships (REIP), and student projects.  Additional resources for EVE members include alumni/ae and community volunteers such as attorneys and accountants who are available to answer questions and provide advice and one time assistance for basic questions.  If an EVE company requires further professional assistance, they are encouraged to select a professional service company from a list provided through the EVE program. Such services may be offered at a discount to seed and early stage companies.

EVE hosts monthly peer review meetings, known as CEO Roundtable Discussions, among the CEOs of the incubated companies as a framework for peer-to-peer coaching among the mix of pre-seed, early state, and emerging companies supported by the EVE incubator program.  At these meetings, participants will sign disclosure agreements allowing a platform for confidential open discussions about topics and issues of importance to them.  The companies will also be invited to a monthly meeting featuring a speaker or a lecturer based upon a topic selected by the EVE companies’ CEOs and will also attend quarterly meet-ups for all employees of incubated companies, allowing the employees to build relationships and exchange ideas.

EVE promotes and introduces its companies to investors, assists them in identifying and seeking grant opportunities such as NYSERDA and SBIR, and helps them prepare for business plan competitions; the companies are given assistance in preparing applications, presentations, and pitches.  Additionally, members are provided access to professional grant writers to assist them as needed.

The EVE companies are invited to expand their professional networks through networking opportunities within the local business and academic community in order increase exposure to decision makers, funding sources from grants, and potential angel investors.  EVE is physically located off-campus in an effort to incubate companies directly in the community of Troy, NY and to strategically re-invent the typical “brick and mortar” business incubation model followed by RPI’s old incubator.  EVE is not a center where entrepreneurial students can simply rent space and use a photocopier the way a “brick and mortar” incubator is often used, but it is a 4,000 square foot center which strictly focuses on moving students through a business development continuum and on preparing them to fill vacant business facilities in the Troy community, leased at very low prices by realtors.  EVE does not want to focus on space like the traditional brick and mortar incubation model because if a company takes up too much space, they can’t let others in; student startups enrolled in EVE are treated like real businesses.

EVE was launched in February of 2011 with eight companies and now supports over thirty.  The continuum of business development begins with the formation of customized ninety-day plans which include 3-5 specific short term goals, preparing these young ventures to fill business space in the community.  Each venture enrolled in EVE has access to a huge network of professional individuals which include over 90,000 alumni that can potentially serve as mentors (25-30 of which are very active), the wind tunnel and prototyping capabilities at RPI, NYSERDA money, professional services (the first hour or two of which are provided for free), and accounting firms to help set up Quickbooks.  Although many professional services are not provided for EVE companies, aggressive rates are negotiated with local providers and funding often comes from venture pitches.

The key to RPI’s Emerging Ventures Ecosystem is that companies never graduate from the incubator because business development and iteration is never finalized.  Companies supported by EVE are always welcome to come back and ask for assistance in making new connections with the large international network of individuals.  RPI’s large alumni network serves as a virtual incubator in the sense that the network is leveraged to help grow companies as they experience the transition from technology ideas and intellectual property to commercialization through their education. 

== ==

=   '''Engaging with regional and local economic development efforts''' =

== Startup Tech Valley - Where Entrepreneurs and the Community Come Together ==

A monthly meetup for first-time entrepreneurs, experienced entrepreneurs, aspiring entrepreneurs, investors, mentors, employees of startups, serviceprodiders to startups, and anyone else who wants to be involved.

== Tech Valley Center of Gravity ==

The Tech Valley Center of Gravity is a federation of makers, hackers, crafters, and artists who share camaraderie, space, and resources to do our tinkering. We have a permanent makerspace, several satellite locations, and a community of local individuals and organizations to share and support them. We are based in downtown Troy, NY, and sponsor events all over the New York State Capital Region.

Our primary goal is to build a community around the idea of doing for ourselves, rather than just passively consuming, and learning how the arts, crafts, and technologies that surround us every day work, along the way. We also aim to create a network of contacts for small business and start-ups in the Capital Region to connect with local leaders, like-minded businesses and individuals, and tools and resources they might not otherwise have access to.

== Accelerate518 ==

TAccelerate518 (A518) is a consortium of stakeholders nestled in the heart of our State—New York’s Capital Region. The Capital Region encompasses four counties: Albany, Schenectady, Rensselaer and Saratoga. The synergy of these four counties is the catalyst for invention and innovation.

The Capital Region has a rich history of incubating and growing multinational corporations, including: New York Central Railroad, American Express, Cap Cities, General Electric, American Locomotive Company, Albany International, International Paper, and Albany Molecular Research. Accelerate518 is a platform to facilitate multiple groups working together to advance entrepreneurship and innovation in the Capital Region.  The goals of A518 include fostering active collaboration among educators and stakeholders, providing practical resources for entrepreneurs, sharing resources for education and training, and developing a network of individuals committed to invigorating the startup culture of the Capital Region.  We have aligned our interests to help the regional entrepreneurial ecosystem grow companies and create sustainable jobs. Initial core members of A518 include: CEG, Albany Medical College, Albany Law School, Hudson Valley Community College, RPI, Sage Colleges, Siena College, Skidmore College, Union College, and University at Albany.

= Landscape Canvas and Presentation =

[https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1Ek9pplesv42Ubc0TzcqW7mtASYtgL_XbJmvxJG4e14s/pub?start=true&loop=true&delayms=3000 Landscape Canvas Documentation]

[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1cg47LQI3tLh2gxM4u2FfyEPX1ljnFulr97_amxy4ebc/pubhtml Landscape Presentation]

= Related Links =

[[Meghan Olson|Meghan Olson]]

[http://universityinnovation.org/wiki/Ray_Parker Ray Parker]

[[Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Strategic Priorities|Rensselaer_Polytechnic_Institute_Strategic_Priorities]]

[[Category:Universities]]

School:Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

2016-02-07T04:55:50Z

Ray Parker:

'''Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Innovation Ecosystem: Promoting student innovation and entrepreneurship'''

= '''Overview''' =

'''''The motto of entrepreneurship at RPI:  A way to think. A way to learn. A way to succeed. '''''

"Entrepreneurial thinking lies at the heart of Rensselaer’s philosophy. Like our faculty, Rensselaer students are encouraged to pursue creativity and discovery — and the results are often spectacular. Our undergraduates embrace change in ways that have transformed how the world works, plays, and lives.

Our entrepreneurship program is built on the premise that ''not everyone wants to, or needs to, become an entrepreneur, but in today’s world everyone should know how to think like one."''

This statement shows RPI's commitment to entrepreneurial thinking, not so much the outcome of entreprenurship. The RPI Exemplar's program is a great example of the culture of entrepreneurship that RPI thrives on, as the Exemplar's program is designed for students who have a high level of interest in complementing their education by aquiring an entrepreneurail perspective.

'''Formal programs:'''

*B.S. Electronic Arts (Media, Ecology, Entrepreneurship and Experimentation)
*BS. Design,Innovationand Society
*M.S. Technological Communication & Entrepreneurship
*Ph.D. Science and Technology Studies 
*Minor Entrepreneurship

'''Extracurricular Activities:'''

*[http://www.eship.rpi.edu/exemplars_scholar_edge.html Exemplar's Program]
*[http://www.rpi.edu/dept/lally/centers/severino/foundry.html RPI Foundry]
*[http://designforamerica.com/studios/rensselaer/ RPI Design for America]
*[http://startuptechvalley.org/ Startup Tech Valley]
*[http://lallyschool.rpi.edu/severino-center-competitions Business Model Competition]
*[http://lallyschool.rpi.edu/severino-center-competitions Change the World Challenge]
*[http://lallyschool.rpi.edu/severino-center-competitions Elevator Pitch Competition]

'''Conferences and Workshops: '''

*[http://rpihub.org/boss-sponsors/ BOSS Conference]
*[http://www.tvcog.net/ Startup Validation Conference]
*[http://startup.ny.gov/ Startup NY]
*[http://startuptechvalley.org/ StartupTech Valley]

Education geared toward entrepreneurial thinking encourages students at RPI to think in different ways, to come up with new ideas to solve problems and to enter on-campus competitions such as the Change the World Challenge, the Class of ’51 Entrepreneurial Fund, the Elevator Pitch Competition, and the RPI Business Plan Competition.  These programs often provide the spark which gives students the entrepreneurial bug and encourages them to continue pursuing their ideas.

The Severino Center for Technological Entrepreneurship (SCTE), centered in Rensselaer’s Lally School of Management & Technology, helps to foster new generations of budding and successful entrepreneurs through outreach programs, education, and support systems.  In recognition of the fact that most business students aren’t inventors, the Lally School intersects with other schools on campus to encourage the formation of new student teams and the fusing of their ideas.

Small Buhrmaster grants in the amounts of $1,000 to $2,000 are available, as determined by the Director of the Severino Center, for student ventures to test the market feasibility of their business concepts and to establish and define their target customers.  Mr. Buhrmaster, ’69 is a friend of the Lally school and a member of its advisory council.

The Severino Center also provides Mentoring and Resources via the Student Sandbox, Entrepreneurs-in-Residence, the Rensselaer Student Entrepreneurship Club, and assistance in finding teammates.  Experienced entrepreneur volunteers are assigned to coach teams that receive a Buhrmaster grant to help guide them in their market and business development activities.  

= '''Encouraging faculty innovation and entrepreneurship''' =

''Incredible professors like Burt Swersey, Dr. Eric Ledet, and many others''

''"For the last decade, the Rensselaer Plan has provided a blueprint for transformation and impact. It has guided the development of an exceptional campus environment for advancing research with the potential to address science and society’s most challenging problems. Based on this strong foundation, Rensselaer research is creating a better future through the innovation and engineering of a better world. With our accelerated trajectory, the best is yet to come."''

Research is huge on RPI's campus and encouraging innovation is both in line with The Rensselaer Plan and Rensselaer's motto of "why not change the world?"

== Innovation and Entrepreneurship Classes and Activities ==

There are multiple different types of organizations and classes that try to teach theses sorts of opportunities and ways of thinking at Rensselaer, including a class called How to Change the World and Starting a New Venture. In addition to this, there are activities such as Design for America and Foundry that are also a part of the I&E spectrum. In addition to these supplementary classes, there are also other courses such as Capstone Senior Design Course that help to develop interdisciplinary bridges across multiple academic departments. A prerequisite for this sort of course consists of many different classes across many different academic subjects, as well as the class Introduction to Engineering design during most engineering student's sophomore years, which focus on giving exposure to the design process that will help Rensselaer's engineering students in the future. 

== Other Resources ==

In addition to classes, Rensselaer offers many different types of laboratories that are opened during certain hours of the day. These include the Mercer Lab for Electronics, the MILL, and Student Shop. These labs are opened during certain hours of the day that give certain students access to different types of equipment for them to do prototyping and other types of work with.

There are many different co-op and internship opportunities at Rensselaer as well, that work with many companies. Some of Rensselaer's top employers are United Technology Corporation, Boeing, Cisco, General Electric, GlobalFoundries, Deloitte, Epic Systems, FactSet, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Schlumberger, Hasbro and IBM.

= '''Actively supporting the university technology transfer function''' =

''RPI Office of Technology Commercialization: ''[http://www.rpitechnology.com/ http://www.rpitechnology.com/]

''RPI Technology Transfer/Innovation Hub: ''[http://rpihub.org/author/admin/ http://rpihub.org/author/admin/]

== The Rensselaer Plan ==

The Rensselaer Plan addresses technology transfer and intellectual property policies that encourage entrepreneurship.  Research is the major driver of science and technology transfer, invention, and innovation. Technological entrepreneurship completes the technology lifecycle — from discovery to the creation of impact in the global marketplace. With an expanding research base, we will cultivate a campus culture that provides the spirit and motivation for inventors to pursue commercialization. We will: Increase awareness of intellectual property, preserving its value in research agreements and maximizing its value under shared equity arrangements and licensing agreements, covering intellectual property developed in research and materials developed for distance education.  Create intellectual property policies that encourage entrepreneurship and allowthe university to take equity positions in new ventures as appropriate.  Ensure that intellectual property policies have adequate and appropriate conflictof interest and conflict of commitment provisions. Develop an awareness and infrastructure of intellectual property rights policies, incentives, and marketing to support innovation and commercialization.

== Creating and Supporting New Ventures ==

World-class technological research universities excel in transferring research outputs to the commercial sector. We will create innovative programs targeted at growing major new technological ventures and creating value. We will:  Enhance the process of matching researchers and entrepreneurs to create new ventures that take Rensselaer intellectual property to market  Provide business planning and facilitate venture capital for faculty and students for start-up companies that commercialize leading-edge Rensselaer research.  Expand the Incubator program to accommodate more start-ups and second-stage incubation.  Expand the flow of technology, talent, and ventures into the Rensselaer Technology Park and the Capital Region. Bring new focus to the Rensselaer Technology Park as the locus for mature ventures based on the technologies taught and researched at the Institute. Work with private and public sources to attract new venture capital and entrepreneurial talent to the Capital Region.

= '''Facilitating University-Industry Collaboration''' =

== RPI Tech Park ==

Rensselaer Technology Park is a university related park for technology ventures seeking a unique environment focused on the interface between industry and education.

According to the rpitechpark.com website, the University Interactions Policy of the Tech Park is built upon "a fundamental objective of the Park is to develop interactions between tenant companies and the university.  Such interactions enrich the educational environment of the university and help the companies stay on the leading edge of their technologies.  All companies in the Park automatically become “affiliates” of Rensselaer."  Building a synergistic environment is a responsibility shared by all members of the Park staff."

== EVE (Emerging Ventures Ecosystem) ==

The work of turning ideas into real companies happens in RPI’s incubator, the Emerging Ventures Ecosystem (EVE).  EVE is a distributed incubation program which accelerates the growth of new businesses and boosts the transfer of scientific and technological breakthroughs from the laboratory and classroom to the marketplace, for social and economic impact.

Launched in February 2011, the Emerging Ventures Ecosystem (EVE) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute serves to link “Rensselaer institutional resources and alumni/ae expertise symbiotically with community strengths, in a multi-faceted partnership for mutual benefit.”  The goal of EVE is to nurture new businesses and to build upon the decades of successful efforts of RPI’s previous incubator by helping young businesses grow and succeed.

Rensselaer’s previous incubator program was opened in 1980 as the nation’s first such program wholly sponsored and operated by a university. In its later stages, the incubator was primarily used for its “brick and mortar” assets, as place for entrepreneurially minded students to rent at a low cost, with convenient access to a photocopier.  The model of RPI’s old incubator was traditional: it was rented by students who were seeking to start a venture, which either lived or died, and then moved on.  The RPI Incubator building was closed in late 2009 simply because it did not make any money for the institution.

The new EVE program utilizes an innovative distributed incubation model, maintaining a central office in Troy, NY and working with each company to find an ideal matchup of space-to-enterprise in Troy and the surrounding area.  EVE is overseen by James Spencer, who has 20 years of experience in leading organizational creation and growth as an entrepreneurial business executive.

Once a new company completes the application process for the EVE program — through which Rensselaer will determine, in part, whether the entrepreneur is willing to put in the effort to make the company successful — the program will assign a status to the company: pre-seed, emerging, or early stage. Assigning these descriptions will help EVE mentors and administrators determine the specific services needed by each business.

Under EVE, businesses that are accepted into the program will receive a series of specific services that will help accelerate their growth.  A board of advisers will be established from community resources or alumni/ae for each new company.  If a company already has a board of advisers or directors, EVE will assign an additional person to the board to act as a liaison to mobilize resources within the Institute.

Upon formation of a board of advisors, three or four key objectives are developed by each company with the help of their advisory board.  Milestones for these objectives are then established for each quarter, in an effort to create a concrete plan for success and to generate measurable objectives; new goals are developed for succeeding semesters.  Companies must continue to show steady progress in order to remain in the program.

As a member of EVE, a company will have access to the Entrepreneur(s)-in-Residence at the Lally School as well as other resources including labs, patenting and licensing services, faculty, and students for work-study assignments, internships (REIP), and student projects.  Additional resources for EVE members include alumni/ae and community volunteers such as attorneys and accountants who are available to answer questions and provide advice and one time assistance for basic questions.  If an EVE company requires further professional assistance, they are encouraged to select a professional service company from a list provided through the EVE program. Such services may be offered at a discount to seed and early stage companies.

EVE hosts monthly peer review meetings, known as CEO Roundtable Discussions, among the CEOs of the incubated companies as a framework for peer-to-peer coaching among the mix of pre-seed, early state, and emerging companies supported by the EVE incubator program.  At these meetings, participants will sign disclosure agreements allowing a platform for confidential open discussions about topics and issues of importance to them.  The companies will also be invited to a monthly meeting featuring a speaker or a lecturer based upon a topic selected by the EVE companies’ CEOs and will also attend quarterly meet-ups for all employees of incubated companies, allowing the employees to build relationships and exchange ideas.

EVE promotes and introduces its companies to investors, assists them in identifying and seeking grant opportunities such as NYSERDA and SBIR, and helps them prepare for business plan competitions; the companies are given assistance in preparing applications, presentations, and pitches.  Additionally, members are provided access to professional grant writers to assist them as needed.

The EVE companies are invited to expand their professional networks through networking opportunities within the local business and academic community in order increase exposure to decision makers, funding sources from grants, and potential angel investors.  EVE is physically located off-campus in an effort to incubate companies directly in the community of Troy, NY and to strategically re-invent the typical “brick and mortar” business incubation model followed by RPI’s old incubator.  EVE is not a center where entrepreneurial students can simply rent space and use a photocopier the way a “brick and mortar” incubator is often used, but it is a 4,000 square foot center which strictly focuses on moving students through a business development continuum and on preparing them to fill vacant business facilities in the Troy community, leased at very low prices by realtors.  EVE does not want to focus on space like the traditional brick and mortar incubation model because if a company takes up too much space, they can’t let others in; student startups enrolled in EVE are treated like real businesses.

EVE was launched in February of 2011 with eight companies and now supports over thirty.  The continuum of business development begins with the formation of customized ninety-day plans which include 3-5 specific short term goals, preparing these young ventures to fill business space in the community.  Each venture enrolled in EVE has access to a huge network of professional individuals which include over 90,000 alumni that can potentially serve as mentors (25-30 of which are very active), the wind tunnel and prototyping capabilities at RPI, NYSERDA money, professional services (the first hour or two of which are provided for free), and accounting firms to help set up Quickbooks.  Although many professional services are not provided for EVE companies, aggressive rates are negotiated with local providers and funding often comes from venture pitches.

The key to RPI’s Emerging Ventures Ecosystem is that companies never graduate from the incubator because business development and iteration is never finalized.  Companies supported by EVE are always welcome to come back and ask for assistance in making new connections with the large international network of individuals.  RPI’s large alumni network serves as a virtual incubator in the sense that the network is leveraged to help grow companies as they experience the transition from technology ideas and intellectual property to commercialization through their education. 

== ==

=   '''Engaging with regional and local economic development efforts''' =

== Startup Tech Valley - Where Entrepreneurs and the Community Come Together ==

A monthly meetup for first-time entrepreneurs, experienced entrepreneurs, aspiring entrepreneurs, investors, mentors, employees of startups, serviceprodiders to startups, and anyone else who wants to be involved.

== Tech Valley Center of Gravity ==

The Tech Valley Center of Gravity is a federation of makers, hackers, crafters, and artists who share camaraderie, space, and resources to do our tinkering. We have a permanent makerspace, several satellite locations, and a community of local individuals and organizations to share and support them. We are based in downtown Troy, NY, and sponsor events all over the New York State Capital Region.

Our primary goal is to build a community around the idea of doing for ourselves, rather than just passively consuming, and learning how the arts, crafts, and technologies that surround us every day work, along the way. We also aim to create a network of contacts for small business and start-ups in the Capital Region to connect with local leaders, like-minded businesses and individuals, and tools and resources they might not otherwise have access to.

== Accelerate518 ==

TAccelerate518 (A518) is a consortium of stakeholders nestled in the heart of our State—New York’s Capital Region. The Capital Region encompasses four counties: Albany, Schenectady, Rensselaer and Saratoga. The synergy of these four counties is the catalyst for invention and innovation.

The Capital Region has a rich history of incubating and growing multinational corporations, including: New York Central Railroad, American Express, Cap Cities, General Electric, American Locomotive Company, Albany International, International Paper, and Albany Molecular Research. Accelerate518 is a platform to facilitate multiple groups working together to advance entrepreneurship and innovation in the Capital Region.  The goals of A518 include fostering active collaboration among educators and stakeholders, providing practical resources for entrepreneurs, sharing resources for education and training, and developing a network of individuals committed to invigorating the startup culture of the Capital Region.  We have aligned our interests to help the regional entrepreneurial ecosystem grow companies and create sustainable jobs. Initial core members of A518 include: CEG, Albany Medical College, Albany Law School, Hudson Valley Community College, RPI, Sage Colleges, Siena College, Skidmore College, Union College, and University at Albany.

= Landscape Canvas and Presentation =

[https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1Ek9pplesv42Ubc0TzcqW7mtASYtgL_XbJmvxJG4e14s/pub?start=true&loop=true&delayms=3000 Landscape Canvas Documentation]

[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1cg47LQI3tLh2gxM4u2FfyEPX1ljnFulr97_amxy4ebc/pubhtml Landscape Presentation]

= Related Links =

[[Meghan Olson|Meghan Olson]]

[http://universityinnovation.org/wiki/Ray_Parker Ray Parker]

[[Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Strategic Priorities|Rensselaer_Polytechnic_Institute_Strategic_Priorities]]

[[Category:Universities]]

School:Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

2016-02-07T04:55:11Z

Ray Parker:

'''Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Innovation Ecosystem: Promoting student innovation and entrepreneurship'''

= '''Overview''' =

'''''The motto of entrepreneurship at RPI:  A way to think. A way to learn. A way to succeed. '''''

"Entrepreneurial thinking lies at the heart of Rensselaer’s philosophy. Like our faculty, Rensselaer students are encouraged to pursue creativity and discovery — and the results are often spectacular. Our undergraduates embrace change in ways that have transformed how the world works, plays, and lives.

Our entrepreneurship program is built on the premise that ''not everyone wants to, or needs to, become an entrepreneur, but in today’s world everyone should know how to think like one."''

This statement shows RPI's commitment to entrepreneurial thinking, not so much the outcome of entreprenurship. The RPI Exemplar's program is a great example of the culture of entrepreneurship that RPI thrives on, as the Exemplar's program is designed for students who have a high level of interest in complementing their education by aquiring an entrepreneurail perspective.

'''Formal programs:'''

*B.S. Electronic Arts (Media, Ecology, Entrepreneurship and Experimentation)
*BS. Design,Innovationand Society
*M.S. Technological Communication & Entrepreneurship
*Ph.D. Science and Technology Studies 
*Minor Entrepreneurship



'''Extracurricular Activities:'''

*[http://www.eship.rpi.edu/exemplars_scholar_edge.html Exemplar's Program]
*[http://www.rpi.edu/dept/lally/centers/severino/foundry.html RPI Foundry]
*[http://designforamerica.com/studios/rensselaer/ RPI Design for America]
*[http://startuptechvalley.org/ Startup Tech Valley]
*[http://lallyschool.rpi.edu/severino-center-competitions Business Model Competition]
*[http://lallyschool.rpi.edu/severino-center-competitions Change the World Challenge]
*[http://lallyschool.rpi.edu/severino-center-competitions Elevator Pitch Competition]

'''Conferences and Workshops: '''

*[http://rpihub.org/boss-sponsors/ BOSS Conference]
*[http://www.tvcog.net/ Startup Validation Conference]
*[http://startup.ny.gov/ Startup NY]
*[http://startuptechvalley.org/ StartupTech Valley]

Education geared toward entrepreneurial thinking encourages students at RPI to think in different ways, to come up with new ideas to solve problems and to enter on-campus competitions such as the Change the World Challenge, the Class of ’51 Entrepreneurial Fund, the Elevator Pitch Competition, and the RPI Business Plan Competition.  These programs often provide the spark which gives students the entrepreneurial bug and encourages them to continue pursuing their ideas.

The Severino Center for Technological Entrepreneurship (SCTE), centered in Rensselaer’s Lally School of Management & Technology, helps to foster new generations of budding and successful entrepreneurs through outreach programs, education, and support systems.  In recognition of the fact that most business students aren’t inventors, the Lally School intersects with other schools on campus to encourage the formation of new student teams and the fusing of their ideas.

Small Buhrmaster grants in the amounts of $1,000 to $2,000 are available, as determined by the Director of the Severino Center, for student ventures to test the market feasibility of their business concepts and to establish and define their target customers.  Mr. Buhrmaster, ’69 is a friend of the Lally school and a member of its advisory council.

The Severino Center also provides Mentoring and Resources via the Student Sandbox, Entrepreneurs-in-Residence, the Rensselaer Student Entrepreneurship Club, and assistance in finding teammates.  Experienced entrepreneur volunteers are assigned to coach teams that receive a Buhrmaster grant to help guide them in their market and business development activities.  

= '''Encouraging faculty innovation and entrepreneurship''' =

''Incredible professors like Burt Swersey, Dr. Eric Ledet, and many others''

''"For the last decade, the Rensselaer Plan has provided a blueprint for transformation and impact. It has guided the development of an exceptional campus environment for advancing research with the potential to address science and society’s most challenging problems. Based on this strong foundation, Rensselaer research is creating a better future through the innovation and engineering of a better world. With our accelerated trajectory, the best is yet to come."''

Research is huge on RPI's campus and encouraging innovation is both in line with The Rensselaer Plan and Rensselaer's motto of "why not change the world?"

== Innovation and Entrepreneurship Classes and Activities ==

There are multiple different types of organizations and classes that try to teach theses sorts of opportunities and ways of thinking at Rensselaer, including a class called How to Change the World and Starting a New Venture. In addition to this, there are activities such as Design for America and Foundry that are also a part of the I&E spectrum. In addition to these supplementary classes, there are also other courses such as Capstone Senior Design Course that help to develop interdisciplinary bridges across multiple academic departments. A prerequisite for this sort of course consists of many different classes across many different academic subjects, as well as the class Introduction to Engineering design during most engineering student's sophomore years, which focus on giving exposure to the design process that will help Rensselaer's engineering students in the future. 

== Other Resources ==

In addition to classes, Rensselaer offers many different types of laboratories that are opened during certain hours of the day. These include the Mercer Lab for Electronics, the MILL, and Student Shop. These labs are opened during certain hours of the day that give certain students access to different types of equipment for them to do prototyping and other types of work with.

There are many different co-op and internship opportunities at Rensselaer as well, that work with many companies. Some of Rensselaer's top employers are United Technology Corporation, Boeing, Cisco, General Electric, GlobalFoundries, Deloitte, Epic Systems, FactSet, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Schlumberger, Hasbro and IBM.

= '''Actively supporting the university technology transfer function''' =

''RPI Office of Technology Commercialization: ''[http://www.rpitechnology.com/ http://www.rpitechnology.com/]

''RPI Technology Transfer/Innovation Hub: ''[http://rpihub.org/author/admin/ http://rpihub.org/author/admin/]

== The Rensselaer Plan ==

The Rensselaer Plan addresses technology transfer and intellectual property policies that encourage entrepreneurship.  Research is the major driver of science and technology transfer, invention, and innovation. Technological entrepreneurship completes the technology lifecycle — from discovery to the creation of impact in the global marketplace. With an expanding research base, we will cultivate a campus culture that provides the spirit and motivation for inventors to pursue commercialization. We will: Increase awareness of intellectual property, preserving its value in research agreements and maximizing its value under shared equity arrangements and licensing agreements, covering intellectual property developed in research and materials developed for distance education.  Create intellectual property policies that encourage entrepreneurship and allowthe university to take equity positions in new ventures as appropriate.  Ensure that intellectual property policies have adequate and appropriate conflictof interest and conflict of commitment provisions. Develop an awareness and infrastructure of intellectual property rights policies, incentives, and marketing to support innovation and commercialization.

== Creating and Supporting New Ventures ==

World-class technological research universities excel in transferring research outputs to the commercial sector. We will create innovative programs targeted at growing major new technological ventures and creating value. We will:  Enhance the process of matching researchers and entrepreneurs to create new ventures that take Rensselaer intellectual property to market  Provide business planning and facilitate venture capital for faculty and students for start-up companies that commercialize leading-edge Rensselaer research.  Expand the Incubator program to accommodate more start-ups and second-stage incubation.  Expand the flow of technology, talent, and ventures into the Rensselaer Technology Park and the Capital Region. Bring new focus to the Rensselaer Technology Park as the locus for mature ventures based on the technologies taught and researched at the Institute. Work with private and public sources to attract new venture capital and entrepreneurial talent to the Capital Region.

= '''Facilitating University-Industry Collaboration''' =

== RPI Tech Park ==

Rensselaer Technology Park is a university related park for technology ventures seeking a unique environment focused on the interface between industry and education.

According to the rpitechpark.com website, the University Interactions Policy of the Tech Park is built upon "a fundamental objective of the Park is to develop interactions between tenant companies and the university.  Such interactions enrich the educational environment of the university and help the companies stay on the leading edge of their technologies.  All companies in the Park automatically become “affiliates” of Rensselaer."  Building a synergistic environment is a responsibility shared by all members of the Park staff."

== EVE (Emerging Ventures Ecosystem) ==

The work of turning ideas into real companies happens in RPI’s incubator, the Emerging Ventures Ecosystem (EVE).  EVE is a distributed incubation program which accelerates the growth of new businesses and boosts the transfer of scientific and technological breakthroughs from the laboratory and classroom to the marketplace, for social and economic impact.

Launched in February 2011, the Emerging Ventures Ecosystem (EVE) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute serves to link “Rensselaer institutional resources and alumni/ae expertise symbiotically with community strengths, in a multi-faceted partnership for mutual benefit.”  The goal of EVE is to nurture new businesses and to build upon the decades of successful efforts of RPI’s previous incubator by helping young businesses grow and succeed.

Rensselaer’s previous incubator program was opened in 1980 as the nation’s first such program wholly sponsored and operated by a university. In its later stages, the incubator was primarily used for its “brick and mortar” assets, as place for entrepreneurially minded students to rent at a low cost, with convenient access to a photocopier.  The model of RPI’s old incubator was traditional: it was rented by students who were seeking to start a venture, which either lived or died, and then moved on.  The RPI Incubator building was closed in late 2009 simply because it did not make any money for the institution.

The new EVE program utilizes an innovative distributed incubation model, maintaining a central office in Troy, NY and working with each company to find an ideal matchup of space-to-enterprise in Troy and the surrounding area.  EVE is overseen by James Spencer, who has 20 years of experience in leading organizational creation and growth as an entrepreneurial business executive.

Once a new company completes the application process for the EVE program — through which Rensselaer will determine, in part, whether the entrepreneur is willing to put in the effort to make the company successful — the program will assign a status to the company: pre-seed, emerging, or early stage. Assigning these descriptions will help EVE mentors and administrators determine the specific services needed by each business.

Under EVE, businesses that are accepted into the program will receive a series of specific services that will help accelerate their growth.  A board of advisers will be established from community resources or alumni/ae for each new company.  If a company already has a board of advisers or directors, EVE will assign an additional person to the board to act as a liaison to mobilize resources within the Institute.

Upon formation of a board of advisors, three or four key objectives are developed by each company with the help of their advisory board.  Milestones for these objectives are then established for each quarter, in an effort to create a concrete plan for success and to generate measurable objectives; new goals are developed for succeeding semesters.  Companies must continue to show steady progress in order to remain in the program.

As a member of EVE, a company will have access to the Entrepreneur(s)-in-Residence at the Lally School as well as other resources including labs, patenting and licensing services, faculty, and students for work-study assignments, internships (REIP), and student projects.  Additional resources for EVE members include alumni/ae and community volunteers such as attorneys and accountants who are available to answer questions and provide advice and one time assistance for basic questions.  If an EVE company requires further professional assistance, they are encouraged to select a professional service company from a list provided through the EVE program. Such services may be offered at a discount to seed and early stage companies.

EVE hosts monthly peer review meetings, known as CEO Roundtable Discussions, among the CEOs of the incubated companies as a framework for peer-to-peer coaching among the mix of pre-seed, early state, and emerging companies supported by the EVE incubator program.  At these meetings, participants will sign disclosure agreements allowing a platform for confidential open discussions about topics and issues of importance to them.  The companies will also be invited to a monthly meeting featuring a speaker or a lecturer based upon a topic selected by the EVE companies’ CEOs and will also attend quarterly meet-ups for all employees of incubated companies, allowing the employees to build relationships and exchange ideas.

EVE promotes and introduces its companies to investors, assists them in identifying and seeking grant opportunities such as NYSERDA and SBIR, and helps them prepare for business plan competitions; the companies are given assistance in preparing applications, presentations, and pitches.  Additionally, members are provided access to professional grant writers to assist them as needed.

The EVE companies are invited to expand their professional networks through networking opportunities within the local business and academic community in order increase exposure to decision makers, funding sources from grants, and potential angel investors.  EVE is physically located off-campus in an effort to incubate companies directly in the community of Troy, NY and to strategically re-invent the typical “brick and mortar” business incubation model followed by RPI’s old incubator.  EVE is not a center where entrepreneurial students can simply rent space and use a photocopier the way a “brick and mortar” incubator is often used, but it is a 4,000 square foot center which strictly focuses on moving students through a business development continuum and on preparing them to fill vacant business facilities in the Troy community, leased at very low prices by realtors.  EVE does not want to focus on space like the traditional brick and mortar incubation model because if a company takes up too much space, they can’t let others in; student startups enrolled in EVE are treated like real businesses.

EVE was launched in February of 2011 with eight companies and now supports over thirty.  The continuum of business development begins with the formation of customized ninety-day plans which include 3-5 specific short term goals, preparing these young ventures to fill business space in the community.  Each venture enrolled in EVE has access to a huge network of professional individuals which include over 90,000 alumni that can potentially serve as mentors (25-30 of which are very active), the wind tunnel and prototyping capabilities at RPI, NYSERDA money, professional services (the first hour or two of which are provided for free), and accounting firms to help set up Quickbooks.  Although many professional services are not provided for EVE companies, aggressive rates are negotiated with local providers and funding often comes from venture pitches.

The key to RPI’s Emerging Ventures Ecosystem is that companies never graduate from the incubator because business development and iteration is never finalized.  Companies supported by EVE are always welcome to come back and ask for assistance in making new connections with the large international network of individuals.  RPI’s large alumni network serves as a virtual incubator in the sense that the network is leveraged to help grow companies as they experience the transition from technology ideas and intellectual property to commercialization through their education. 

== ==

=   '''Engaging with regional and local economic development efforts''' =

== Startup Tech Valley - Where Entrepreneurs and the Community Come Together ==

A monthly meetup for first-time entrepreneurs, experienced entrepreneurs, aspiring entrepreneurs, investors, mentors, employees of startups, serviceprodiders to startups, and anyone else who wants to be involved.

== Tech Valley Center of Gravity ==

The Tech Valley Center of Gravity is a federation of makers, hackers, crafters, and artists who share camaraderie, space, and resources to do our tinkering. We have a permanent makerspace, several satellite locations, and a community of local individuals and organizations to share and support them. We are based in downtown Troy, NY, and sponsor events all over the New York State Capital Region.

Our primary goal is to build a community around the idea of doing for ourselves, rather than just passively consuming, and learning how the arts, crafts, and technologies that surround us every day work, along the way. We also aim to create a network of contacts for small business and start-ups in the Capital Region to connect with local leaders, like-minded businesses and individuals, and tools and resources they might not otherwise have access to.

== Accelerate518 ==

TAccelerate518 (A518) is a consortium of stakeholders nestled in the heart of our State—New York’s Capital Region. The Capital Region encompasses four counties: Albany, Schenectady, Rensselaer and Saratoga. The synergy of these four counties is the catalyst for invention and innovation.

The Capital Region has a rich history of incubating and growing multinational corporations, including: New York Central Railroad, American Express, Cap Cities, General Electric, American Locomotive Company, Albany International, International Paper, and Albany Molecular Research. Accelerate518 is a platform to facilitate multiple groups working together to advance entrepreneurship and innovation in the Capital Region.  The goals of A518 include fostering active collaboration among educators and stakeholders, providing practical resources for entrepreneurs, sharing resources for education and training, and developing a network of individuals committed to invigorating the startup culture of the Capital Region.  We have aligned our interests to help the regional entrepreneurial ecosystem grow companies and create sustainable jobs. Initial core members of A518 include: CEG, Albany Medical College, Albany Law School, Hudson Valley Community College, RPI, Sage Colleges, Siena College, Skidmore College, Union College, and University at Albany.

= Landscape Canvas and Presentation =

[https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1Ek9pplesv42Ubc0TzcqW7mtASYtgL_XbJmvxJG4e14s/pub?start=true&loop=true&delayms=3000 Landscape Canvas Documentation]

[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1cg47LQI3tLh2gxM4u2FfyEPX1ljnFulr97_amxy4ebc/pubhtml Landscape Presentation]

= Related Links =

[[Meghan Olson|Meghan Olson]]

[http://universityinnovation.org/wiki/Ray_Parker Ray Parker]

[[Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Strategic Priorities|Rensselaer_Polytechnic_Institute_Strategic_Priorities]]

[[Category:Universities]]

School:Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

2016-02-07T04:52:27Z

Ray Parker:

'''Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Innovation Ecosystem: Promoting student innovation and entrepreneurship'''

= '''Overview''' =

'''''The motto of entrepreneurship at RPI:  A way to think. A way to learn. A way to succeed. '''''

"Entrepreneurial thinking lies at the heart of Rensselaer’s philosophy. Like our faculty, Rensselaer students are encouraged to pursue creativity and discovery — and the results are often spectacular. Our undergraduates embrace change in ways that have transformed how the world works, plays, and lives.

Our entrepreneurship program is built on the premise that ''not everyone wants to, or needs to, become an entrepreneur, but in today’s world everyone should know how to think like one."''

This statement shows RPI's commitment to entrepreneurial thinking, not so much the outcome of entreprenurship. The RPI Exemplar's program is a great example of the culture of entrepreneurship that RPI thrives on, as the Exemplar's program is designed for students who have a high level of interest in complementing their education by aquiring an entrepreneurail perspective.

'''Formal programs:''' M.S. Technological Communication & Entrepreneurship

'''Extracurricular Activities:'''

*[http://www.eship.rpi.edu/exemplars_scholar_edge.html Exemplar's Program]
*[http://www.rpi.edu/dept/lally/centers/severino/foundry.html RPI Foundry]
*[http://designforamerica.com/studios/rensselaer/ RPI Design for America]
*[http://startuptechvalley.org/ Startup Tech Valley]
*[http://lallyschool.rpi.edu/severino-center-competitions Business Model Competition]
*[http://lallyschool.rpi.edu/severino-center-competitions Change the World Challenge]
*[http://lallyschool.rpi.edu/severino-center-competitions Elevator Pitch Competition]

'''Conferences and Workshops: '''

*[http://rpihub.org/boss-sponsors/ BOSS Conference]
*[http://www.tvcog.net/ Startup Validation Conference]
*[http://startup.ny.gov/ Startup NY]
*[http://startuptechvalley.org/ StartupTech Valley]

Education geared toward entrepreneurial thinking encourages students at RPI to think in different ways, to come up with new ideas to solve problems and to enter on-campus competitions such as the Change the World Challenge, the Class of ’51 Entrepreneurial Fund, the Elevator Pitch Competition, and the RPI Business Plan Competition.  These programs often provide the spark which gives students the entrepreneurial bug and encourages them to continue pursuing their ideas.

The Severino Center for Technological Entrepreneurship (SCTE), centered in Rensselaer’s Lally School of Management & Technology, helps to foster new generations of budding and successful entrepreneurs through outreach programs, education, and support systems.  In recognition of the fact that most business students aren’t inventors, the Lally School intersects with other schools on campus to encourage the formation of new student teams and the fusing of their ideas.

Small Buhrmaster grants in the amounts of $1,000 to $2,000 are available, as determined by the Director of the Severino Center, for student ventures to test the market feasibility of their business concepts and to establish and define their target customers.  Mr. Buhrmaster, ’69 is a friend of the Lally school and a member of its advisory council.

The Severino Center also provides Mentoring and Resources via the Student Sandbox, Entrepreneurs-in-Residence, the Rensselaer Student Entrepreneurship Club, and assistance in finding teammates.  Experienced entrepreneur volunteers are assigned to coach teams that receive a Buhrmaster grant to help guide them in their market and business development activities.  

= '''Encouraging faculty innovation and entrepreneurship''' =

''Incredible professors like Burt Swersey, Dr. Eric Ledet, and many others''

''"For the last decade, the Rensselaer Plan has provided a blueprint for transformation and impact. It has guided the development of an exceptional campus environment for advancing research with the potential to address science and society’s most challenging problems. Based on this strong foundation, Rensselaer research is creating a better future through the innovation and engineering of a better world. With our accelerated trajectory, the best is yet to come."''

Research is huge on RPI's campus and encouraging innovation is both in line with The Rensselaer Plan and Rensselaer's motto of "why not change the world?"

== Innovation and Entrepreneurship Classes and Activities ==

There are multiple different types of organizations and classes that try to teach theses sorts of opportunities and ways of thinking at Rensselaer, including a class called How to Change the World and Starting a New Venture. In addition to this, there are activities such as Design for America and Foundry that are also a part of the I&E spectrum. In addition to these supplementary classes, there are also other courses such as Capstone Senior Design Course that help to develop interdisciplinary bridges across multiple academic departments. A prerequisite for this sort of course consists of many different classes across many different academic subjects, as well as the class Introduction to Engineering design during most engineering student's sophomore years, which focus on giving exposure to the design process that will help Rensselaer's engineering students in the future. 

== Other Resources ==

In addition to classes, Rensselaer offers many different types of laboratories that are opened during certain hours of the day. These include the Mercer Lab for Electronics, the MILL, and Student Shop. These labs are opened during certain hours of the day that give certain students access to different types of equipment for them to do prototyping and other types of work with.

There are many different co-op and internship opportunities at Rensselaer as well, that work with many companies. Some of Rensselaer's top employers are United Technology Corporation, Boeing, Cisco, General Electric, GlobalFoundries, Deloitte, Epic Systems, FactSet, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Schlumberger, Hasbro and IBM.

= '''Actively supporting the university technology transfer function''' =

''RPI Office of Technology Commercialization: ''[http://www.rpitechnology.com/ http://www.rpitechnology.com/]

''RPI Technology Transfer/Innovation Hub: ''[http://rpihub.org/author/admin/ http://rpihub.org/author/admin/]

== The Rensselaer Plan ==

The Rensselaer Plan addresses technology transfer and intellectual property policies that encourage entrepreneurship.  Research is the major driver of science and technology transfer, invention, and innovation. Technological entrepreneurship completes the technology lifecycle — from discovery to the creation of impact in the global marketplace. With an expanding research base, we will cultivate a campus culture that provides the spirit and motivation for inventors to pursue commercialization. We will: Increase awareness of intellectual property, preserving its value in research agreements and maximizing its value under shared equity arrangements and licensing agreements, covering intellectual property developed in research and materials developed for distance education.  Create intellectual property policies that encourage entrepreneurship and allowthe university to take equity positions in new ventures as appropriate.  Ensure that intellectual property policies have adequate and appropriate conflictof interest and conflict of commitment provisions. Develop an awareness and infrastructure of intellectual property rights policies, incentives, and marketing to support innovation and commercialization.

== Creating and Supporting New Ventures ==

World-class technological research universities excel in transferring research outputs to the commercial sector. We will create innovative programs targeted at growing major new technological ventures and creating value. We will:  Enhance the process of matching researchers and entrepreneurs to create new ventures that take Rensselaer intellectual property to market  Provide business planning and facilitate venture capital for faculty and students for start-up companies that commercialize leading-edge Rensselaer research.  Expand the Incubator program to accommodate more start-ups and second-stage incubation.  Expand the flow of technology, talent, and ventures into the Rensselaer Technology Park and the Capital Region. Bring new focus to the Rensselaer Technology Park as the locus for mature ventures based on the technologies taught and researched at the Institute. Work with private and public sources to attract new venture capital and entrepreneurial talent to the Capital Region.

= '''Facilitating University-Industry Collaboration''' =

== RPI Tech Park ==

Rensselaer Technology Park is a university related park for technology ventures seeking a unique environment focused on the interface between industry and education.

According to the rpitechpark.com website, the University Interactions Policy of the Tech Park is built upon "a fundamental objective of the Park is to develop interactions between tenant companies and the university.  Such interactions enrich the educational environment of the university and help the companies stay on the leading edge of their technologies.  All companies in the Park automatically become “affiliates” of Rensselaer."  Building a synergistic environment is a responsibility shared by all members of the Park staff."

== EVE (Emerging Ventures Ecosystem) ==

The work of turning ideas into real companies happens in RPI’s incubator, the Emerging Ventures Ecosystem (EVE).  EVE is a distributed incubation program which accelerates the growth of new businesses and boosts the transfer of scientific and technological breakthroughs from the laboratory and classroom to the marketplace, for social and economic impact.

Launched in February 2011, the Emerging Ventures Ecosystem (EVE) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute serves to link “Rensselaer institutional resources and alumni/ae expertise symbiotically with community strengths, in a multi-faceted partnership for mutual benefit.”  The goal of EVE is to nurture new businesses and to build upon the decades of successful efforts of RPI’s previous incubator by helping young businesses grow and succeed.

Rensselaer’s previous incubator program was opened in 1980 as the nation’s first such program wholly sponsored and operated by a university. In its later stages, the incubator was primarily used for its “brick and mortar” assets, as place for entrepreneurially minded students to rent at a low cost, with convenient access to a photocopier.  The model of RPI’s old incubator was traditional: it was rented by students who were seeking to start a venture, which either lived or died, and then moved on.  The RPI Incubator building was closed in late 2009 simply because it did not make any money for the institution.

The new EVE program utilizes an innovative distributed incubation model, maintaining a central office in Troy, NY and working with each company to find an ideal matchup of space-to-enterprise in Troy and the surrounding area.  EVE is overseen by James Spencer, who has 20 years of experience in leading organizational creation and growth as an entrepreneurial business executive.

Once a new company completes the application process for the EVE program — through which Rensselaer will determine, in part, whether the entrepreneur is willing to put in the effort to make the company successful — the program will assign a status to the company: pre-seed, emerging, or early stage. Assigning these descriptions will help EVE mentors and administrators determine the specific services needed by each business.

Under EVE, businesses that are accepted into the program will receive a series of specific services that will help accelerate their growth.  A board of advisers will be established from community resources or alumni/ae for each new company.  If a company already has a board of advisers or directors, EVE will assign an additional person to the board to act as a liaison to mobilize resources within the Institute.

Upon formation of a board of advisors, three or four key objectives are developed by each company with the help of their advisory board.  Milestones for these objectives are then established for each quarter, in an effort to create a concrete plan for success and to generate measurable objectives; new goals are developed for succeeding semesters.  Companies must continue to show steady progress in order to remain in the program.

As a member of EVE, a company will have access to the Entrepreneur(s)-in-Residence at the Lally School as well as other resources including labs, patenting and licensing services, faculty, and students for work-study assignments, internships (REIP), and student projects.  Additional resources for EVE members include alumni/ae and community volunteers such as attorneys and accountants who are available to answer questions and provide advice and one time assistance for basic questions.  If an EVE company requires further professional assistance, they are encouraged to select a professional service company from a list provided through the EVE program. Such services may be offered at a discount to seed and early stage companies.

EVE hosts monthly peer review meetings, known as CEO Roundtable Discussions, among the CEOs of the incubated companies as a framework for peer-to-peer coaching among the mix of pre-seed, early state, and emerging companies supported by the EVE incubator program.  At these meetings, participants will sign disclosure agreements allowing a platform for confidential open discussions about topics and issues of importance to them.  The companies will also be invited to a monthly meeting featuring a speaker or a lecturer based upon a topic selected by the EVE companies’ CEOs and will also attend quarterly meet-ups for all employees of incubated companies, allowing the employees to build relationships and exchange ideas.

EVE promotes and introduces its companies to investors, assists them in identifying and seeking grant opportunities such as NYSERDA and SBIR, and helps them prepare for business plan competitions; the companies are given assistance in preparing applications, presentations, and pitches.  Additionally, members are provided access to professional grant writers to assist them as needed.

The EVE companies are invited to expand their professional networks through networking opportunities within the local business and academic community in order increase exposure to decision makers, funding sources from grants, and potential angel investors.  EVE is physically located off-campus in an effort to incubate companies directly in the community of Troy, NY and to strategically re-invent the typical “brick and mortar” business incubation model followed by RPI’s old incubator.  EVE is not a center where entrepreneurial students can simply rent space and use a photocopier the way a “brick and mortar” incubator is often used, but it is a 4,000 square foot center which strictly focuses on moving students through a business development continuum and on preparing them to fill vacant business facilities in the Troy community, leased at very low prices by realtors.  EVE does not want to focus on space like the traditional brick and mortar incubation model because if a company takes up too much space, they can’t let others in; student startups enrolled in EVE are treated like real businesses.

EVE was launched in February of 2011 with eight companies and now supports over thirty.  The continuum of business development begins with the formation of customized ninety-day plans which include 3-5 specific short term goals, preparing these young ventures to fill business space in the community.  Each venture enrolled in EVE has access to a huge network of professional individuals which include over 90,000 alumni that can potentially serve as mentors (25-30 of which are very active), the wind tunnel and prototyping capabilities at RPI, NYSERDA money, professional services (the first hour or two of which are provided for free), and accounting firms to help set up Quickbooks.  Although many professional services are not provided for EVE companies, aggressive rates are negotiated with local providers and funding often comes from venture pitches.

The key to RPI’s Emerging Ventures Ecosystem is that companies never graduate from the incubator because business development and iteration is never finalized.  Companies supported by EVE are always welcome to come back and ask for assistance in making new connections with the large international network of individuals.  RPI’s large alumni network serves as a virtual incubator in the sense that the network is leveraged to help grow companies as they experience the transition from technology ideas and intellectual property to commercialization through their education. 

== ==

=   '''Engaging with regional and local economic development efforts''' =

== Startup Tech Valley - Where Entrepreneurs and the Community Come Together ==

A monthly meetup for first-time entrepreneurs, experienced entrepreneurs, aspiring entrepreneurs, investors, mentors, employees of startups, serviceprodiders to startups, and anyone else who wants to be involved.

== Tech Valley Center of Gravity ==

The Tech Valley Center of Gravity is a federation of makers, hackers, crafters, and artists who share camaraderie, space, and resources to do our tinkering. We have a permanent makerspace, several satellite locations, and a community of local individuals and organizations to share and support them. We are based in downtown Troy, NY, and sponsor events all over the New York State Capital Region.

Our primary goal is to build a community around the idea of doing for ourselves, rather than just passively consuming, and learning how the arts, crafts, and technologies that surround us every day work, along the way. We also aim to create a network of contacts for small business and start-ups in the Capital Region to connect with local leaders, like-minded businesses and individuals, and tools and resources they might not otherwise have access to.

== Accelerate518 ==

TAccelerate518 (A518) is a consortium of stakeholders nestled in the heart of our State—New York’s Capital Region. The Capital Region encompasses four counties: Albany, Schenectady, Rensselaer and Saratoga. The synergy of these four counties is the catalyst for invention and innovation.

The Capital Region has a rich history of incubating and growing multinational corporations, including: New York Central Railroad, American Express, Cap Cities, General Electric, American Locomotive Company, Albany International, International Paper, and Albany Molecular Research. Accelerate518 is a platform to facilitate multiple groups working together to advance entrepreneurship and innovation in the Capital Region.  The goals of A518 include fostering active collaboration among educators and stakeholders, providing practical resources for entrepreneurs, sharing resources for education and training, and developing a network of individuals committed to invigorating the startup culture of the Capital Region.  We have aligned our interests to help the regional entrepreneurial ecosystem grow companies and create sustainable jobs. Initial core members of A518 include: CEG, Albany Medical College, Albany Law School, Hudson Valley Community College, RPI, Sage Colleges, Siena College, Skidmore College, Union College, and University at Albany.

= Landscape Canvas and Presentation =

[https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1Ek9pplesv42Ubc0TzcqW7mtASYtgL_XbJmvxJG4e14s/pub?start=true&loop=true&delayms=3000 Landscape Canvas Documentation]

[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1cg47LQI3tLh2gxM4u2FfyEPX1ljnFulr97_amxy4ebc/pubhtml Landscape Presentation]

= Related Links =

[[Meghan Olson|Meghan Olson]]

[http://universityinnovation.org/wiki/Ray_Parker Ray Parker]

[[Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Strategic Priorities|Rensselaer_Polytechnic_Institute_Strategic_Priorities]]

[[Category:Universities]]

School:Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

2016-02-07T04:51:37Z

Ray Parker:

'''Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Innovation Ecosystem: Promoting student innovation and entrepreneurship'''

= '''Overview''' =

'''''The motto of entrepreneurship at RPI:  A way to think. A way to learn. A way to succeed. '''''

"Entrepreneurial thinking lies at the heart of Rensselaer’s philosophy. Like our faculty, Rensselaer students are encouraged to pursue creativity and discovery — and the results are often spectacular. Our undergraduates embrace change in ways that have transformed how the world works, plays, and lives.

Our entrepreneurship program is built on the premise that ''not everyone wants to, or needs to, become an entrepreneur, but in today’s world everyone should know how to think like one."''

This statement shows RPI's commitment to entrepreneurial thinking, not so much the outcome of entreprenurship. The RPI Exemplar's program is a great example of the culture of entrepreneurship that RPI thrives on, as the Exemplar's program is designed for students who have a high level of interest in complementing their education by aquiring an entrepreneurail perspective.

'''Formal programs:''' M.S. Technological Communication & Entrepreneurship

'''Extracurricular Activities: ''' 

*[http://www.eship.rpi.edu/exemplars_scholar_edge.html Exemplar's Program]
*[http://www.rpi.edu/dept/lally/centers/severino/foundry.html RPI Foundry]
*[http://designforamerica.com/studios/rensselaer/ RPI Design for America] 
*[http://startuptechvalley.org/ Startup Tech Valley]
*[http://lallyschool.rpi.edu/severino-center-competitions Business Model Competition] 
*[http://lallyschool.rpi.edu/severino-center-competitions Change the World Challenge]
*[http://lallyschool.rpi.edu/severino-center-competitions Elevator Pitch Competition]

'''Conferences and Workshops: '''

*[http://rpihub.org/boss-sponsors/ BOSS Conference]
*[http://www.tvcog.net/ Startup Validation Conference]
*[http://startup.ny.gov/ Startup NY]
*[http://startuptechvalley.org/ StartupTech Valley]

Education geared toward entrepreneurial thinking encourages students at RPI to think in different ways, to come up with new ideas to solve problems and to enter on-campus competitions such as the Change the World Challenge, the Class of ’51 Entrepreneurial Fund, the Elevator Pitch Competition, and the RPI Business Plan Competition.  These programs often provide the spark which gives students the entrepreneurial bug and encourages them to continue pursuing their ideas.

The Severino Center for Technological Entrepreneurship (SCTE), centered in Rensselaer’s Lally School of Management & Technology, helps to foster new generations of budding and successful entrepreneurs through outreach programs, education, and support systems.  In recognition of the fact that most business students aren’t inventors, the Lally School intersects with other schools on campus to encourage the formation of new student teams and the fusing of their ideas.

Small Buhrmaster grants in the amounts of $1,000 to $2,000 are available, as determined by the Director of the Severino Center, for student ventures to test the market feasibility of their business concepts and to establish and define their target customers.  Mr. Buhrmaster, ’69 is a friend of the Lally school and a member of its advisory council.

The Severino Center also provides Mentoring and Resources via the Student Sandbox, Entrepreneurs-in-Residence, the Rensselaer Student Entrepreneurship Club, and assistance in finding teammates.  Experienced entrepreneur volunteers are assigned to coach teams that receive a Buhrmaster grant to help guide them in their market and business development activities.  

= '''Encouraging faculty innovation and entrepreneurship''' =

''Incredible professors like Burt Swersey, Dr. Eric Ledet, and many others''

''"For the last decade, the Rensselaer Plan has provided a blueprint for transformation and impact. It has guided the development of an exceptional campus environment for advancing research with the potential to address science and society’s most challenging problems. Based on this strong foundation, Rensselaer research is creating a better future through the innovation and engineering of a better world. With our accelerated trajectory, the best is yet to come."''

Research is huge on RPI's campus and encouraging innovation is both in line with The Rensselaer Plan and Rensselaer's motto of "why not change the world?"

== Innovation and Entrepreneurship Classes and Activities ==

There are multiple different types of organizations and classes that try to teach theses sorts of opportunities and ways of thinking at Rensselaer, including a class called How to Change the World and Starting a New Venture. In addition to this, there are activities such as Design for America and Foundry that are also a part of the I&E spectrum. In addition to these supplementary classes, there are also other courses such as Capstone Senior Design Course that help to develop interdisciplinary bridges across multiple academic departments. A prerequisite for this sort of course consists of many different classes across many different academic subjects, as well as the class Introduction to Engineering design during most engineering student's sophomore years, which focus on giving exposure to the design process that will help Rensselaer's engineering students in the future. 

== Other Resources ==

In addition to classes, Rensselaer offers many different types of laboratories that are opened during certain hours of the day. These include the Mercer Lab for Electronics, the MILL, and Student Shop. These labs are opened during certain hours of the day that give certain students access to different types of equipment for them to do prototyping and other types of work with.

There are many different co-op and internship opportunities at Rensselaer as well, that work with many companies. Some of Rensselaer's top employers are United Technology Corporation, Boeing, Cisco, General Electric, GlobalFoundries, Deloitte, Epic Systems, FactSet, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Schlumberger, Hasbro and IBM.

= '''Actively supporting the university technology transfer function''' =

''RPI Office of Technology Commercialization: ''[http://www.rpitechnology.com/ http://www.rpitechnology.com/]

''RPI Technology Transfer/Innovation Hub: ''[http://rpihub.org/author/admin/ http://rpihub.org/author/admin/]

== The Rensselaer Plan ==

The Rensselaer Plan addresses technology transfer and intellectual property policies that encourage entrepreneurship.  Research is the major driver of science and technology transfer, invention, and innovation. Technological entrepreneurship completes the technology lifecycle — from discovery to the creation of impact in the global marketplace. With an expanding research base, we will cultivate a campus culture that provides the spirit and motivation for inventors to pursue commercialization. We will: Increase awareness of intellectual property, preserving its value in research agreements and maximizing its value under shared equity arrangements and licensing agreements, covering intellectual property developed in research and materials developed for distance education.  Create intellectual property policies that encourage entrepreneurship and allowthe university to take equity positions in new ventures as appropriate.  Ensure that intellectual property policies have adequate and appropriate conflictof interest and conflict of commitment provisions. Develop an awareness and infrastructure of intellectual property rights policies, incentives, and marketing to support innovation and commercialization.

== Creating and Supporting New Ventures ==

World-class technological research universities excel in transferring research outputs to the commercial sector. We will create innovative programs targeted at growing major new technological ventures and creating value. We will:  Enhance the process of matching researchers and entrepreneurs to create new ventures that take Rensselaer intellectual property to market  Provide business planning and facilitate venture capital for faculty and students for start-up companies that commercialize leading-edge Rensselaer research.  Expand the Incubator program to accommodate more start-ups and second-stage incubation.  Expand the flow of technology, talent, and ventures into the Rensselaer Technology Park and the Capital Region. Bring new focus to the Rensselaer Technology Park as the locus for mature ventures based on the technologies taught and researched at the Institute. Work with private and public sources to attract new venture capital and entrepreneurial talent to the Capital Region.

= '''Facilitating University-Industry Collaboration''' =

== RPI Tech Park ==

Rensselaer Technology Park is a university related park for technology ventures seeking a unique environment focused on the interface between industry and education.

According to the rpitechpark.com website, the University Interactions Policy of the Tech Park is built upon "a fundamental objective of the Park is to develop interactions between tenant companies and the university.  Such interactions enrich the educational environment of the university and help the companies stay on the leading edge of their technologies.  All companies in the Park automatically become “affiliates” of Rensselaer."  Building a synergistic environment is a responsibility shared by all members of the Park staff."

== EVE (Emerging Ventures Ecosystem) ==

The work of turning ideas into real companies happens in RPI’s incubator, the Emerging Ventures Ecosystem (EVE).  EVE is a distributed incubation program which accelerates the growth of new businesses and boosts the transfer of scientific and technological breakthroughs from the laboratory and classroom to the marketplace, for social and economic impact.

Launched in February 2011, the Emerging Ventures Ecosystem (EVE) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute serves to link “Rensselaer institutional resources and alumni/ae expertise symbiotically with community strengths, in a multi-faceted partnership for mutual benefit.”  The goal of EVE is to nurture new businesses and to build upon the decades of successful efforts of RPI’s previous incubator by helping young businesses grow and succeed.

Rensselaer’s previous incubator program was opened in 1980 as the nation’s first such program wholly sponsored and operated by a university. In its later stages, the incubator was primarily used for its “brick and mortar” assets, as place for entrepreneurially minded students to rent at a low cost, with convenient access to a photocopier.  The model of RPI’s old incubator was traditional: it was rented by students who were seeking to start a venture, which either lived or died, and then moved on.  The RPI Incubator building was closed in late 2009 simply because it did not make any money for the institution.

The new EVE program utilizes an innovative distributed incubation model, maintaining a central office in Troy, NY and working with each company to find an ideal matchup of space-to-enterprise in Troy and the surrounding area.  EVE is overseen by James Spencer, who has 20 years of experience in leading organizational creation and growth as an entrepreneurial business executive.

Once a new company completes the application process for the EVE program — through which Rensselaer will determine, in part, whether the entrepreneur is willing to put in the effort to make the company successful — the program will assign a status to the company: pre-seed, emerging, or early stage. Assigning these descriptions will help EVE mentors and administrators determine the specific services needed by each business.

Under EVE, businesses that are accepted into the program will receive a series of specific services that will help accelerate their growth.  A board of advisers will be established from community resources or alumni/ae for each new company.  If a company already has a board of advisers or directors, EVE will assign an additional person to the board to act as a liaison to mobilize resources within the Institute.

Upon formation of a board of advisors, three or four key objectives are developed by each company with the help of their advisory board.  Milestones for these objectives are then established for each quarter, in an effort to create a concrete plan for success and to generate measurable objectives; new goals are developed for succeeding semesters.  Companies must continue to show steady progress in order to remain in the program.

As a member of EVE, a company will have access to the Entrepreneur(s)-in-Residence at the Lally School as well as other resources including labs, patenting and licensing services, faculty, and students for work-study assignments, internships (REIP), and student projects.  Additional resources for EVE members include alumni/ae and community volunteers such as attorneys and accountants who are available to answer questions and provide advice and one time assistance for basic questions.  If an EVE company requires further professional assistance, they are encouraged to select a professional service company from a list provided through the EVE program. Such services may be offered at a discount to seed and early stage companies.

EVE hosts monthly peer review meetings, known as CEO Roundtable Discussions, among the CEOs of the incubated companies as a framework for peer-to-peer coaching among the mix of pre-seed, early state, and emerging companies supported by the EVE incubator program.  At these meetings, participants will sign disclosure agreements allowing a platform for confidential open discussions about topics and issues of importance to them.  The companies will also be invited to a monthly meeting featuring a speaker or a lecturer based upon a topic selected by the EVE companies’ CEOs and will also attend quarterly meet-ups for all employees of incubated companies, allowing the employees to build relationships and exchange ideas.

EVE promotes and introduces its companies to investors, assists them in identifying and seeking grant opportunities such as NYSERDA and SBIR, and helps them prepare for business plan competitions; the companies are given assistance in preparing applications, presentations, and pitches.  Additionally, members are provided access to professional grant writers to assist them as needed.

The EVE companies are invited to expand their professional networks through networking opportunities within the local business and academic community in order increase exposure to decision makers, funding sources from grants, and potential angel investors.  EVE is physically located off-campus in an effort to incubate companies directly in the community of Troy, NY and to strategically re-invent the typical “brick and mortar” business incubation model followed by RPI’s old incubator.  EVE is not a center where entrepreneurial students can simply rent space and use a photocopier the way a “brick and mortar” incubator is often used, but it is a 4,000 square foot center which strictly focuses on moving students through a business development continuum and on preparing them to fill vacant business facilities in the Troy community, leased at very low prices by realtors.  EVE does not want to focus on space like the traditional brick and mortar incubation model because if a company takes up too much space, they can’t let others in; student startups enrolled in EVE are treated like real businesses.

EVE was launched in February of 2011 with eight companies and now supports over thirty.  The continuum of business development begins with the formation of customized ninety-day plans which include 3-5 specific short term goals, preparing these young ventures to fill business space in the community.  Each venture enrolled in EVE has access to a huge network of professional individuals which include over 90,000 alumni that can potentially serve as mentors (25-30 of which are very active), the wind tunnel and prototyping capabilities at RPI, NYSERDA money, professional services (the first hour or two of which are provided for free), and accounting firms to help set up Quickbooks.  Although many professional services are not provided for EVE companies, aggressive rates are negotiated with local providers and funding often comes from venture pitches.

The key to RPI’s Emerging Ventures Ecosystem is that companies never graduate from the incubator because business development and iteration is never finalized.  Companies supported by EVE are always welcome to come back and ask for assistance in making new connections with the large international network of individuals.  RPI’s large alumni network serves as a virtual incubator in the sense that the network is leveraged to help grow companies as they experience the transition from technology ideas and intellectual property to commercialization through their education. 

== ==

=   '''Engaging with regional and local economic development efforts''' =

== Startup Tech Valley - Where Entrepreneurs and the Community Come Together ==

A monthly meetup for first-time entrepreneurs, experienced entrepreneurs, aspiring entrepreneurs, investors, mentors, employees of startups, serviceprodiders to startups, and anyone else who wants to be involved.

== Tech Valley Center of Gravity ==

The Tech Valley Center of Gravity is a federation of makers, hackers, crafters, and artists who share camaraderie, space, and resources to do our tinkering. We have a permanent makerspace, several satellite locations, and a community of local individuals and organizations to share and support them. We are based in downtown Troy, NY, and sponsor events all over the New York State Capital Region.

Our primary goal is to build a community around the idea of doing for ourselves, rather than just passively consuming, and learning how the arts, crafts, and technologies that surround us every day work, along the way. We also aim to create a network of contacts for small business and start-ups in the Capital Region to connect with local leaders, like-minded businesses and individuals, and tools and resources they might not otherwise have access to.

== Accelerate518 ==

TAccelerate518 (A518) is a consortium of stakeholders nestled in the heart of our State—New York’s Capital Region. The Capital Region encompasses four counties: Albany, Schenectady, Rensselaer and Saratoga. The synergy of these four counties is the catalyst for invention and innovation.

The Capital Region has a rich history of incubating and growing multinational corporations, including: New York Central Railroad, American Express, Cap Cities, General Electric, American Locomotive Company, Albany International, International Paper, and Albany Molecular Research. Accelerate518 is a platform to facilitate multiple groups working together to advance entrepreneurship and innovation in the Capital Region.  The goals of A518 include fostering active collaboration among educators and stakeholders, providing practical resources for entrepreneurs, sharing resources for education and training, and developing a network of individuals committed to invigorating the startup culture of the Capital Region.  We have aligned our interests to help the regional entrepreneurial ecosystem grow companies and create sustainable jobs. Initial core members of A518 include: CEG, Albany Medical College, Albany Law School, Hudson Valley Community College, RPI, Sage Colleges, Siena College, Skidmore College, Union College, and University at Albany.

= Landscape Canvas and Presentation =

[https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1Ek9pplesv42Ubc0TzcqW7mtASYtgL_XbJmvxJG4e14s/pub?start=true&loop=true&delayms=3000 Landscape Canvas Documentation]

[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1cg47LQI3tLh2gxM4u2FfyEPX1ljnFulr97_amxy4ebc/pubhtml Landscape Presentation]

= Related Links =

[[Meghan Olson|Meghan Olson]]

[http://universityinnovation.org/wiki/Ray_Parker Ray Parker]

[[Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Strategic Priorities|Rensselaer_Polytechnic_Institute_Strategic_Priorities]]

[[Category:Universities]]

School:Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

2016-02-07T04:40:34Z

Ray Parker:

'''Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Innovation Ecosystem: Promoting student innovation and entrepreneurship'''

= '''Overview''' =

'''''The motto of entrepreneurship at RPI:  A way to think. A way to learn. A way to succeed. '''''

"Entrepreneurial thinking lies at the heart of Rensselaer’s philosophy. Like our faculty, Rensselaer students are encouraged to pursue creativity and discovery — and the results are often spectacular. Our undergraduates embrace change in ways that have transformed how the world works, plays, and lives.

Our entrepreneurship program is built on the premise that ''not everyone wants to, or needs to, become an entrepreneur, but in today’s world everyone should know how to think like one."''

This statement shows RPI's commitment to entrepreneurial thinking, not so much the outcome of entreprenurship. The RPI Exemplar's program is a great example of the culture of entrepreneurship that RPI thrives on, as the Exemplar's program is designed for students who have a high level of interest in complementing their education by aquiring an entrepreneurail perspective.

'''Formal programs:''' M.S. Technological Communication & Entrepreneurship

'''Extracurricular activities: ''' Exemplar's Program RPI Foundry Business Model Competition Change the World Challenge Elevator Pitch Competition  Education geared toward entrepreneurial thinking encourages students at RPI to think in different ways, to come up with new ideas to solve problems and to enter on-campus competitions such as the Change the World Challenge, the Class of ’51 Entrepreneurial Fund, the Elevator Pitch Competition, and the RPI Business Plan Competition.  These programs often provide the spark which gives students the entrepreneurial bug and encourages them to continue pursuing their ideas.

The Severino Center for Technological Entrepreneurship (SCTE), centered in Rensselaer’s Lally School of Management & Technology, helps to foster new generations of budding and successful entrepreneurs through outreach programs, education, and support systems.  In recognition of the fact that most business students aren’t inventors, the Lally School intersects with other schools on campus to encourage the formation of new student teams and the fusing of their ideas.

Small Buhrmaster grants in the amounts of $1,000 to $2,000 are available, as determined by the Director of the Severino Center, for student ventures to test the market feasibility of their business concepts and to establish and define their target customers.  Mr. Buhrmaster, ’69 is a friend of the Lally school and a member of its advisory council.

The Severino Center also provides Mentoring and Resources via the Student Sandbox, Entrepreneurs-in-Residence, the Rensselaer Student Entrepreneurship Club, and assistance in finding teammates.  Experienced entrepreneur volunteers are assigned to coach teams that receive a Buhrmaster grant to help guide them in their market and business development activities.  

= '''Encouraging faculty innovation and entrepreneurship''' =

''Incredible professors like Burt Swersey, Dr. Eric Ledet, and many others''

''"For the last decade, the Rensselaer Plan has provided a blueprint for transformation and impact. It has guided the development of an exceptional campus environment for advancing research with the potential to address science and society’s most challenging problems. Based on this strong foundation, Rensselaer research is creating a better future through the innovation and engineering of a better world. With our accelerated trajectory, the best is yet to come."''

Research is huge on RPI's campus and encouraging innovation is both in line with The Rensselaer Plan and Rensselaer's motto of "why not change the world?"

== Innovation and Entrepreneurship Classes and Activities ==

There are multiple different types of organizations and classes that try to teach theses sorts of opportunities and ways of thinking at Rensselaer, including a class called How to Change the World and Starting a New Venture. In addition to this, there are activities such as Design for America and Foundry that are also a part of the I&E spectrum. In addition to these supplementary classes, there are also other courses such as Capstone Senior Design Course that help to develop interdisciplinary bridges across multiple academic departments. A prerequisite for this sort of course consists of many different classes across many different academic subjects, as well as the class Introduction to Engineering design during most engineering student's sophomore years, which focus on giving exposure to the design process that will help Rensselaer's engineering students in the future. 

== Other Resources ==

In addition to classes, Rensselaer offers many different types of laboratories that are opened during certain hours of the day. These include the Mercer Lab for Electronics, the MILL, and Student Shop. These labs are opened during certain hours of the day that give certain students access to different types of equipment for them to do prototyping and other types of work with.

There are many different co-op and internship opportunities at Rensselaer as well, that work with many companies. Some of Rensselaer's top employers are United Technology Corporation, Boeing, Cisco, General Electric, GlobalFoundries, Deloitte, Epic Systems, FactSet, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Schlumberger, Hasbro and IBM.

= '''Actively supporting the university technology transfer function''' =

''RPI Office of Technology Commercialization: ''[http://www.rpitechnology.com/ http://www.rpitechnology.com/]

''RPI Technology Transfer/Innovation Hub: ''[http://rpihub.org/author/admin/ http://rpihub.org/author/admin/]

== The Rensselaer Plan ==

The Rensselaer Plan addresses technology transfer and intellectual property policies that encourage entrepreneurship.  Research is the major driver of science and technology transfer, invention, and innovation. Technological entrepreneurship completes the technology lifecycle — from discovery to the creation of impact in the global marketplace. With an expanding research base, we will cultivate a campus culture that provides the spirit and motivation for inventors to pursue commercialization. We will: Increase awareness of intellectual property, preserving its value in research agreements and maximizing its value under shared equity arrangements and licensing agreements, covering intellectual property developed in research and materials developed for distance education.  Create intellectual property policies that encourage entrepreneurship and allowthe university to take equity positions in new ventures as appropriate.  Ensure that intellectual property policies have adequate and appropriate conflictof interest and conflict of commitment provisions. Develop an awareness and infrastructure of intellectual property rights policies, incentives, and marketing to support innovation and commercialization.

== Creating and Supporting New Ventures ==

World-class technological research universities excel in transferring research outputs to the commercial sector. We will create innovative programs targeted at growing major new technological ventures and creating value. We will:  Enhance the process of matching researchers and entrepreneurs to create new ventures that take Rensselaer intellectual property to market  Provide business planning and facilitate venture capital for faculty and students for start-up companies that commercialize leading-edge Rensselaer research.  Expand the Incubator program to accommodate more start-ups and second-stage incubation.  Expand the flow of technology, talent, and ventures into the Rensselaer Technology Park and the Capital Region. Bring new focus to the Rensselaer Technology Park as the locus for mature ventures based on the technologies taught and researched at the Institute. Work with private and public sources to attract new venture capital and entrepreneurial talent to the Capital Region.

= '''Facilitating University-Industry Collaboration''' =

== RPI Tech Park ==

Rensselaer Technology Park is a university related park for technology ventures seeking a unique environment focused on the interface between industry and education.

According to the rpitechpark.com website, the University Interactions Policy of the Tech Park is built upon "a fundamental objective of the Park is to develop interactions between tenant companies and the university.  Such interactions enrich the educational environment of the university and help the companies stay on the leading edge of their technologies.  All companies in the Park automatically become “affiliates” of Rensselaer."  Building a synergistic environment is a responsibility shared by all members of the Park staff."

== EVE (Emerging Ventures Ecosystem) ==

The work of turning ideas into real companies happens in RPI’s incubator, the Emerging Ventures Ecosystem (EVE).  EVE is a distributed incubation program which accelerates the growth of new businesses and boosts the transfer of scientific and technological breakthroughs from the laboratory and classroom to the marketplace, for social and economic impact.

Launched in February 2011, the Emerging Ventures Ecosystem (EVE) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute serves to link “Rensselaer institutional resources and alumni/ae expertise symbiotically with community strengths, in a multi-faceted partnership for mutual benefit.”  The goal of EVE is to nurture new businesses and to build upon the decades of successful efforts of RPI’s previous incubator by helping young businesses grow and succeed.

Rensselaer’s previous incubator program was opened in 1980 as the nation’s first such program wholly sponsored and operated by a university. In its later stages, the incubator was primarily used for its “brick and mortar” assets, as place for entrepreneurially minded students to rent at a low cost, with convenient access to a photocopier.  The model of RPI’s old incubator was traditional: it was rented by students who were seeking to start a venture, which either lived or died, and then moved on.  The RPI Incubator building was closed in late 2009 simply because it did not make any money for the institution.

The new EVE program utilizes an innovative distributed incubation model, maintaining a central office in Troy, NY and working with each company to find an ideal matchup of space-to-enterprise in Troy and the surrounding area.  EVE is overseen by James Spencer, who has 20 years of experience in leading organizational creation and growth as an entrepreneurial business executive.

Once a new company completes the application process for the EVE program — through which Rensselaer will determine, in part, whether the entrepreneur is willing to put in the effort to make the company successful — the program will assign a status to the company: pre-seed, emerging, or early stage. Assigning these descriptions will help EVE mentors and administrators determine the specific services needed by each business.

Under EVE, businesses that are accepted into the program will receive a series of specific services that will help accelerate their growth.  A board of advisers will be established from community resources or alumni/ae for each new company.  If a company already has a board of advisers or directors, EVE will assign an additional person to the board to act as a liaison to mobilize resources within the Institute.

Upon formation of a board of advisors, three or four key objectives are developed by each company with the help of their advisory board.  Milestones for these objectives are then established for each quarter, in an effort to create a concrete plan for success and to generate measurable objectives; new goals are developed for succeeding semesters.  Companies must continue to show steady progress in order to remain in the program.

As a member of EVE, a company will have access to the Entrepreneur(s)-in-Residence at the Lally School as well as other resources including labs, patenting and licensing services, faculty, and students for work-study assignments, internships (REIP), and student projects.  Additional resources for EVE members include alumni/ae and community volunteers such as attorneys and accountants who are available to answer questions and provide advice and one time assistance for basic questions.  If an EVE company requires further professional assistance, they are encouraged to select a professional service company from a list provided through the EVE program. Such services may be offered at a discount to seed and early stage companies.

EVE hosts monthly peer review meetings, known as CEO Roundtable Discussions, among the CEOs of the incubated companies as a framework for peer-to-peer coaching among the mix of pre-seed, early state, and emerging companies supported by the EVE incubator program.  At these meetings, participants will sign disclosure agreements allowing a platform for confidential open discussions about topics and issues of importance to them.  The companies will also be invited to a monthly meeting featuring a speaker or a lecturer based upon a topic selected by the EVE companies’ CEOs and will also attend quarterly meet-ups for all employees of incubated companies, allowing the employees to build relationships and exchange ideas.

EVE promotes and introduces its companies to investors, assists them in identifying and seeking grant opportunities such as NYSERDA and SBIR, and helps them prepare for business plan competitions; the companies are given assistance in preparing applications, presentations, and pitches.  Additionally, members are provided access to professional grant writers to assist them as needed.

The EVE companies are invited to expand their professional networks through networking opportunities within the local business and academic community in order increase exposure to decision makers, funding sources from grants, and potential angel investors.  EVE is physically located off-campus in an effort to incubate companies directly in the community of Troy, NY and to strategically re-invent the typical “brick and mortar” business incubation model followed by RPI’s old incubator.  EVE is not a center where entrepreneurial students can simply rent space and use a photocopier the way a “brick and mortar” incubator is often used, but it is a 4,000 square foot center which strictly focuses on moving students through a business development continuum and on preparing them to fill vacant business facilities in the Troy community, leased at very low prices by realtors.  EVE does not want to focus on space like the traditional brick and mortar incubation model because if a company takes up too much space, they can’t let others in; student startups enrolled in EVE are treated like real businesses.

EVE was launched in February of 2011 with eight companies and now supports over thirty.  The continuum of business development begins with the formation of customized ninety-day plans which include 3-5 specific short term goals, preparing these young ventures to fill business space in the community.  Each venture enrolled in EVE has access to a huge network of professional individuals which include over 90,000 alumni that can potentially serve as mentors (25-30 of which are very active), the wind tunnel and prototyping capabilities at RPI, NYSERDA money, professional services (the first hour or two of which are provided for free), and accounting firms to help set up Quickbooks.  Although many professional services are not provided for EVE companies, aggressive rates are negotiated with local providers and funding often comes from venture pitches.

The key to RPI’s Emerging Ventures Ecosystem is that companies never graduate from the incubator because business development and iteration is never finalized.  Companies supported by EVE are always welcome to come back and ask for assistance in making new connections with the large international network of individuals.  RPI’s large alumni network serves as a virtual incubator in the sense that the network is leveraged to help grow companies as they experience the transition from technology ideas and intellectual property to commercialization through their education. 

== ==

=   '''Engaging with regional and local economic development efforts''' =

== Startup Tech Valley - Where Entrepreneurs and the Community Come Together ==

A monthly meetup for first-time entrepreneurs, experienced entrepreneurs, aspiring entrepreneurs, investors, mentors, employees of startups, serviceprodiders to startups, and anyone else who wants to be involved.

== Tech Valley Center of Gravity ==

The Tech Valley Center of Gravity is a federation of makers, hackers, crafters, and artists who share camaraderie, space, and resources to do our tinkering. We have a permanent makerspace, several satellite locations, and a community of local individuals and organizations to share and support them. We are based in downtown Troy, NY, and sponsor events all over the New York State Capital Region.

Our primary goal is to build a community around the idea of doing for ourselves, rather than just passively consuming, and learning how the arts, crafts, and technologies that surround us every day work, along the way. We also aim to create a network of contacts for small business and start-ups in the Capital Region to connect with local leaders, like-minded businesses and individuals, and tools and resources they might not otherwise have access to.

== Accelerate518 ==

TAccelerate518 (A518) is a consortium of stakeholders nestled in the heart of our State—New York’s Capital Region. The Capital Region encompasses four counties: Albany, Schenectady, Rensselaer and Saratoga. The synergy of these four counties is the catalyst for invention and innovation.

The Capital Region has a rich history of incubating and growing multinational corporations, including: New York Central Railroad, American Express, Cap Cities, General Electric, American Locomotive Company, Albany International, International Paper, and Albany Molecular Research. Accelerate518 is a platform to facilitate multiple groups working together to advance entrepreneurship and innovation in the Capital Region.  The goals of A518 include fostering active collaboration among educators and stakeholders, providing practical resources for entrepreneurs, sharing resources for education and training, and developing a network of individuals committed to invigorating the startup culture of the Capital Region.  We have aligned our interests to help the regional entrepreneurial ecosystem grow companies and create sustainable jobs. Initial core members of A518 include: CEG, Albany Medical College, Albany Law School, Hudson Valley Community College, RPI, Sage Colleges, Siena College, Skidmore College, Union College, and University at Albany.

= Landscape Canvas and Presentation =

[https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1Ek9pplesv42Ubc0TzcqW7mtASYtgL_XbJmvxJG4e14s/pub?start=true&loop=true&delayms=3000 Landscape Canvas Documentation]

[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1cg47LQI3tLh2gxM4u2FfyEPX1ljnFulr97_amxy4ebc/pubhtml Landscape Presentation]

= Related Links =

[[Meghan Olson|Meghan Olson]]

[http://universityinnovation.org/wiki/Ray_Parker Ray Parker]

[[Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Strategic Priorities|Rensselaer_Polytechnic_Institute_Strategic_Priorities]]

[[Category:Universities]]

School:Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

2016-02-07T04:36:42Z

Ray Parker:

'''Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Innovation Ecosystem: Promoting student innovation and entrepreneurship'''

= '''Overview''' =

'''''The motto of entrepreneurship at RPI:  A way to think. A way to learn. A way to succeed. '''''

"Entrepreneurial thinking lies at the heart of Rensselaer’s philosophy. Like our faculty, Rensselaer students are encouraged to pursue creativity and discovery — and the results are often spectacular. Our undergraduates embrace change in ways that have transformed how the world works, plays, and lives.

Our entrepreneurship program is built on the premise that ''not everyone wants to, or needs to, become an entrepreneur, but in today’s world everyone should know how to think like one."''

This statement shows RPI's commitment to entrepreneurial thinking, not so much the outcome of entreprenurship. The RPI Exemplar's program is a great example of the culture of entrepreneurship that RPI thrives on, as the Exemplar's program is designed for students who have a high level of interest in complementing their education by aquiring an entrepreneurail perspective.

'''Formal programs:''' M.S. Technological Communication & Entrepreneurship

'''Extracurricular activities: ''' Exemplar's Program RPI Foundry Business Model Competition Change the World Challenge Elevator Pitch Competition  Education geared toward entrepreneurial thinking encourages students at RPI to think in different ways, to come up with new ideas to solve problems and to enter on-campus competitions such as the Change the World Challenge, the Class of ’51 Entrepreneurial Fund, the Elevator Pitch Competition, and the RPI Business Plan Competition.  These programs often provide the spark which gives students the entrepreneurial bug and encourages them to continue pursuing their ideas.

The Severino Center for Technological Entrepreneurship (SCTE), centered in Rensselaer’s Lally School of Management & Technology, helps to foster new generations of budding and successful entrepreneurs through outreach programs, education, and support systems.  In recognition of the fact that most business students aren’t inventors, the Lally School intersects with other schools on campus to encourage the formation of new student teams and the fusing of their ideas.

Small Buhrmaster grants in the amounts of $1,000 to $2,000 are available, as determined by the Director of the Severino Center, for student ventures to test the market feasibility of their business concepts and to establish and define their target customers.  Mr. Buhrmaster, ’69 is a friend of the Lally school and a member of its advisory council.

The Severino Center also provides Mentoring and Resources via the Student Sandbox, Entrepreneurs-in-Residence, the Rensselaer Student Entrepreneurship Club, and assistance in finding teammates.  Experienced entrepreneur volunteers are assigned to coach teams that receive a Buhrmaster grant to help guide them in their market and business development activities.  

= '''Encouraging faculty innovation and entrepreneurship''' =

''Incredible professors like Burt Swersey, Dr. Eric Ledet, and many others''

''"For the last decade, the Rensselaer Plan has provided a blueprint for transformation and impact. It has guided the development of an exceptional campus environment for advancing research with the potential to address science and society’s most challenging problems. Based on this strong foundation, Rensselaer research is creating a better future through the innovation and engineering of a better world. With our accelerated trajectory, the best is yet to come."''

Research is huge on RPI's campus and encouraging innovation is both in line with The Rensselaer Plan and Rensselaer's motto of "why not change the world?"

== Innovation and Entrepreneurship Classes and Activities ==

There are multiple different types of organizations and classes that try to teach theses sorts of opportunities and ways of thinking at Rensselaer, including a class called How to Change the World and Starting a New Venture. In addition to this, there are activities such as Design for America and Foundry that are also a part of the I&E spectrum. In addition to these supplementary classes, there are also other courses such as Capstone Senior Design Course that help to develop interdisciplinary bridges across multiple academic departments. A prerequisite for this sort of course consists of many different classes across many different academic subjects, as well as the class Introduction to Engineering design during most engineering student's sophomore years, which focus on giving exposure to the design process that will help Rensselaer's engineering students in the future. 

== Other Resources ==

In addition to classes, Rensselaer offers many different types of laboratories that are opened during certain hours of the day. These include the Mercer Lab for Electronics, the MILL, and Student Shop. These labs are opened during certain hours of the day that give certain students access to different types of equipment for them to do prototyping and other types of work with.

There are many different co-op and internship opportunities at Rensselaer as well, that work with many companies. Some of Rensselaer's top employers are United Technology Corporation, Boeing, Cisco, General Electric, GlobalFoundries, Deloitte, Epic Systems, FactSet, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Schlumberger, Hasbro and IBM.



= '''Actively supporting the university technology transfer function''' =

''RPI Office of Technology Commercialization: ''[http://www.rpitechnology.com/ http://www.rpitechnology.com/]

''RPI Technology Transfer/Innovation Hub: ''[http://rpihub.org/author/admin/ http://rpihub.org/author/admin/]

== The Rensselaer Plan ==

The Rensselaer Plan addresses technology transfer and intellectual property policies that encourage entrepreneurship.  Research is the major driver of science and technology transfer, invention, and innovation. Technological entrepreneurship completes the technology lifecycle — from discovery to the creation of impact in the global marketplace. With an expanding research base, we will cultivate a campus culture that provides the spirit and motivation for inventors to pursue commercialization. We will: Increase awareness of intellectual property, preserving its value in research agreements and maximizing its value under shared equity arrangements and licensing agreements, covering intellectual property developed in research and materials developed for distance education.  Create intellectual property policies that encourage entrepreneurship and allowthe university to take equity positions in new ventures as appropriate.  Ensure that intellectual property policies have adequate and appropriate conflictof interest and conflict of commitment provisions. Develop an awareness and infrastructure of intellectual property rights policies, incentives, and marketing to support innovation and commercialization.

== Creating and Supporting New Ventures ==

World-class technological research universities excel in transferring research outputs to the commercial sector. We will create innovative programs targeted at growing major new technological ventures and creating value. We will:  Enhance the process of matching researchers and entrepreneurs to create new ventures that take Rensselaer intellectual property to market  Provide business planning and facilitate venture capital for faculty and students for start-up companies that commercialize leading-edge Rensselaer research.  Expand the Incubator program to accommodate more start-ups and second-stage incubation.  Expand the flow of technology, talent, and ventures into the Rensselaer Technology Park and the Capital Region. Bring new focus to the Rensselaer Technology Park as the locus for mature ventures based on the technologies taught and researched at the Institute. Work with private and public sources to attract new venture capital and entrepreneurial talent to the Capital Region.

= '''Facilitating University-Industry Collaboration''' =

== RPI Tech Park ==

Rensselaer Technology Park is a university related park for technology ventures seeking a unique environment focused on the interface between industry and education.

According to the rpitechpark.com website, the University Interactions Policy of the Tech Park is built upon "a fundamental objective of the Park is to develop interactions between tenant companies and the university.  Such interactions enrich the educational environment of the university and help the companies stay on the leading edge of their technologies.  All companies in the Park automatically become “affiliates” of Rensselaer."  Building a synergistic environment is a responsibility shared by all members of the Park staff."

== EVE (Emerging Ventures Ecosystem) ==

The work of turning ideas into real companies happens in RPI’s incubator, the Emerging Ventures Ecosystem (EVE).  EVE is a distributed incubation program which accelerates the growth of new businesses and boosts the transfer of scientific and technological breakthroughs from the laboratory and classroom to the marketplace, for social and economic impact.

Launched in February 2011, the Emerging Ventures Ecosystem (EVE) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute serves to link “Rensselaer institutional resources and alumni/ae expertise symbiotically with community strengths, in a multi-faceted partnership for mutual benefit.”  The goal of EVE is to nurture new businesses and to build upon the decades of successful efforts of RPI’s previous incubator by helping young businesses grow and succeed.

Rensselaer’s previous incubator program was opened in 1980 as the nation’s first such program wholly sponsored and operated by a university. In its later stages, the incubator was primarily used for its “brick and mortar” assets, as place for entrepreneurially minded students to rent at a low cost, with convenient access to a photocopier.  The model of RPI’s old incubator was traditional: it was rented by students who were seeking to start a venture, which either lived or died, and then moved on.  The RPI Incubator building was closed in late 2009 simply because it did not make any money for the institution.

The new EVE program utilizes an innovative distributed incubation model, maintaining a central office in Troy, NY and working with each company to find an ideal matchup of space-to-enterprise in Troy and the surrounding area.  EVE is overseen by James Spencer, who has 20 years of experience in leading organizational creation and growth as an entrepreneurial business executive.

Once a new company completes the application process for the EVE program — through which Rensselaer will determine, in part, whether the entrepreneur is willing to put in the effort to make the company successful — the program will assign a status to the company: pre-seed, emerging, or early stage. Assigning these descriptions will help EVE mentors and administrators determine the specific services needed by each business.

Under EVE, businesses that are accepted into the program will receive a series of specific services that will help accelerate their growth.  A board of advisers will be established from community resources or alumni/ae for each new company.  If a company already has a board of advisers or directors, EVE will assign an additional person to the board to act as a liaison to mobilize resources within the Institute.

Upon formation of a board of advisors, three or four key objectives are developed by each company with the help of their advisory board.  Milestones for these objectives are then established for each quarter, in an effort to create a concrete plan for success and to generate measurable objectives; new goals are developed for succeeding semesters.  Companies must continue to show steady progress in order to remain in the program.

As a member of EVE, a company will have access to the Entrepreneur(s)-in-Residence at the Lally School as well as other resources including labs, patenting and licensing services, faculty, and students for work-study assignments, internships (REIP), and student projects.  Additional resources for EVE members include alumni/ae and community volunteers such as attorneys and accountants who are available to answer questions and provide advice and one time assistance for basic questions.  If an EVE company requires further professional assistance, they are encouraged to select a professional service company from a list provided through the EVE program. Such services may be offered at a discount to seed and early stage companies.

EVE hosts monthly peer review meetings, known as CEO Roundtable Discussions, among the CEOs of the incubated companies as a framework for peer-to-peer coaching among the mix of pre-seed, early state, and emerging companies supported by the EVE incubator program.  At these meetings, participants will sign disclosure agreements allowing a platform for confidential open discussions about topics and issues of importance to them.  The companies will also be invited to a monthly meeting featuring a speaker or a lecturer based upon a topic selected by the EVE companies’ CEOs and will also attend quarterly meet-ups for all employees of incubated companies, allowing the employees to build relationships and exchange ideas.

EVE promotes and introduces its companies to investors, assists them in identifying and seeking grant opportunities such as NYSERDA and SBIR, and helps them prepare for business plan competitions; the companies are given assistance in preparing applications, presentations, and pitches.  Additionally, members are provided access to professional grant writers to assist them as needed.

The EVE companies are invited to expand their professional networks through networking opportunities within the local business and academic community in order increase exposure to decision makers, funding sources from grants, and potential angel investors.  EVE is physically located off-campus in an effort to incubate companies directly in the community of Troy, NY and to strategically re-invent the typical “brick and mortar” business incubation model followed by RPI’s old incubator.  EVE is not a center where entrepreneurial students can simply rent space and use a photocopier the way a “brick and mortar” incubator is often used, but it is a 4,000 square foot center which strictly focuses on moving students through a business development continuum and on preparing them to fill vacant business facilities in the Troy community, leased at very low prices by realtors.  EVE does not want to focus on space like the traditional brick and mortar incubation model because if a company takes up too much space, they can’t let others in; student startups enrolled in EVE are treated like real businesses.

EVE was launched in February of 2011 with eight companies and now supports over thirty.  The continuum of business development begins with the formation of customized ninety-day plans which include 3-5 specific short term goals, preparing these young ventures to fill business space in the community.  Each venture enrolled in EVE has access to a huge network of professional individuals which include over 90,000 alumni that can potentially serve as mentors (25-30 of which are very active), the wind tunnel and prototyping capabilities at RPI, NYSERDA money, professional services (the first hour or two of which are provided for free), and accounting firms to help set up Quickbooks.  Although many professional services are not provided for EVE companies, aggressive rates are negotiated with local providers and funding often comes from venture pitches.

The key to RPI’s Emerging Ventures Ecosystem is that companies never graduate from the incubator because business development and iteration is never finalized.  Companies supported by EVE are always welcome to come back and ask for assistance in making new connections with the large international network of individuals.  RPI’s large alumni network serves as a virtual incubator in the sense that the network is leveraged to help grow companies as they experience the transition from technology ideas and intellectual property to commercialization through their education. 

== ==

=   '''Engaging with regional and local economic development efforts''' =

== Startup Tech Valley - Where Entrepreneurs and the Community Come Together ==

A monthly meetup for first-time entrepreneurs, experienced entrepreneurs, aspiring entrepreneurs, investors, mentors, employees of startups, serviceprodiders to startups, and anyone else who wants to be involved.

== Tech Valley Center of Gravity ==

The Tech Valley Center of Gravity is a federation of makers, hackers, crafters, and artists who share camaraderie, space, and resources to do our tinkering. We have a permanent makerspace, several satellite locations, and a community of local individuals and organizations to share and support them. We are based in downtown Troy, NY, and sponsor events all over the New York State Capital Region.

Our primary goal is to build a community around the idea of doing for ourselves, rather than just passively consuming, and learning how the arts, crafts, and technologies that surround us every day work, along the way. We also aim to create a network of contacts for small business and start-ups in the Capital Region to connect with local leaders, like-minded businesses and individuals, and tools and resources they might not otherwise have access to.

== Accelerate518 ==

TAccelerate518 (A518) is a consortium of stakeholders nestled in the heart of our State—New York’s Capital Region. The Capital Region encompasses four counties: Albany, Schenectady, Rensselaer and Saratoga. The synergy of these four counties is the catalyst for invention and innovation.

The Capital Region has a rich history of incubating and growing multinational corporations, including: New York Central Railroad, American Express, Cap Cities, General Electric, American Locomotive Company, Albany International, International Paper, and Albany Molecular Research. Accelerate518 is a platform to facilitate multiple groups working together to advance entrepreneurship and innovation in the Capital Region.  The goals of A518 include fostering active collaboration among educators and stakeholders, providing practical resources for entrepreneurs, sharing resources for education and training, and developing a network of individuals committed to invigorating the startup culture of the Capital Region.  We have aligned our interests to help the regional entrepreneurial ecosystem grow companies and create sustainable jobs. Initial core members of A518 include: CEG, Albany Medical College, Albany Law School, Hudson Valley Community College, RPI, Sage Colleges, Siena College, Skidmore College, Union College, and University at Albany.

= Landscape Canvas and Presentation =

[https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1Ek9pplesv42Ubc0TzcqW7mtASYtgL_XbJmvxJG4e14s/pub?start=true&loop=true&delayms=3000 Landscape Canvas Documentation]

[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1cg47LQI3tLh2gxM4u2FfyEPX1ljnFulr97_amxy4ebc/pubhtml Landscape Presentation]

= Related Links =

[[Meghan Olson|Meghan Olson]]

[http://universityinnovation.org/wiki/Ray_Parker Ray Parker]

[[Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Strategic Priorities|Rensselaer_Polytechnic_Institute_Strategic_Priorities]]

[[Category:Universities]]

School:Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

2016-02-07T04:33:39Z

Ray Parker:

'''Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Innovation Ecosystem: Promoting student innovation and entrepreneurship'''

= '''Overview''' =

'''''The motto of entrepreneurship at RPI:  A way to think. A way to learn. A way to succeed. '''''

"Entrepreneurial thinking lies at the heart of Rensselaer’s philosophy. Like our faculty, Rensselaer students are encouraged to pursue creativity and discovery — and the results are often spectacular. Our undergraduates embrace change in ways that have transformed how the world works, plays, and lives.

Our entrepreneurship program is built on the premise that ''not everyone wants to, or needs to, become an entrepreneur, but in today’s world everyone should know how to think like one."''

This statement shows RPI's commitment to entrepreneurial thinking, not so much the outcome of entreprenurship. The RPI Exemplar's program is a great example of the culture of entrepreneurship that RPI thrives on, as the Exemplar's program is designed for students who have a high level of interest in complementing their education by aquiring an entrepreneurail perspective.

'''Formal programs:''' M.S. Technological Communication & Entrepreneurship

'''Extracurricular activities: ''' Exemplar's Program RPI Foundry Business Model Competition Change the World Challenge Elevator Pitch Competition  Education geared toward entrepreneurial thinking encourages students at RPI to think in different ways, to come up with new ideas to solve problems and to enter on-campus competitions such as the Change the World Challenge, the Class of ’51 Entrepreneurial Fund, the Elevator Pitch Competition, and the RPI Business Plan Competition.  These programs often provide the spark which gives students the entrepreneurial bug and encourages them to continue pursuing their ideas.

The Severino Center for Technological Entrepreneurship (SCTE), centered in Rensselaer’s Lally School of Management & Technology, helps to foster new generations of budding and successful entrepreneurs through outreach programs, education, and support systems.  In recognition of the fact that most business students aren’t inventors, the Lally School intersects with other schools on campus to encourage the formation of new student teams and the fusing of their ideas.

Small Buhrmaster grants in the amounts of $1,000 to $2,000 are available, as determined by the Director of the Severino Center, for student ventures to test the market feasibility of their business concepts and to establish and define their target customers.  Mr. Buhrmaster, ’69 is a friend of the Lally school and a member of its advisory council.

The Severino Center also provides Mentoring and Resources via the Student Sandbox, Entrepreneurs-in-Residence, the Rensselaer Student Entrepreneurship Club, and assistance in finding teammates.  Experienced entrepreneur volunteers are assigned to coach teams that receive a Buhrmaster grant to help guide them in their market and business development activities.  

= '''Encouraging faculty innovation and entrepreneurship''' =

''Incredible professors like Burt Swersey, Dr. Eric Ledet, and many others''

''"For the last decade, the Rensselaer Plan has provided a blueprint for transformation and impact. It has guided the development of an exceptional campus environment for advancing research with the potential to address science and society’s most challenging problems. Based on this strong foundation, Rensselaer research is creating a better future through the innovation and engineering of a better world. With our accelerated trajectory, the best is yet to come."''

Research is huge on RPI's campus and encouraging innovation is both in line with The Rensselaer Plan and Rensselaer's motto of "why not change the world?"

== Innovation and Entrepreneurship Classes and Activities ==

There are multiple different types of organizations and classes that try to teach theses sorts of opportunities and ways of thinking at Rensselaer, including a class called How to Change the World and Starting a New Venture. In addition to this, there are activities such as Design for America and Foundry that are also a part of the I&E spectrum. In addition to these supplementary classes, there are also other courses such as Capstone Senior Design Course that help to develop interdisciplinary bridges across multiple academic departments. A prerequisite for this sort of course consists of many different classes across many different academic subjects, as well as the class Introduction to Engineering design during most engineering student's sophomore years, which focus on giving exposure to the design process that will help Rensselaer's engineering students in the future. 

== Other Engineering Spaces Offered ==

In addition to classes, Rensselaer offers many different types of laboratories that are opened during certain hours of the day. These include the Mercer Lab for Electronics, the MILL, and Student Shop. These labs are opened during certain hours of the day that give certain students access to different types of equipment for them to do prototyping and other types of work with. 

= '''Actively supporting the university technology transfer function''' =

''RPI Office of Technology Commercialization: ''[http://www.rpitechnology.com/ http://www.rpitechnology.com/]

''RPI Technology Transfer/Innovation Hub: ''[http://rpihub.org/author/admin/ http://rpihub.org/author/admin/]

== The Rensselaer Plan ==

The Rensselaer Plan addresses technology transfer and intellectual property policies that encourage entrepreneurship.  Research is the major driver of science and technology transfer, invention, and innovation. Technological entrepreneurship completes the technology lifecycle — from discovery to the creation of impact in the global marketplace. With an expanding research base, we will cultivate a campus culture that provides the spirit and motivation for inventors to pursue commercialization. We will: Increase awareness of intellectual property, preserving its value in research agreements and maximizing its value under shared equity arrangements and licensing agreements, covering intellectual property developed in research and materials developed for distance education.  Create intellectual property policies that encourage entrepreneurship and allowthe university to take equity positions in new ventures as appropriate.  Ensure that intellectual property policies have adequate and appropriate conflictof interest and conflict of commitment provisions. Develop an awareness and infrastructure of intellectual property rights policies, incentives, and marketing to support innovation and commercialization.

== Creating and Supporting New Ventures ==

World-class technological research universities excel in transferring research outputs to the commercial sector. We will create innovative programs targeted at growing major new technological ventures and creating value. We will:  Enhance the process of matching researchers and entrepreneurs to create new ventures that take Rensselaer intellectual property to market  Provide business planning and facilitate venture capital for faculty and students for start-up companies that commercialize leading-edge Rensselaer research.  Expand the Incubator program to accommodate more start-ups and second-stage incubation.  Expand the flow of technology, talent, and ventures into the Rensselaer Technology Park and the Capital Region. Bring new focus to the Rensselaer Technology Park as the locus for mature ventures based on the technologies taught and researched at the Institute. Work with private and public sources to attract new venture capital and entrepreneurial talent to the Capital Region.

= '''Facilitating University-Industry Collaboration''' =

== RPI Tech Park ==

Rensselaer Technology Park is a university related park for technology ventures seeking a unique environment focused on the interface between industry and education.

According to the rpitechpark.com website, the University Interactions Policy of the Tech Park is built upon "a fundamental objective of the Park is to develop interactions between tenant companies and the university.  Such interactions enrich the educational environment of the university and help the companies stay on the leading edge of their technologies.  All companies in the Park automatically become “affiliates” of Rensselaer."  Building a synergistic environment is a responsibility shared by all members of the Park staff."

== EVE (Emerging Ventures Ecosystem) ==

The work of turning ideas into real companies happens in RPI’s incubator, the Emerging Ventures Ecosystem (EVE).  EVE is a distributed incubation program which accelerates the growth of new businesses and boosts the transfer of scientific and technological breakthroughs from the laboratory and classroom to the marketplace, for social and economic impact.

Launched in February 2011, the Emerging Ventures Ecosystem (EVE) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute serves to link “Rensselaer institutional resources and alumni/ae expertise symbiotically with community strengths, in a multi-faceted partnership for mutual benefit.”  The goal of EVE is to nurture new businesses and to build upon the decades of successful efforts of RPI’s previous incubator by helping young businesses grow and succeed.

Rensselaer’s previous incubator program was opened in 1980 as the nation’s first such program wholly sponsored and operated by a university. In its later stages, the incubator was primarily used for its “brick and mortar” assets, as place for entrepreneurially minded students to rent at a low cost, with convenient access to a photocopier.  The model of RPI’s old incubator was traditional: it was rented by students who were seeking to start a venture, which either lived or died, and then moved on.  The RPI Incubator building was closed in late 2009 simply because it did not make any money for the institution.

The new EVE program utilizes an innovative distributed incubation model, maintaining a central office in Troy, NY and working with each company to find an ideal matchup of space-to-enterprise in Troy and the surrounding area.  EVE is overseen by James Spencer, who has 20 years of experience in leading organizational creation and growth as an entrepreneurial business executive.

Once a new company completes the application process for the EVE program — through which Rensselaer will determine, in part, whether the entrepreneur is willing to put in the effort to make the company successful — the program will assign a status to the company: pre-seed, emerging, or early stage. Assigning these descriptions will help EVE mentors and administrators determine the specific services needed by each business.

Under EVE, businesses that are accepted into the program will receive a series of specific services that will help accelerate their growth.  A board of advisers will be established from community resources or alumni/ae for each new company.  If a company already has a board of advisers or directors, EVE will assign an additional person to the board to act as a liaison to mobilize resources within the Institute.

Upon formation of a board of advisors, three or four key objectives are developed by each company with the help of their advisory board.  Milestones for these objectives are then established for each quarter, in an effort to create a concrete plan for success and to generate measurable objectives; new goals are developed for succeeding semesters.  Companies must continue to show steady progress in order to remain in the program.

As a member of EVE, a company will have access to the Entrepreneur(s)-in-Residence at the Lally School as well as other resources including labs, patenting and licensing services, faculty, and students for work-study assignments, internships (REIP), and student projects.  Additional resources for EVE members include alumni/ae and community volunteers such as attorneys and accountants who are available to answer questions and provide advice and one time assistance for basic questions.  If an EVE company requires further professional assistance, they are encouraged to select a professional service company from a list provided through the EVE program. Such services may be offered at a discount to seed and early stage companies.

EVE hosts monthly peer review meetings, known as CEO Roundtable Discussions, among the CEOs of the incubated companies as a framework for peer-to-peer coaching among the mix of pre-seed, early state, and emerging companies supported by the EVE incubator program.  At these meetings, participants will sign disclosure agreements allowing a platform for confidential open discussions about topics and issues of importance to them.  The companies will also be invited to a monthly meeting featuring a speaker or a lecturer based upon a topic selected by the EVE companies’ CEOs and will also attend quarterly meet-ups for all employees of incubated companies, allowing the employees to build relationships and exchange ideas.

EVE promotes and introduces its companies to investors, assists them in identifying and seeking grant opportunities such as NYSERDA and SBIR, and helps them prepare for business plan competitions; the companies are given assistance in preparing applications, presentations, and pitches.  Additionally, members are provided access to professional grant writers to assist them as needed.

The EVE companies are invited to expand their professional networks through networking opportunities within the local business and academic community in order increase exposure to decision makers, funding sources from grants, and potential angel investors.  EVE is physically located off-campus in an effort to incubate companies directly in the community of Troy, NY and to strategically re-invent the typical “brick and mortar” business incubation model followed by RPI’s old incubator.  EVE is not a center where entrepreneurial students can simply rent space and use a photocopier the way a “brick and mortar” incubator is often used, but it is a 4,000 square foot center which strictly focuses on moving students through a business development continuum and on preparing them to fill vacant business facilities in the Troy community, leased at very low prices by realtors.  EVE does not want to focus on space like the traditional brick and mortar incubation model because if a company takes up too much space, they can’t let others in; student startups enrolled in EVE are treated like real businesses.

EVE was launched in February of 2011 with eight companies and now supports over thirty.  The continuum of business development begins with the formation of customized ninety-day plans which include 3-5 specific short term goals, preparing these young ventures to fill business space in the community.  Each venture enrolled in EVE has access to a huge network of professional individuals which include over 90,000 alumni that can potentially serve as mentors (25-30 of which are very active), the wind tunnel and prototyping capabilities at RPI, NYSERDA money, professional services (the first hour or two of which are provided for free), and accounting firms to help set up Quickbooks.  Although many professional services are not provided for EVE companies, aggressive rates are negotiated with local providers and funding often comes from venture pitches.

The key to RPI’s Emerging Ventures Ecosystem is that companies never graduate from the incubator because business development and iteration is never finalized.  Companies supported by EVE are always welcome to come back and ask for assistance in making new connections with the large international network of individuals.  RPI’s large alumni network serves as a virtual incubator in the sense that the network is leveraged to help grow companies as they experience the transition from technology ideas and intellectual property to commercialization through their education. 

== ==

=   '''Engaging with regional and local economic development efforts''' =

== Startup Tech Valley - Where Entrepreneurs and the Community Come Together ==

A monthly meetup for first-time entrepreneurs, experienced entrepreneurs, aspiring entrepreneurs, investors, mentors, employees of startups, serviceprodiders to startups, and anyone else who wants to be involved.

== Tech Valley Center of Gravity ==

The Tech Valley Center of Gravity is a federation of makers, hackers, crafters, and artists who share camaraderie, space, and resources to do our tinkering. We have a permanent makerspace, several satellite locations, and a community of local individuals and organizations to share and support them. We are based in downtown Troy, NY, and sponsor events all over the New York State Capital Region.

Our primary goal is to build a community around the idea of doing for ourselves, rather than just passively consuming, and learning how the arts, crafts, and technologies that surround us every day work, along the way. We also aim to create a network of contacts for small business and start-ups in the Capital Region to connect with local leaders, like-minded businesses and individuals, and tools and resources they might not otherwise have access to.

== Accelerate518 ==

TAccelerate518 (A518) is a consortium of stakeholders nestled in the heart of our State—New York’s Capital Region. The Capital Region encompasses four counties: Albany, Schenectady, Rensselaer and Saratoga. The synergy of these four counties is the catalyst for invention and innovation.

The Capital Region has a rich history of incubating and growing multinational corporations, including: New York Central Railroad, American Express, Cap Cities, General Electric, American Locomotive Company, Albany International, International Paper, and Albany Molecular Research. Accelerate518 is a platform to facilitate multiple groups working together to advance entrepreneurship and innovation in the Capital Region.  The goals of A518 include fostering active collaboration among educators and stakeholders, providing practical resources for entrepreneurs, sharing resources for education and training, and developing a network of individuals committed to invigorating the startup culture of the Capital Region.  We have aligned our interests to help the regional entrepreneurial ecosystem grow companies and create sustainable jobs. Initial core members of A518 include: CEG, Albany Medical College, Albany Law School, Hudson Valley Community College, RPI, Sage Colleges, Siena College, Skidmore College, Union College, and University at Albany.

= Landscape Canvas and Presentation =

[https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1Ek9pplesv42Ubc0TzcqW7mtASYtgL_XbJmvxJG4e14s/pub?start=true&loop=true&delayms=3000 Landscape Canvas Documentation]

[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1cg47LQI3tLh2gxM4u2FfyEPX1ljnFulr97_amxy4ebc/pubhtml Landscape Presentation]

= Related Links =

[[Meghan Olson|Meghan Olson]]

[http://universityinnovation.org/wiki/Ray_Parker Ray Parker]

[[Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Strategic Priorities|Rensselaer_Polytechnic_Institute_Strategic_Priorities]]

[[Category:Universities]]

School:Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

2016-02-07T04:30:46Z

Ray Parker:

'''Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Innovation Ecosystem: Promoting student innovation and entrepreneurship'''

= '''Overview''' =

'''''The motto of entrepreneurship at RPI:  A way to think. A way to learn. A way to succeed. '''''

"Entrepreneurial thinking lies at the heart of Rensselaer’s philosophy. Like our faculty, Rensselaer students are encouraged to pursue creativity and discovery — and the results are often spectacular. Our undergraduates embrace change in ways that have transformed how the world works, plays, and lives.

Our entrepreneurship program is built on the premise that ''not everyone wants to, or needs to, become an entrepreneur, but in today’s world everyone should know how to think like one."''

This statement shows RPI's commitment to entrepreneurial thinking, not so much the outcome of entreprenurship. The RPI Exemplar's program is a great example of the culture of entrepreneurship that RPI thrives on, as the Exemplar's program is designed for students who have a high level of interest in complementing their education by aquiring an entrepreneurail perspective.

'''Formal programs:''' M.S. Technological Communication & Entrepreneurship

'''Extracurricular activities: ''' Exemplar's Program RPI Foundry Business Model Competition Change the World Challenge Elevator Pitch Competition  Education geared toward entrepreneurial thinking encourages students at RPI to think in different ways, to come up with new ideas to solve problems and to enter on-campus competitions such as the Change the World Challenge, the Class of ’51 Entrepreneurial Fund, the Elevator Pitch Competition, and the RPI Business Plan Competition.  These programs often provide the spark which gives students the entrepreneurial bug and encourages them to continue pursuing their ideas.

The Severino Center for Technological Entrepreneurship (SCTE), centered in Rensselaer’s Lally School of Management & Technology, helps to foster new generations of budding and successful entrepreneurs through outreach programs, education, and support systems.  In recognition of the fact that most business students aren’t inventors, the Lally School intersects with other schools on campus to encourage the formation of new student teams and the fusing of their ideas.

Small Buhrmaster grants in the amounts of $1,000 to $2,000 are available, as determined by the Director of the Severino Center, for student ventures to test the market feasibility of their business concepts and to establish and define their target customers.  Mr. Buhrmaster, ’69 is a friend of the Lally school and a member of its advisory council.

The Severino Center also provides Mentoring and Resources via the Student Sandbox, Entrepreneurs-in-Residence, the Rensselaer Student Entrepreneurship Club, and assistance in finding teammates.  Experienced entrepreneur volunteers are assigned to coach teams that receive a Buhrmaster grant to help guide them in their market and business development activities.  

= '''Encouraging faculty innovation and entrepreneurship''' =

''Incredible professors like Burt Swersey, Dr. Eric Ledet, and many others''

''"For the last decade, the Rensselaer Plan has provided a blueprint for transformation and impact. It has guided the development of an exceptional campus environment for advancing research with the potential to address science and society’s most challenging problems. Based on this strong foundation, Rensselaer research is creating a better future through the innovation and engineering of a better world. With our accelerated trajectory, the best is yet to come."''

Research is huge on RPI's campus and encouraging innovation is both in line with The Rensselaer Plan and Rensselaer's motto of "why not change the world?"

== Innovation and Entrepreneurship Classes and Activities ==

There are multiple different types of organizations and classes that try to teach theses sorts of opportunities and ways of thinking at Rensselaer, including a class called How to Change the World and Starting a New Venture. In addition to this, there are activities such as Design for America and Foundry that are also a part of the I&E spectrum. In addition to these supplementary classes, there are also other courses such as Capstone Senior Design Course that help to develop interdisciplinary bridges across multiple academic departments. A prerequisite for this sort of course consists of many different classes across many different academic subjects, as well as the class Introduction to Engineering design during most engineering student's sophomore years, which focus on giving exposure to the design process that will help Rensselaer's engineering students in the future. 

= '''Actively supporting the university technology transfer function''' =

''RPI Office of Technology Commercialization: ''[http://www.rpitechnology.com/ http://www.rpitechnology.com/]

''RPI Technology Transfer/Innovation Hub: ''[http://rpihub.org/author/admin/ http://rpihub.org/author/admin/]

== The Rensselaer Plan ==

The Rensselaer Plan addresses technology transfer and intellectual property policies that encourage entrepreneurship.  Research is the major driver of science and technology transfer, invention, and innovation. Technological entrepreneurship completes the technology lifecycle — from discovery to the creation of impact in the global marketplace. With an expanding research base, we will cultivate a campus culture that provides the spirit and motivation for inventors to pursue commercialization. We will: Increase awareness of intellectual property, preserving its value in research agreements and maximizing its value under shared equity arrangements and licensing agreements, covering intellectual property developed in research and materials developed for distance education.  Create intellectual property policies that encourage entrepreneurship and allowthe university to take equity positions in new ventures as appropriate.  Ensure that intellectual property policies have adequate and appropriate conflictof interest and conflict of commitment provisions. Develop an awareness and infrastructure of intellectual property rights policies, incentives, and marketing to support innovation and commercialization.

== Creating and Supporting New Ventures ==

World-class technological research universities excel in transferring research outputs to the commercial sector. We will create innovative programs targeted at growing major new technological ventures and creating value. We will:  Enhance the process of matching researchers and entrepreneurs to create new ventures that take Rensselaer intellectual property to market  Provide business planning and facilitate venture capital for faculty and students for start-up companies that commercialize leading-edge Rensselaer research.  Expand the Incubator program to accommodate more start-ups and second-stage incubation.  Expand the flow of technology, talent, and ventures into the Rensselaer Technology Park and the Capital Region. Bring new focus to the Rensselaer Technology Park as the locus for mature ventures based on the technologies taught and researched at the Institute. Work with private and public sources to attract new venture capital and entrepreneurial talent to the Capital Region.

= '''Facilitating University-Industry Collaboration''' =

== RPI Tech Park ==

Rensselaer Technology Park is a university related park for technology ventures seeking a unique environment focused on the interface between industry and education.

According to the rpitechpark.com website, the University Interactions Policy of the Tech Park is built upon "a fundamental objective of the Park is to develop interactions between tenant companies and the university.  Such interactions enrich the educational environment of the university and help the companies stay on the leading edge of their technologies.  All companies in the Park automatically become “affiliates” of Rensselaer."  Building a synergistic environment is a responsibility shared by all members of the Park staff."

== EVE (Emerging Ventures Ecosystem) ==

The work of turning ideas into real companies happens in RPI’s incubator, the Emerging Ventures Ecosystem (EVE).  EVE is a distributed incubation program which accelerates the growth of new businesses and boosts the transfer of scientific and technological breakthroughs from the laboratory and classroom to the marketplace, for social and economic impact.

Launched in February 2011, the Emerging Ventures Ecosystem (EVE) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute serves to link “Rensselaer institutional resources and alumni/ae expertise symbiotically with community strengths, in a multi-faceted partnership for mutual benefit.”  The goal of EVE is to nurture new businesses and to build upon the decades of successful efforts of RPI’s previous incubator by helping young businesses grow and succeed.

Rensselaer’s previous incubator program was opened in 1980 as the nation’s first such program wholly sponsored and operated by a university. In its later stages, the incubator was primarily used for its “brick and mortar” assets, as place for entrepreneurially minded students to rent at a low cost, with convenient access to a photocopier.  The model of RPI’s old incubator was traditional: it was rented by students who were seeking to start a venture, which either lived or died, and then moved on.  The RPI Incubator building was closed in late 2009 simply because it did not make any money for the institution.

The new EVE program utilizes an innovative distributed incubation model, maintaining a central office in Troy, NY and working with each company to find an ideal matchup of space-to-enterprise in Troy and the surrounding area.  EVE is overseen by James Spencer, who has 20 years of experience in leading organizational creation and growth as an entrepreneurial business executive.

Once a new company completes the application process for the EVE program — through which Rensselaer will determine, in part, whether the entrepreneur is willing to put in the effort to make the company successful — the program will assign a status to the company: pre-seed, emerging, or early stage. Assigning these descriptions will help EVE mentors and administrators determine the specific services needed by each business.

Under EVE, businesses that are accepted into the program will receive a series of specific services that will help accelerate their growth.  A board of advisers will be established from community resources or alumni/ae for each new company.  If a company already has a board of advisers or directors, EVE will assign an additional person to the board to act as a liaison to mobilize resources within the Institute.

Upon formation of a board of advisors, three or four key objectives are developed by each company with the help of their advisory board.  Milestones for these objectives are then established for each quarter, in an effort to create a concrete plan for success and to generate measurable objectives; new goals are developed for succeeding semesters.  Companies must continue to show steady progress in order to remain in the program.

As a member of EVE, a company will have access to the Entrepreneur(s)-in-Residence at the Lally School as well as other resources including labs, patenting and licensing services, faculty, and students for work-study assignments, internships (REIP), and student projects.  Additional resources for EVE members include alumni/ae and community volunteers such as attorneys and accountants who are available to answer questions and provide advice and one time assistance for basic questions.  If an EVE company requires further professional assistance, they are encouraged to select a professional service company from a list provided through the EVE program. Such services may be offered at a discount to seed and early stage companies.

EVE hosts monthly peer review meetings, known as CEO Roundtable Discussions, among the CEOs of the incubated companies as a framework for peer-to-peer coaching among the mix of pre-seed, early state, and emerging companies supported by the EVE incubator program.  At these meetings, participants will sign disclosure agreements allowing a platform for confidential open discussions about topics and issues of importance to them.  The companies will also be invited to a monthly meeting featuring a speaker or a lecturer based upon a topic selected by the EVE companies’ CEOs and will also attend quarterly meet-ups for all employees of incubated companies, allowing the employees to build relationships and exchange ideas.

EVE promotes and introduces its companies to investors, assists them in identifying and seeking grant opportunities such as NYSERDA and SBIR, and helps them prepare for business plan competitions; the companies are given assistance in preparing applications, presentations, and pitches.  Additionally, members are provided access to professional grant writers to assist them as needed.

The EVE companies are invited to expand their professional networks through networking opportunities within the local business and academic community in order increase exposure to decision makers, funding sources from grants, and potential angel investors.  EVE is physically located off-campus in an effort to incubate companies directly in the community of Troy, NY and to strategically re-invent the typical “brick and mortar” business incubation model followed by RPI’s old incubator.  EVE is not a center where entrepreneurial students can simply rent space and use a photocopier the way a “brick and mortar” incubator is often used, but it is a 4,000 square foot center which strictly focuses on moving students through a business development continuum and on preparing them to fill vacant business facilities in the Troy community, leased at very low prices by realtors.  EVE does not want to focus on space like the traditional brick and mortar incubation model because if a company takes up too much space, they can’t let others in; student startups enrolled in EVE are treated like real businesses.

EVE was launched in February of 2011 with eight companies and now supports over thirty.  The continuum of business development begins with the formation of customized ninety-day plans which include 3-5 specific short term goals, preparing these young ventures to fill business space in the community.  Each venture enrolled in EVE has access to a huge network of professional individuals which include over 90,000 alumni that can potentially serve as mentors (25-30 of which are very active), the wind tunnel and prototyping capabilities at RPI, NYSERDA money, professional services (the first hour or two of which are provided for free), and accounting firms to help set up Quickbooks.  Although many professional services are not provided for EVE companies, aggressive rates are negotiated with local providers and funding often comes from venture pitches.

The key to RPI’s Emerging Ventures Ecosystem is that companies never graduate from the incubator because business development and iteration is never finalized.  Companies supported by EVE are always welcome to come back and ask for assistance in making new connections with the large international network of individuals.  RPI’s large alumni network serves as a virtual incubator in the sense that the network is leveraged to help grow companies as they experience the transition from technology ideas and intellectual property to commercialization through their education. 

== ==

=   '''Engaging with regional and local economic development efforts''' =

== Startup Tech Valley - Where Entrepreneurs and the Community Come Together ==

A monthly meetup for first-time entrepreneurs, experienced entrepreneurs, aspiring entrepreneurs, investors, mentors, employees of startups, serviceprodiders to startups, and anyone else who wants to be involved.

== Tech Valley Center of Gravity ==

The Tech Valley Center of Gravity is a federation of makers, hackers, crafters, and artists who share camaraderie, space, and resources to do our tinkering. We have a permanent makerspace, several satellite locations, and a community of local individuals and organizations to share and support them. We are based in downtown Troy, NY, and sponsor events all over the New York State Capital Region.

Our primary goal is to build a community around the idea of doing for ourselves, rather than just passively consuming, and learning how the arts, crafts, and technologies that surround us every day work, along the way. We also aim to create a network of contacts for small business and start-ups in the Capital Region to connect with local leaders, like-minded businesses and individuals, and tools and resources they might not otherwise have access to.

== Accelerate518 ==

TAccelerate518 (A518) is a consortium of stakeholders nestled in the heart of our State—New York’s Capital Region. The Capital Region encompasses four counties: Albany, Schenectady, Rensselaer and Saratoga. The synergy of these four counties is the catalyst for invention and innovation.

The Capital Region has a rich history of incubating and growing multinational corporations, including: New York Central Railroad, American Express, Cap Cities, General Electric, American Locomotive Company, Albany International, International Paper, and Albany Molecular Research. Accelerate518 is a platform to facilitate multiple groups working together to advance entrepreneurship and innovation in the Capital Region.  The goals of A518 include fostering active collaboration among educators and stakeholders, providing practical resources for entrepreneurs, sharing resources for education and training, and developing a network of individuals committed to invigorating the startup culture of the Capital Region.  We have aligned our interests to help the regional entrepreneurial ecosystem grow companies and create sustainable jobs. Initial core members of A518 include: CEG, Albany Medical College, Albany Law School, Hudson Valley Community College, RPI, Sage Colleges, Siena College, Skidmore College, Union College, and University at Albany.

= Landscape Canvas and Presentation =

[https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1Ek9pplesv42Ubc0TzcqW7mtASYtgL_XbJmvxJG4e14s/pub?start=true&loop=true&delayms=3000 Landscape Canvas Documentation]

[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1cg47LQI3tLh2gxM4u2FfyEPX1ljnFulr97_amxy4ebc/pubhtml Landscape Presentation]

= Related Links =

[[Meghan Olson|Meghan Olson]]

[http://universityinnovation.org/wiki/Ray_Parker Ray Parker]

[[Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Strategic Priorities|Rensselaer_Polytechnic_Institute_Strategic_Priorities]]

[[Category:Universities]]

School:Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

2016-02-07T04:25:52Z

Ray Parker:

'''Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Innovation Ecosystem: Promoting student innovation and entrepreneurship'''

= '''Overview''' =

'''''The motto of entrepreneurship at RPI:  A way to think. A way to learn. A way to succeed. '''''

"Entrepreneurial thinking lies at the heart of Rensselaer’s philosophy. Like our faculty, Rensselaer students are encouraged to pursue creativity and discovery — and the results are often spectacular. Our undergraduates embrace change in ways that have transformed how the world works, plays, and lives.

Our entrepreneurship program is built on the premise that ''not everyone wants to, or needs to, become an entrepreneur, but in today’s world everyone should know how to think like one."''

This statement shows RPI's commitment to entrepreneurial thinking, not so much the outcome of entreprenurship. The RPI Exemplar's program is a great example of the culture of entrepreneurship that RPI thrives on, as the Exemplar's program is designed for students who have a high level of interest in complementing their education by aquiring an entrepreneurail perspective.

'''Formal programs:''' M.S. Technological Communication & Entrepreneurship

'''Extracurricular activities: ''' Exemplar's Program RPI Foundry Business Model Competition Change the World Challenge Elevator Pitch Competition  Education geared toward entrepreneurial thinking encourages students at RPI to think in different ways, to come up with new ideas to solve problems and to enter on-campus competitions such as the Change the World Challenge, the Class of ’51 Entrepreneurial Fund, the Elevator Pitch Competition, and the RPI Business Plan Competition.  These programs often provide the spark which gives students the entrepreneurial bug and encourages them to continue pursuing their ideas.

The Severino Center for Technological Entrepreneurship (SCTE), centered in Rensselaer’s Lally School of Management & Technology, helps to foster new generations of budding and successful entrepreneurs through outreach programs, education, and support systems.  In recognition of the fact that most business students aren’t inventors, the Lally School intersects with other schools on campus to encourage the formation of new student teams and the fusing of their ideas.

Small Buhrmaster grants in the amounts of $1,000 to $2,000 are available, as determined by the Director of the Severino Center, for student ventures to test the market feasibility of their business concepts and to establish and define their target customers.  Mr. Buhrmaster, ’69 is a friend of the Lally school and a member of its advisory council.

The Severino Center also provides Mentoring and Resources via the Student Sandbox, Entrepreneurs-in-Residence, the Rensselaer Student Entrepreneurship Club, and assistance in finding teammates.  Experienced entrepreneur volunteers are assigned to coach teams that receive a Buhrmaster grant to help guide them in their market and business development activities.  

= '''Encouraging faculty innovation and entrepreneurship''' =

''Incredible professors like Burt Swersey, Dr. Eric Ledet, and many others''

''"For the last decade, the Rensselaer Plan has provided a blueprint for transformation and impact. It has guided the development of an exceptional campus environment for advancing research with the potential to address science and society’s most challenging problems. Based on this strong foundation, Rensselaer research is creating a better future through the innovation and engineering of a better world. With our accelerated trajectory, the best is yet to come."''

Research is huge on RPI's campus and encouraging innovation is both in line with The Rensselaer Plan and Rensselaer's motto of "why not change the world?"

== Innovation and Entrepreneurship Classes and Activities ==

There are multiple different types of organizations and classes that try to teach theses sorts of opportunities and ways of thinking at Rensselaer, including a class called How to Change the World and Starting a New Venture. In addition to this, there are activities such as Design for America and Foundry that are also a part of the I&E spectrum. 

= '''Actively supporting the university technology transfer function''' =

''RPI Office of Technology Commercialization: ''[http://www.rpitechnology.com/ http://www.rpitechnology.com/]

''RPI Technology Transfer/Innovation Hub: ''[http://rpihub.org/author/admin/ http://rpihub.org/author/admin/]

== The Rensselaer Plan ==

The Rensselaer Plan addresses technology transfer and intellectual property policies that encourage entrepreneurship.  Research is the major driver of science and technology transfer, invention, and innovation. Technological entrepreneurship completes the technology lifecycle — from discovery to the creation of impact in the global marketplace. With an expanding research base, we will cultivate a campus culture that provides the spirit and motivation for inventors to pursue commercialization. We will: Increase awareness of intellectual property, preserving its value in research agreements and maximizing its value under shared equity arrangements and licensing agreements, covering intellectual property developed in research and materials developed for distance education.  Create intellectual property policies that encourage entrepreneurship and allowthe university to take equity positions in new ventures as appropriate.  Ensure that intellectual property policies have adequate and appropriate conflictof interest and conflict of commitment provisions. Develop an awareness and infrastructure of intellectual property rights policies, incentives, and marketing to support innovation and commercialization.

== Creating and Supporting New Ventures ==

World-class technological research universities excel in transferring research outputs to the commercial sector. We will create innovative programs targeted at growing major new technological ventures and creating value. We will:  Enhance the process of matching researchers and entrepreneurs to create new ventures that take Rensselaer intellectual property to market  Provide business planning and facilitate venture capital for faculty and students for start-up companies that commercialize leading-edge Rensselaer research.  Expand the Incubator program to accommodate more start-ups and second-stage incubation.  Expand the flow of technology, talent, and ventures into the Rensselaer Technology Park and the Capital Region. Bring new focus to the Rensselaer Technology Park as the locus for mature ventures based on the technologies taught and researched at the Institute. Work with private and public sources to attract new venture capital and entrepreneurial talent to the Capital Region.

= '''Facilitating University-Industry Collaboration''' =

== RPI Tech Park ==

Rensselaer Technology Park is a university related park for technology ventures seeking a unique environment focused on the interface between industry and education.

According to the rpitechpark.com website, the University Interactions Policy of the Tech Park is built upon "a fundamental objective of the Park is to develop interactions between tenant companies and the university.  Such interactions enrich the educational environment of the university and help the companies stay on the leading edge of their technologies.  All companies in the Park automatically become “affiliates” of Rensselaer."  Building a synergistic environment is a responsibility shared by all members of the Park staff."

== EVE (Emerging Ventures Ecosystem) ==

The work of turning ideas into real companies happens in RPI’s incubator, the Emerging Ventures Ecosystem (EVE).  EVE is a distributed incubation program which accelerates the growth of new businesses and boosts the transfer of scientific and technological breakthroughs from the laboratory and classroom to the marketplace, for social and economic impact.

Launched in February 2011, the Emerging Ventures Ecosystem (EVE) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute serves to link “Rensselaer institutional resources and alumni/ae expertise symbiotically with community strengths, in a multi-faceted partnership for mutual benefit.”  The goal of EVE is to nurture new businesses and to build upon the decades of successful efforts of RPI’s previous incubator by helping young businesses grow and succeed.

Rensselaer’s previous incubator program was opened in 1980 as the nation’s first such program wholly sponsored and operated by a university. In its later stages, the incubator was primarily used for its “brick and mortar” assets, as place for entrepreneurially minded students to rent at a low cost, with convenient access to a photocopier.  The model of RPI’s old incubator was traditional: it was rented by students who were seeking to start a venture, which either lived or died, and then moved on.  The RPI Incubator building was closed in late 2009 simply because it did not make any money for the institution.

The new EVE program utilizes an innovative distributed incubation model, maintaining a central office in Troy, NY and working with each company to find an ideal matchup of space-to-enterprise in Troy and the surrounding area.  EVE is overseen by James Spencer, who has 20 years of experience in leading organizational creation and growth as an entrepreneurial business executive.

Once a new company completes the application process for the EVE program — through which Rensselaer will determine, in part, whether the entrepreneur is willing to put in the effort to make the company successful — the program will assign a status to the company: pre-seed, emerging, or early stage. Assigning these descriptions will help EVE mentors and administrators determine the specific services needed by each business.

Under EVE, businesses that are accepted into the program will receive a series of specific services that will help accelerate their growth.  A board of advisers will be established from community resources or alumni/ae for each new company.  If a company already has a board of advisers or directors, EVE will assign an additional person to the board to act as a liaison to mobilize resources within the Institute.

Upon formation of a board of advisors, three or four key objectives are developed by each company with the help of their advisory board.  Milestones for these objectives are then established for each quarter, in an effort to create a concrete plan for success and to generate measurable objectives; new goals are developed for succeeding semesters.  Companies must continue to show steady progress in order to remain in the program.

As a member of EVE, a company will have access to the Entrepreneur(s)-in-Residence at the Lally School as well as other resources including labs, patenting and licensing services, faculty, and students for work-study assignments, internships (REIP), and student projects.  Additional resources for EVE members include alumni/ae and community volunteers such as attorneys and accountants who are available to answer questions and provide advice and one time assistance for basic questions.  If an EVE company requires further professional assistance, they are encouraged to select a professional service company from a list provided through the EVE program. Such services may be offered at a discount to seed and early stage companies.

EVE hosts monthly peer review meetings, known as CEO Roundtable Discussions, among the CEOs of the incubated companies as a framework for peer-to-peer coaching among the mix of pre-seed, early state, and emerging companies supported by the EVE incubator program.  At these meetings, participants will sign disclosure agreements allowing a platform for confidential open discussions about topics and issues of importance to them.  The companies will also be invited to a monthly meeting featuring a speaker or a lecturer based upon a topic selected by the EVE companies’ CEOs and will also attend quarterly meet-ups for all employees of incubated companies, allowing the employees to build relationships and exchange ideas.

EVE promotes and introduces its companies to investors, assists them in identifying and seeking grant opportunities such as NYSERDA and SBIR, and helps them prepare for business plan competitions; the companies are given assistance in preparing applications, presentations, and pitches.  Additionally, members are provided access to professional grant writers to assist them as needed.

The EVE companies are invited to expand their professional networks through networking opportunities within the local business and academic community in order increase exposure to decision makers, funding sources from grants, and potential angel investors.  EVE is physically located off-campus in an effort to incubate companies directly in the community of Troy, NY and to strategically re-invent the typical “brick and mortar” business incubation model followed by RPI’s old incubator.  EVE is not a center where entrepreneurial students can simply rent space and use a photocopier the way a “brick and mortar” incubator is often used, but it is a 4,000 square foot center which strictly focuses on moving students through a business development continuum and on preparing them to fill vacant business facilities in the Troy community, leased at very low prices by realtors.  EVE does not want to focus on space like the traditional brick and mortar incubation model because if a company takes up too much space, they can’t let others in; student startups enrolled in EVE are treated like real businesses.

EVE was launched in February of 2011 with eight companies and now supports over thirty.  The continuum of business development begins with the formation of customized ninety-day plans which include 3-5 specific short term goals, preparing these young ventures to fill business space in the community.  Each venture enrolled in EVE has access to a huge network of professional individuals which include over 90,000 alumni that can potentially serve as mentors (25-30 of which are very active), the wind tunnel and prototyping capabilities at RPI, NYSERDA money, professional services (the first hour or two of which are provided for free), and accounting firms to help set up Quickbooks.  Although many professional services are not provided for EVE companies, aggressive rates are negotiated with local providers and funding often comes from venture pitches.

The key to RPI’s Emerging Ventures Ecosystem is that companies never graduate from the incubator because business development and iteration is never finalized.  Companies supported by EVE are always welcome to come back and ask for assistance in making new connections with the large international network of individuals.  RPI’s large alumni network serves as a virtual incubator in the sense that the network is leveraged to help grow companies as they experience the transition from technology ideas and intellectual property to commercialization through their education. 

== ==

=   '''Engaging with regional and local economic development efforts''' =

== Startup Tech Valley - Where Entrepreneurs and the Community Come Together ==

A monthly meetup for first-time entrepreneurs, experienced entrepreneurs, aspiring entrepreneurs, investors, mentors, employees of startups, serviceprodiders to startups, and anyone else who wants to be involved.

== Tech Valley Center of Gravity ==

The Tech Valley Center of Gravity is a federation of makers, hackers, crafters, and artists who share camaraderie, space, and resources to do our tinkering. We have a permanent makerspace, several satellite locations, and a community of local individuals and organizations to share and support them. We are based in downtown Troy, NY, and sponsor events all over the New York State Capital Region.

Our primary goal is to build a community around the idea of doing for ourselves, rather than just passively consuming, and learning how the arts, crafts, and technologies that surround us every day work, along the way. We also aim to create a network of contacts for small business and start-ups in the Capital Region to connect with local leaders, like-minded businesses and individuals, and tools and resources they might not otherwise have access to.

== Accelerate518 ==

TAccelerate518 (A518) is a consortium of stakeholders nestled in the heart of our State—New York’s Capital Region. The Capital Region encompasses four counties: Albany, Schenectady, Rensselaer and Saratoga. The synergy of these four counties is the catalyst for invention and innovation.

The Capital Region has a rich history of incubating and growing multinational corporations, including: New York Central Railroad, American Express, Cap Cities, General Electric, American Locomotive Company, Albany International, International Paper, and Albany Molecular Research. Accelerate518 is a platform to facilitate multiple groups working together to advance entrepreneurship and innovation in the Capital Region.  The goals of A518 include fostering active collaboration among educators and stakeholders, providing practical resources for entrepreneurs, sharing resources for education and training, and developing a network of individuals committed to invigorating the startup culture of the Capital Region.  We have aligned our interests to help the regional entrepreneurial ecosystem grow companies and create sustainable jobs. Initial core members of A518 include: CEG, Albany Medical College, Albany Law School, Hudson Valley Community College, RPI, Sage Colleges, Siena College, Skidmore College, Union College, and University at Albany.

= Landscape Canvas and Presentation =

[https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1Ek9pplesv42Ubc0TzcqW7mtASYtgL_XbJmvxJG4e14s/pub?start=true&loop=true&delayms=3000 Landscape Canvas Documentation]

[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1cg47LQI3tLh2gxM4u2FfyEPX1ljnFulr97_amxy4ebc/pubhtml Landscape Presentation]

= Related Links =

[[Meghan Olson|Meghan Olson]]

[http://universityinnovation.org/wiki/Ray_Parker Ray Parker]

[[Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Strategic Priorities|Rensselaer_Polytechnic_Institute_Strategic_Priorities]]

[[Category:Universities]]

School:Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

2016-02-07T04:20:32Z

Ray Parker:

'''Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Innovation Ecosystem: Promoting student innovation and entrepreneurship'''

= '''Overview''' =

'''''The motto of entrepreneurship at RPI:  A way to think. A way to learn. A way to succeed. '''''

"Entrepreneurial thinking lies at the heart of Rensselaer’s philosophy. Like our faculty, Rensselaer students are encouraged to pursue creativity and discovery — and the results are often spectacular. Our undergraduates embrace change in ways that have transformed how the world works, plays, and lives.

Our entrepreneurship program is built on the premise that ''not everyone wants to, or needs to, become an entrepreneur, but in today’s world everyone should know how to think like one."''

This statement shows RPI's commitment to entrepreneurial thinking, not so much the outcome of entreprenurship. The RPI Exemplar's program is a great example of the culture of entrepreneurship that RPI thrives on, as the Exemplar's program is designed for students who have a high level of interest in complementing their education by aquiring an entrepreneurail perspective.

'''Formal programs:''' M.S. Technological Communication & Entrepreneurship

'''Extracurricular activities: ''' Exemplar's Program RPI Foundry Business Model Competition Change the World Challenge Elevator Pitch Competition  Education geared toward entrepreneurial thinking encourages students at RPI to think in different ways, to come up with new ideas to solve problems and to enter on-campus competitions such as the Change the World Challenge, the Class of ’51 Entrepreneurial Fund, the Elevator Pitch Competition, and the RPI Business Plan Competition.  These programs often provide the spark which gives students the entrepreneurial bug and encourages them to continue pursuing their ideas.

The Severino Center for Technological Entrepreneurship (SCTE), centered in Rensselaer’s Lally School of Management & Technology, helps to foster new generations of budding and successful entrepreneurs through outreach programs, education, and support systems.  In recognition of the fact that most business students aren’t inventors, the Lally School intersects with other schools on campus to encourage the formation of new student teams and the fusing of their ideas.

Small Buhrmaster grants in the amounts of $1,000 to $2,000 are available, as determined by the Director of the Severino Center, for student ventures to test the market feasibility of their business concepts and to establish and define their target customers.  Mr. Buhrmaster, ’69 is a friend of the Lally school and a member of its advisory council.

The Severino Center also provides Mentoring and Resources via the Student Sandbox, Entrepreneurs-in-Residence, the Rensselaer Student Entrepreneurship Club, and assistance in finding teammates.  Experienced entrepreneur volunteers are assigned to coach teams that receive a Buhrmaster grant to help guide them in their market and business development activities.  

= '''Encouraging faculty innovation and entrepreneurship''' =

''Incredible professors like Burt Swersey, Dr. Eric Ledet, and many others''

''"For the last decade, the Rensselaer Plan has provided a blueprint for transformation and impact. It has guided development of an exceptional campus environment for advancing research with the potential to address science and society’s most challenging problems. Based on this strong foundation, Rensselaer research is creating a better future through the innovation and engineering of a better world. With our accelerated trajectory, the best is yet to come."''

Research is huge on RPI's campus and encouraging innovation is both in line with The Rensselaer Plan and Rensselaer's motto of "why not change the world?"

= '''Actively supporting the university technology transfer function''' =

''RPI Office of Technology Commercialization: ''[http://www.rpitechnology.com/ http://www.rpitechnology.com/]

''RPI Technology Transfer/Innovation Hub: ''[http://rpihub.org/author/admin/ http://rpihub.org/author/admin/]

== The Rensselaer Plan ==

The Rensselaer Plan addresses technology transfer and intellectual property policies that encourage entrepreneurship.  Research is the major driver of science and technology transfer, invention, and innovation. Technological entrepreneurship completes the technology lifecycle — from discovery to the creation of impact in the global marketplace. With an expanding research base, we will cultivate a campus culture that provides the spirit and motivation for inventors to pursue commercialization. We will: Increase awareness of intellectual property, preserving its value in research agreements and maximizing its value under shared equity arrangements and licensing agreements, covering intellectual property developed in research and materials developed for distance education.  Create intellectual property policies that encourage entrepreneurship and allowthe university to take equity positions in new ventures as appropriate.  Ensure that intellectual property policies have adequate and appropriate conflictof interest and conflict of commitment provisions. Develop an awareness and infrastructure of intellectual property rights policies, incentives, and marketing to support innovation and commercialization.

== Creating and Supporting New Ventures ==

World-class technological research universities excel in transferring research outputs to the commercial sector. We will create innovative programs targeted at growing major new technological ventures and creating value. We will:  Enhance the process of matching researchers and entrepreneurs to create new ventures that take Rensselaer intellectual property to market  Provide business planning and facilitate venture capital for faculty and students for start-up companies that commercialize leading-edge Rensselaer research.  Expand the Incubator program to accommodate more start-ups and second-stage incubation.  Expand the flow of technology, talent, and ventures into the Rensselaer Technology Park and the Capital Region. Bring new focus to the Rensselaer Technology Park as the locus for mature ventures based on the technologies taught and researched at the Institute. Work with private and public sources to attract new venture capital and entrepreneurial talent to the Capital Region.

= '''Facilitating University-Industry Collaboration''' =

== RPI Tech Park ==

Rensselaer Technology Park is a university related park for technology ventures seeking a unique environment focused on the interface between industry and education.

According to the rpitechpark.com website, the University Interactions Policy of the Tech Park is built upon "a fundamental objective of the Park is to develop interactions between tenant companies and the university.  Such interactions enrich the educational environment of the university and help the companies stay on the leading edge of their technologies.  All companies in the Park automatically become “affiliates” of Rensselaer."  Building a synergistic environment is a responsibility shared by all members of the Park staff."

== EVE (Emerging Ventures Ecosystem) ==

The work of turning ideas into real companies happens in RPI’s incubator, the Emerging Ventures Ecosystem (EVE).  EVE is a distributed incubation program which accelerates the growth of new businesses and boosts the transfer of scientific and technological breakthroughs from the laboratory and classroom to the marketplace, for social and economic impact.

Launched in February 2011, the Emerging Ventures Ecosystem (EVE) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute serves to link “Rensselaer institutional resources and alumni/ae expertise symbiotically with community strengths, in a multi-faceted partnership for mutual benefit.”  The goal of EVE is to nurture new businesses and to build upon the decades of successful efforts of RPI’s previous incubator by helping young businesses grow and succeed.

Rensselaer’s previous incubator program was opened in 1980 as the nation’s first such program wholly sponsored and operated by a university. In its later stages, the incubator was primarily used for its “brick and mortar” assets, as place for entrepreneurially minded students to rent at a low cost, with convenient access to a photocopier.  The model of RPI’s old incubator was traditional: it was rented by students who were seeking to start a venture, which either lived or died, and then moved on.  The RPI Incubator building was closed in late 2009 simply because it did not make any money for the institution.

The new EVE program utilizes an innovative distributed incubation model, maintaining a central office in Troy, NY and working with each company to find an ideal matchup of space-to-enterprise in Troy and the surrounding area.  EVE is overseen by James Spencer, who has 20 years of experience in leading organizational creation and growth as an entrepreneurial business executive.

Once a new company completes the application process for the EVE program — through which Rensselaer will determine, in part, whether the entrepreneur is willing to put in the effort to make the company successful — the program will assign a status to the company: pre-seed, emerging, or early stage. Assigning these descriptions will help EVE mentors and administrators determine the specific services needed by each business.

Under EVE, businesses that are accepted into the program will receive a series of specific services that will help accelerate their growth.  A board of advisers will be established from community resources or alumni/ae for each new company.  If a company already has a board of advisers or directors, EVE will assign an additional person to the board to act as a liaison to mobilize resources within the Institute.

Upon formation of a board of advisors, three or four key objectives are developed by each company with the help of their advisory board.  Milestones for these objectives are then established for each quarter, in an effort to create a concrete plan for success and to generate measurable objectives; new goals are developed for succeeding semesters.  Companies must continue to show steady progress in order to remain in the program.

As a member of EVE, a company will have access to the Entrepreneur(s)-in-Residence at the Lally School as well as other resources including labs, patenting and licensing services, faculty, and students for work-study assignments, internships (REIP), and student projects.  Additional resources for EVE members include alumni/ae and community volunteers such as attorneys and accountants who are available to answer questions and provide advice and one time assistance for basic questions.  If an EVE company requires further professional assistance, they are encouraged to select a professional service company from a list provided through the EVE program. Such services may be offered at a discount to seed and early stage companies.

EVE hosts monthly peer review meetings, known as CEO Roundtable Discussions, among the CEOs of the incubated companies as a framework for peer-to-peer coaching among the mix of pre-seed, early state, and emerging companies supported by the EVE incubator program.  At these meetings, participants will sign disclosure agreements allowing a platform for confidential open discussions about topics and issues of importance to them.  The companies will also be invited to a monthly meeting featuring a speaker or a lecturer based upon a topic selected by the EVE companies’ CEOs and will also attend quarterly meet-ups for all employees of incubated companies, allowing the employees to build relationships and exchange ideas.

EVE promotes and introduces its companies to investors, assists them in identifying and seeking grant opportunities such as NYSERDA and SBIR, and helps them prepare for business plan competitions; the companies are given assistance in preparing applications, presentations, and pitches.  Additionally, members are provided access to professional grant writers to assist them as needed.

The EVE companies are invited to expand their professional networks through networking opportunities within the local business and academic community in order increase exposure to decision makers, funding sources from grants, and potential angel investors.  EVE is physically located off-campus in an effort to incubate companies directly in the community of Troy, NY and to strategically re-invent the typical “brick and mortar” business incubation model followed by RPI’s old incubator.  EVE is not a center where entrepreneurial students can simply rent space and use a photocopier the way a “brick and mortar” incubator is often used, but it is a 4,000 square foot center which strictly focuses on moving students through a business development continuum and on preparing them to fill vacant business facilities in the Troy community, leased at very low prices by realtors.  EVE does not want to focus on space like the traditional brick and mortar incubation model because if a company takes up too much space, they can’t let others in; student startups enrolled in EVE are treated like real businesses.

EVE was launched in February of 2011 with eight companies and now supports over thirty.  The continuum of business development begins with the formation of customized ninety-day plans which include 3-5 specific short term goals, preparing these young ventures to fill business space in the community.  Each venture enrolled in EVE has access to a huge network of professional individuals which include over 90,000 alumni that can potentially serve as mentors (25-30 of which are very active), the wind tunnel and prototyping capabilities at RPI, NYSERDA money, professional services (the first hour or two of which are provided for free), and accounting firms to help set up Quickbooks.  Although many professional services are not provided for EVE companies, aggressive rates are negotiated with local providers and funding often comes from venture pitches.

The key to RPI’s Emerging Ventures Ecosystem is that companies never graduate from the incubator because business development and iteration is never finalized.  Companies supported by EVE are always welcome to come back and ask for assistance in making new connections with the large international network of individuals.  RPI’s large alumni network serves as a virtual incubator in the sense that the network is leveraged to help grow companies as they experience the transition from technology ideas and intellectual property to commercialization through their education. 

== ==

=   '''Engaging with regional and local economic development efforts''' =

== Startup Tech Valley - Where Entrepreneurs and the Community Come Together ==

A monthly meetup for first-time entrepreneurs, experienced entrepreneurs, aspiring entrepreneurs, investors, mentors, employees of startups, serviceprodiders to startups, and anyone else who wants to be involved.

== Tech Valley Center of Gravity ==

The Tech Valley Center of Gravity is a federation of makers, hackers, crafters, and artists who share camaraderie, space, and resources to do our tinkering. We have a permanent makerspace, several satellite locations, and a community of local individuals and organizations to share and support them. We are based in downtown Troy, NY, and sponsor events all over the New York State Capital Region.

Our primary goal is to build a community around the idea of doing for ourselves, rather than just passively consuming, and learning how the arts, crafts, and technologies that surround us every day work, along the way. We also aim to create a network of contacts for small business and start-ups in the Capital Region to connect with local leaders, like-minded businesses and individuals, and tools and resources they might not otherwise have access to.

== Accelerate518 ==

TAccelerate518 (A518) is a consortium of stakeholders nestled in the heart of our State—New York’s Capital Region. The Capital Region encompasses four counties: Albany, Schenectady, Rensselaer and Saratoga. The synergy of these four counties is the catalyst for invention and innovation.

The Capital Region has a rich history of incubating and growing multinational corporations, including: New York Central Railroad, American Express, Cap Cities, General Electric, American Locomotive Company, Albany International, International Paper, and Albany Molecular Research. Accelerate518 is a platform to facilitate multiple groups working together to advance entrepreneurship and innovation in the Capital Region.  The goals of A518 include fostering active collaboration among educators and stakeholders, providing practical resources for entrepreneurs, sharing resources for education and training, and developing a network of individuals committed to invigorating the startup culture of the Capital Region.  We have aligned our interests to help the regional entrepreneurial ecosystem grow companies and create sustainable jobs. Initial core members of A518 include: CEG, Albany Medical College, Albany Law School, Hudson Valley Community College, RPI, Sage Colleges, Siena College, Skidmore College, Union College, and University at Albany.

= Landscape Canvas and Presentation =

[https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1Ek9pplesv42Ubc0TzcqW7mtASYtgL_XbJmvxJG4e14s/pub?start=true&loop=true&delayms=3000 Landscape Canvas Documentation]

[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1cg47LQI3tLh2gxM4u2FfyEPX1ljnFulr97_amxy4ebc/pubhtml Landscape Presentation]

= Related Links =

[[Meghan Olson|Meghan Olson]]

[http://universityinnovation.org/wiki/Ray_Parker Ray Parker]

[[Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Strategic Priorities|Rensselaer_Polytechnic_Institute_Strategic_Priorities]]

[[Category:Universities]]

School:Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

2016-02-07T04:20:04Z

Ray Parker:

'''Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Innovation Ecosystem: Promoting student innovation and entrepreneurship'''

= '''Overview''' =

'''''The motto of entrepreneurship at RPI:  A way to think. A way to learn. A way to succeed. '''''

"Entrepreneurial thinking lies at the heart of Rensselaer’s philosophy. Like our faculty, Rensselaer students are encouraged to pursue creativity and discovery — and the results are often spectacular. Our undergraduates embrace change in ways that have transformed how the world works, plays, and lives.

Our entrepreneurship program is built on the premise that ''not everyone wants to, or needs to, become an entrepreneur, but in today’s world everyone should know how to think like one."''

This statement shows RPI's commitment to entrepreneurial thinking, not so much the outcome of entreprenurship. The RPI Exemplar's program is a great example of the culture of entrepreneurship that RPI thrives on, as the Exemplar's program is designed for students who have a high level of interest in complementing their education by aquiring an entrepreneurail perspective.

'''Formal programs:''' M.S. Technological Communication & Entrepreneurship

'''Extracurricular activities: ''' Exemplar's Program RPI Foundry Business Model Competition Change the World Challenge Elevator Pitch Competition  Education geared toward entrepreneurial thinking encourages students at RPI to think in different ways, to come up with new ideas to solve problems and to enter on-campus competitions such as the Change the World Challenge, the Class of ’51 Entrepreneurial Fund, the Elevator Pitch Competition, and the RPI Business Plan Competition.  These programs often provide the spark which gives students the entrepreneurial bug and encourages them to continue pursuing their ideas.

The Severino Center for Technological Entrepreneurship (SCTE), centered in Rensselaer’s Lally School of Management & Technology, helps to foster new generations of budding and successful entrepreneurs through outreach programs, education, and support systems.  In recognition of the fact that most business students aren’t inventors, the Lally School intersects with other schools on campus to encourage the formation of new student teams and the fusing of their ideas.

Small Buhrmaster grants in the amounts of $1,000 to $2,000 are available, as determined by the Director of the Severino Center, for student ventures to test the market feasibility of their business concepts and to establish and define their target customers.  Mr. Buhrmaster, ’69 is a friend of the Lally school and a member of its advisory council.

The Severino Center also provides Mentoring and Resources via the Student Sandbox, Entrepreneurs-in-Residence, the Rensselaer Student Entrepreneurship Club, and assistance in finding teammates.  Experienced entrepreneur volunteers are assigned to coach teams that receive a Buhrmaster grant to help guide them in their market and business development activities.  

= '''Encouraging faculty innovation and entrepreneurship''' =

''Incredible professors like Burt Swersey, Dr. Eric Ledet, and many others''

''"For the last decade, the Rensselaer Plan has provided a blueprint for transformation and impact. It has guided development of an exceptional campus environment for advancing research with the potential to address science and society’s most challenging problems. Based on this strong foundation, Rensselaer research is creating a better future through the innovation and engineering of a better world. With our accelerated trajectory, the best is yet to come."''

Research is huge on RPI's campus and encouraging innovation is both in line with The Rensselaer Plan and Rensselaer's motto of "why not change the world?"

= '''Actively supporting the university technology transfer function''' =

''RPI Office of Technology Commercialization: ''[http://www.rpitechnology.com/ http://www.rpitechnology.com/]

''RPI Technology Transfer/Innovation Hub: ''[http://rpihub.org/author/admin/ http://rpihub.org/author/admin/]

The Rensselaer Plan addresses technology transfer and intellectual property policies that encourage entrepreneurship.  Research is the major driver of science and technology transfer, invention, and innovation. Technological entrepreneurship completes the technology lifecycle — from discovery to the creation of impact in the global marketplace. With an expanding research base, we will cultivate a campus culture that provides the spirit and motivation for inventors to pursue commercialization. We will: Increase awareness of intellectual property, preserving its value in research agreements and maximizing its value under shared equity arrangements and licensing agreements, covering intellectual property developed in research and materials developed for distance education.  Create intellectual property policies that encourage entrepreneurship and allowthe university to take equity positions in new ventures as appropriate.  Ensure that intellectual property policies have adequate and appropriate conflictof interest and conflict of commitment provisions. Develop an awareness and infrastructure of intellectual property rights policies, incentives, and marketing to support innovation and commercialization.

== Creating and Supporting New Ventures ==

World-class technological research universities excel in transferring research outputs to the commercial sector. We will create innovative programs targeted at growing major new technological ventures and creating value. We will:  Enhance the process of matching researchers and entrepreneurs to create new ventures that take Rensselaer intellectual property to market  Provide business planning and facilitate venture capital for faculty and students for start-up companies that commercialize leading-edge Rensselaer research.  Expand the Incubator program to accommodate more start-ups and second-stage incubation.  Expand the flow of technology, talent, and ventures into the Rensselaer Technology Park and the Capital Region. Bring new focus to the Rensselaer Technology Park as the locus for mature ventures based on the technologies taught and researched at the Institute. Work with private and public sources to attract new venture capital and entrepreneurial talent to the Capital Region. 

= '''Facilitating University-Industry Collaboration''' =

== RPI Tech Park ==

Rensselaer Technology Park is a university related park for technology ventures seeking a unique environment focused on the interface between industry and education.

According to the rpitechpark.com website, the University Interactions Policy of the Tech Park is built upon "a fundamental objective of the Park is to develop interactions between tenant companies and the university.  Such interactions enrich the educational environment of the university and help the companies stay on the leading edge of their technologies.  All companies in the Park automatically become “affiliates” of Rensselaer."  Building a synergistic environment is a responsibility shared by all members of the Park staff."

== EVE (Emerging Ventures Ecosystem) ==

The work of turning ideas into real companies happens in RPI’s incubator, the Emerging Ventures Ecosystem (EVE).  EVE is a distributed incubation program which accelerates the growth of new businesses and boosts the transfer of scientific and technological breakthroughs from the laboratory and classroom to the marketplace, for social and economic impact.

Launched in February 2011, the Emerging Ventures Ecosystem (EVE) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute serves to link “Rensselaer institutional resources and alumni/ae expertise symbiotically with community strengths, in a multi-faceted partnership for mutual benefit.”  The goal of EVE is to nurture new businesses and to build upon the decades of successful efforts of RPI’s previous incubator by helping young businesses grow and succeed.

Rensselaer’s previous incubator program was opened in 1980 as the nation’s first such program wholly sponsored and operated by a university. In its later stages, the incubator was primarily used for its “brick and mortar” assets, as place for entrepreneurially minded students to rent at a low cost, with convenient access to a photocopier.  The model of RPI’s old incubator was traditional: it was rented by students who were seeking to start a venture, which either lived or died, and then moved on.  The RPI Incubator building was closed in late 2009 simply because it did not make any money for the institution.

The new EVE program utilizes an innovative distributed incubation model, maintaining a central office in Troy, NY and working with each company to find an ideal matchup of space-to-enterprise in Troy and the surrounding area.  EVE is overseen by James Spencer, who has 20 years of experience in leading organizational creation and growth as an entrepreneurial business executive.

Once a new company completes the application process for the EVE program — through which Rensselaer will determine, in part, whether the entrepreneur is willing to put in the effort to make the company successful — the program will assign a status to the company: pre-seed, emerging, or early stage. Assigning these descriptions will help EVE mentors and administrators determine the specific services needed by each business.

Under EVE, businesses that are accepted into the program will receive a series of specific services that will help accelerate their growth.  A board of advisers will be established from community resources or alumni/ae for each new company.  If a company already has a board of advisers or directors, EVE will assign an additional person to the board to act as a liaison to mobilize resources within the Institute.

Upon formation of a board of advisors, three or four key objectives are developed by each company with the help of their advisory board.  Milestones for these objectives are then established for each quarter, in an effort to create a concrete plan for success and to generate measurable objectives; new goals are developed for succeeding semesters.  Companies must continue to show steady progress in order to remain in the program.

As a member of EVE, a company will have access to the Entrepreneur(s)-in-Residence at the Lally School as well as other resources including labs, patenting and licensing services, faculty, and students for work-study assignments, internships (REIP), and student projects.  Additional resources for EVE members include alumni/ae and community volunteers such as attorneys and accountants who are available to answer questions and provide advice and one time assistance for basic questions.  If an EVE company requires further professional assistance, they are encouraged to select a professional service company from a list provided through the EVE program. Such services may be offered at a discount to seed and early stage companies.

EVE hosts monthly peer review meetings, known as CEO Roundtable Discussions, among the CEOs of the incubated companies as a framework for peer-to-peer coaching among the mix of pre-seed, early state, and emerging companies supported by the EVE incubator program.  At these meetings, participants will sign disclosure agreements allowing a platform for confidential open discussions about topics and issues of importance to them.  The companies will also be invited to a monthly meeting featuring a speaker or a lecturer based upon a topic selected by the EVE companies’ CEOs and will also attend quarterly meet-ups for all employees of incubated companies, allowing the employees to build relationships and exchange ideas.

EVE promotes and introduces its companies to investors, assists them in identifying and seeking grant opportunities such as NYSERDA and SBIR, and helps them prepare for business plan competitions; the companies are given assistance in preparing applications, presentations, and pitches.  Additionally, members are provided access to professional grant writers to assist them as needed.

The EVE companies are invited to expand their professional networks through networking opportunities within the local business and academic community in order increase exposure to decision makers, funding sources from grants, and potential angel investors.  EVE is physically located off-campus in an effort to incubate companies directly in the community of Troy, NY and to strategically re-invent the typical “brick and mortar” business incubation model followed by RPI’s old incubator.  EVE is not a center where entrepreneurial students can simply rent space and use a photocopier the way a “brick and mortar” incubator is often used, but it is a 4,000 square foot center which strictly focuses on moving students through a business development continuum and on preparing them to fill vacant business facilities in the Troy community, leased at very low prices by realtors.  EVE does not want to focus on space like the traditional brick and mortar incubation model because if a company takes up too much space, they can’t let others in; student startups enrolled in EVE are treated like real businesses.

EVE was launched in February of 2011 with eight companies and now supports over thirty.  The continuum of business development begins with the formation of customized ninety-day plans which include 3-5 specific short term goals, preparing these young ventures to fill business space in the community.  Each venture enrolled in EVE has access to a huge network of professional individuals which include over 90,000 alumni that can potentially serve as mentors (25-30 of which are very active), the wind tunnel and prototyping capabilities at RPI, NYSERDA money, professional services (the first hour or two of which are provided for free), and accounting firms to help set up Quickbooks.  Although many professional services are not provided for EVE companies, aggressive rates are negotiated with local providers and funding often comes from venture pitches.

The key to RPI’s Emerging Ventures Ecosystem is that companies never graduate from the incubator because business development and iteration is never finalized.  Companies supported by EVE are always welcome to come back and ask for assistance in making new connections with the large international network of individuals.  RPI’s large alumni network serves as a virtual incubator in the sense that the network is leveraged to help grow companies as they experience the transition from technology ideas and intellectual property to commercialization through their education. 

== ==

=   '''Engaging with regional and local economic development efforts''' =

== Startup Tech Valley - Where Entrepreneurs and the Community Come Together ==

A monthly meetup for first-time entrepreneurs, experienced entrepreneurs, aspiring entrepreneurs, investors, mentors, employees of startups, serviceprodiders to startups, and anyone else who wants to be involved.

== Tech Valley Center of Gravity ==

The Tech Valley Center of Gravity is a federation of makers, hackers, crafters, and artists who share camaraderie, space, and resources to do our tinkering. We have a permanent makerspace, several satellite locations, and a community of local individuals and organizations to share and support them. We are based in downtown Troy, NY, and sponsor events all over the New York State Capital Region.

Our primary goal is to build a community around the idea of doing for ourselves, rather than just passively consuming, and learning how the arts, crafts, and technologies that surround us every day work, along the way. We also aim to create a network of contacts for small business and start-ups in the Capital Region to connect with local leaders, like-minded businesses and individuals, and tools and resources they might not otherwise have access to.

== Accelerate518 ==

TAccelerate518 (A518) is a consortium of stakeholders nestled in the heart of our State—New York’s Capital Region. The Capital Region encompasses four counties: Albany, Schenectady, Rensselaer and Saratoga. The synergy of these four counties is the catalyst for invention and innovation.

The Capital Region has a rich history of incubating and growing multinational corporations, including: New York Central Railroad, American Express, Cap Cities, General Electric, American Locomotive Company, Albany International, International Paper, and Albany Molecular Research. Accelerate518 is a platform to facilitate multiple groups working together to advance entrepreneurship and innovation in the Capital Region.  The goals of A518 include fostering active collaboration among educators and stakeholders, providing practical resources for entrepreneurs, sharing resources for education and training, and developing a network of individuals committed to invigorating the startup culture of the Capital Region.  We have aligned our interests to help the regional entrepreneurial ecosystem grow companies and create sustainable jobs. Initial core members of A518 include: CEG, Albany Medical College, Albany Law School, Hudson Valley Community College, RPI, Sage Colleges, Siena College, Skidmore College, Union College, and University at Albany.

= Landscape Canvas and Presentation =

[https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1Ek9pplesv42Ubc0TzcqW7mtASYtgL_XbJmvxJG4e14s/pub?start=true&loop=true&delayms=3000 Landscape Canvas Documentation]

[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1cg47LQI3tLh2gxM4u2FfyEPX1ljnFulr97_amxy4ebc/pubhtml Landscape Presentation]

= Related Links =

[[Meghan Olson|Meghan Olson]]

[http://universityinnovation.org/wiki/Ray_Parker Ray Parker]

[[Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Strategic Priorities|Rensselaer_Polytechnic_Institute_Strategic_Priorities]]

[[Category:Universities]]

School:Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

2016-02-07T04:13:01Z

Ray Parker:

'''Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Innovation Ecosystem: Promoting student innovation and entrepreneurship'''

= '''Overview''' =

'''''The motto of entrepreneurship at RPI:  A way to think. A way to learn. A way to succeed. '''''

"Entrepreneurial thinking lies at the heart of Rensselaer’s philosophy. Like our faculty, Rensselaer students are encouraged to pursue creativity and discovery — and the results are often spectacular. Our undergraduates embrace change in ways that have transformed how the world works, plays, and lives.

Our entrepreneurship program is built on the premise that ''not everyone wants to, or needs to, become an entrepreneur, but in today’s world everyone should know how to think like one."''

This statement shows RPI's commitment to entrepreneurial thinking, not so much the outcome of entreprenurship. The RPI Exemplar's program is a great example of the culture of entrepreneurship that RPI thrives on, as the Exemplar's program is designed for students who have a high level of interest in complementing their education by aquiring an entrepreneurail perspective.

'''Formal programs:''' M.S. Technological Communication & Entrepreneurship

'''Extracurricular activities: ''' Exemplar's Program RPI Foundry Business Model Competition Change the World Challenge Elevator Pitch Competition  Education geared toward entrepreneurial thinking encourages students at RPI to think in different ways, to come up with new ideas to solve problems and to enter on-campus competitions such as the Change the World Challenge, the Class of ’51 Entrepreneurial Fund, the Elevator Pitch Competition, and the RPI Business Plan Competition.  These programs often provide the spark which gives students the entrepreneurial bug and encourages them to continue pursuing their ideas.

The Severino Center for Technological Entrepreneurship (SCTE), centered in Rensselaer’s Lally School of Management & Technology, helps to foster new generations of budding and successful entrepreneurs through outreach programs, education, and support systems.  In recognition of the fact that most business students aren’t inventors, the Lally School intersects with other schools on campus to encourage the formation of new student teams and the fusing of their ideas.

Small Buhrmaster grants in the amounts of $1,000 to $2,000 are available, as determined by the Director of the Severino Center, for student ventures to test the market feasibility of their business concepts and to establish and define their target customers.  Mr. Buhrmaster, ’69 is a friend of the Lally school and a member of its advisory council.

The Severino Center also provides Mentoring and Resources via the Student Sandbox, Entrepreneurs-in-Residence, the Rensselaer Student Entrepreneurship Club, and assistance in finding teammates.  Experienced entrepreneur volunteers are assigned to coach teams that receive a Buhrmaster grant to help guide them in their market and business development activities.  

= '''Encouraging faculty innovation and entrepreneurship''' =

''Incredible professors like Burt Swersey, Dr. Eric Ledet, and many others''

''"For the last decade, the Rensselaer Plan has provided a blueprint for transformation and impact. It has guided development of an exceptional campus environment for advancing research with the potential to address science and society’s most challenging problems. Based on this strong foundation, Rensselaer research is creating a better future through the innovation and engineering of a better world. With our accelerated trajectory, the best is yet to come."''

Research is huge on RPI's campus and encouraging innovation is both in line with The Rensselaer Plan and Rensselaer's motto of "why not change the world?"

= '''Actively supporting the university technology transfer function''' =

''RPI Office of Technology Commercialization: ''[http://www.rpitechnology.com/ http://www.rpitechnology.com/]

''RPI Technology Transfer/Innovation Hub: ''[http://rpihub.org/author/admin/ http://rpihub.org/author/admin/]

= '''Facilitating University-Industry Collaboration''' =

== RPI Tech Park ==

Rensselaer Technology Park is a university related park for technology ventures seeking a unique environment focused on the interface between industry and education.

According to the rpitechpark.com website, the University Interactions Policy of the Tech Park is built upon "a fundamental objective of the Park is to develop interactions between tenant companies and the university.  Such interactions enrich the educational environment of the university and help the companies stay on the leading edge of their technologies.  All companies in the Park automatically become “affiliates” of Rensselaer."  Building a synergistic environment is a responsibility shared by all members of the Park staff."

== EVE (Emerging Ventures Ecosystem) ==

The work of turning ideas into real companies happens in RPI’s incubator, the Emerging Ventures Ecosystem (EVE).  EVE is a distributed incubation program which accelerates the growth of new businesses and boosts the transfer of scientific and technological breakthroughs from the laboratory and classroom to the marketplace, for social and economic impact.

Launched in February 2011, the Emerging Ventures Ecosystem (EVE) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute serves to link “Rensselaer institutional resources and alumni/ae expertise symbiotically with community strengths, in a multi-faceted partnership for mutual benefit.”  The goal of EVE is to nurture new businesses and to build upon the decades of successful efforts of RPI’s previous incubator by helping young businesses grow and succeed.

Rensselaer’s previous incubator program was opened in 1980 as the nation’s first such program wholly sponsored and operated by a university. In its later stages, the incubator was primarily used for its “brick and mortar” assets, as place for entrepreneurially minded students to rent at a low cost, with convenient access to a photocopier.  The model of RPI’s old incubator was traditional: it was rented by students who were seeking to start a venture, which either lived or died, and then moved on.  The RPI Incubator building was closed in late 2009 simply because it did not make any money for the institution.

The new EVE program utilizes an innovative distributed incubation model, maintaining a central office in Troy, NY and working with each company to find an ideal matchup of space-to-enterprise in Troy and the surrounding area.  EVE is overseen by James Spencer, who has 20 years of experience in leading organizational creation and growth as an entrepreneurial business executive.

Once a new company completes the application process for the EVE program — through which Rensselaer will determine, in part, whether the entrepreneur is willing to put in the effort to make the company successful — the program will assign a status to the company: pre-seed, emerging, or early stage. Assigning these descriptions will help EVE mentors and administrators determine the specific services needed by each business.

Under EVE, businesses that are accepted into the program will receive a series of specific services that will help accelerate their growth.  A board of advisers will be established from community resources or alumni/ae for each new company.  If a company already has a board of advisers or directors, EVE will assign an additional person to the board to act as a liaison to mobilize resources within the Institute.

Upon formation of a board of advisors, three or four key objectives are developed by each company with the help of their advisory board.  Milestones for these objectives are then established for each quarter, in an effort to create a concrete plan for success and to generate measurable objectives; new goals are developed for succeeding semesters.  Companies must continue to show steady progress in order to remain in the program.

As a member of EVE, a company will have access to the Entrepreneur(s)-in-Residence at the Lally School as well as other resources including labs, patenting and licensing services, faculty, and students for work-study assignments, internships (REIP), and student projects.  Additional resources for EVE members include alumni/ae and community volunteers such as attorneys and accountants who are available to answer questions and provide advice and one time assistance for basic questions.  If an EVE company requires further professional assistance, they are encouraged to select a professional service company from a list provided through the EVE program. Such services may be offered at a discount to seed and early stage companies.

EVE hosts monthly peer review meetings, known as CEO Roundtable Discussions, among the CEOs of the incubated companies as a framework for peer-to-peer coaching among the mix of pre-seed, early state, and emerging companies supported by the EVE incubator program.  At these meetings, participants will sign disclosure agreements allowing a platform for confidential open discussions about topics and issues of importance to them.  The companies will also be invited to a monthly meeting featuring a speaker or a lecturer based upon a topic selected by the EVE companies’ CEOs and will also attend quarterly meet-ups for all employees of incubated companies, allowing the employees to build relationships and exchange ideas.

EVE promotes and introduces its companies to investors, assists them in identifying and seeking grant opportunities such as NYSERDA and SBIR, and helps them prepare for business plan competitions; the companies are given assistance in preparing applications, presentations, and pitches.  Additionally, members are provided access to professional grant writers to assist them as needed.

The EVE companies are invited to expand their professional networks through networking opportunities within the local business and academic community in order increase exposure to decision makers, funding sources from grants, and potential angel investors.  EVE is physically located off-campus in an effort to incubate companies directly in the community of Troy, NY and to strategically re-invent the typical “brick and mortar” business incubation model followed by RPI’s old incubator.  EVE is not a center where entrepreneurial students can simply rent space and use a photocopier the way a “brick and mortar” incubator is often used, but it is a 4,000 square foot center which strictly focuses on moving students through a business development continuum and on preparing them to fill vacant business facilities in the Troy community, leased at very low prices by realtors.  EVE does not want to focus on space like the traditional brick and mortar incubation model because if a company takes up too much space, they can’t let others in; student startups enrolled in EVE are treated like real businesses.

EVE was launched in February of 2011 with eight companies and now supports over thirty.  The continuum of business development begins with the formation of customized ninety-day plans which include 3-5 specific short term goals, preparing these young ventures to fill business space in the community.  Each venture enrolled in EVE has access to a huge network of professional individuals which include over 90,000 alumni that can potentially serve as mentors (25-30 of which are very active), the wind tunnel and prototyping capabilities at RPI, NYSERDA money, professional services (the first hour or two of which are provided for free), and accounting firms to help set up Quickbooks.  Although many professional services are not provided for EVE companies, aggressive rates are negotiated with local providers and funding often comes from venture pitches.

The key to RPI’s Emerging Ventures Ecosystem is that companies never graduate from the incubator because business development and iteration is never finalized.  Companies supported by EVE are always welcome to come back and ask for assistance in making new connections with the large international network of individuals.  RPI’s large alumni network serves as a virtual incubator in the sense that the network is leveraged to help grow companies as they experience the transition from technology ideas and intellectual property to commercialization through their education. 

== ==

=   '''Engaging with regional and local economic development efforts''' =

== Startup Tech Valley - Where Entrepreneurs and the Community Come Together ==

A monthly meetup for first-time entrepreneurs, experienced entrepreneurs, aspiring entrepreneurs, investors, mentors, employees of startups, serviceprodiders to startups, and anyone else who wants to be involved.

== Tech Valley Center of Gravity ==

The Tech Valley Center of Gravity is a federation of makers, hackers, crafters, and artists who share camaraderie, space, and resources to do our tinkering. We have a permanent makerspace, several satellite locations, and a community of local individuals and organizations to share and support them. We are based in downtown Troy, NY, and sponsor events all over the New York State Capital Region.

Our primary goal is to build a community around the idea of doing for ourselves, rather than just passively consuming, and learning how the arts, crafts, and technologies that surround us every day work, along the way. We also aim to create a network of contacts for small business and start-ups in the Capital Region to connect with local leaders, like-minded businesses and individuals, and tools and resources they might not otherwise have access to.

== Accelerate518 ==

TAccelerate518 (A518) is a consortium of stakeholders nestled in the heart of our State—New York’s Capital Region. The Capital Region encompasses four counties: Albany, Schenectady, Rensselaer and Saratoga. The synergy of these four counties is the catalyst for invention and innovation.

The Capital Region has a rich history of incubating and growing multinational corporations, including: New York Central Railroad, American Express, Cap Cities, General Electric, American Locomotive Company, Albany International, International Paper, and Albany Molecular Research. Accelerate518 is a platform to facilitate multiple groups working together to advance entrepreneurship and innovation in the Capital Region.  The goals of A518 include fostering active collaboration among educators and stakeholders, providing practical resources for entrepreneurs, sharing resources for education and training, and developing a network of individuals committed to invigorating the startup culture of the Capital Region.  We have aligned our interests to help the regional entrepreneurial ecosystem grow companies and create sustainable jobs. Initial core members of A518 include: CEG, Albany Medical College, Albany Law School, Hudson Valley Community College, RPI, Sage Colleges, Siena College, Skidmore College, Union College, and University at Albany.

= Landscape Canvas and Presentation =

[https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1Ek9pplesv42Ubc0TzcqW7mtASYtgL_XbJmvxJG4e14s/pub?start=true&loop=true&delayms=3000 Landscape Canvas Documentation]

[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1cg47LQI3tLh2gxM4u2FfyEPX1ljnFulr97_amxy4ebc/pubhtml Landscape Presentation]

= Related Links =

[[Meghan Olson|Meghan Olson]]

[http://universityinnovation.org/wiki/Ray_Parker Ray Parker]

[[Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Strategic Priorities|Rensselaer_Polytechnic_Institute_Strategic_Priorities]]

[[Category:Universities]]

School:Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

2016-02-07T04:12:40Z

Ray Parker:

'''Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Innovation Ecosystem: Promoting student innovation and entrepreneurship'''

= '''Overview''' =

'''''The motto of entrepreneurship at RPI:  A way to think. A way to learn. A way to succeed. '''''

"Entrepreneurial thinking lies at the heart of Rensselaer’s philosophy. Like our faculty, Rensselaer students are encouraged to pursue creativity and discovery — and the results are often spectacular. Our undergraduates embrace change in ways that have transformed how the world works, plays, and lives.

Our entrepreneurship program is built on the premise that ''not everyone wants to, or needs to, become an entrepreneur, but in today’s world everyone should know how to think like one."''

This statement shows RPI's commitment to entrepreneurial thinking, not so much the outcome of entreprenurship. The RPI Exemplar's program is a great example of the culture of entrepreneurship that RPI thrives on, as the Exemplar's program is designed for students who have a high level of interest in complementing their education by aquiring an entrepreneurail perspective.

'''Formal programs:''' M.S. Technological Communication & Entrepreneurship

'''Extracurricular activities: ''' Exemplar's Program RPI Foundry Business Model Competition Change the World Challenge Elevator Pitch Competition  Education geared toward entrepreneurial thinking encourages students at RPI to think in different ways, to come up with new ideas to solve problems and to enter on-campus competitions such as the Change the World Challenge, the Class of ’51 Entrepreneurial Fund, the Elevator Pitch Competition, and the RPI Business Plan Competition.  These programs often provide the spark which gives students the entrepreneurial bug and encourages them to continue pursuing their ideas.

The Severino Center for Technological Entrepreneurship (SCTE), centered in Rensselaer’s Lally School of Management & Technology, helps to foster new generations of budding and successful entrepreneurs through outreach programs, education, and support systems.  In recognition of the fact that most business students aren’t inventors, the Lally School intersects with other schools on campus to encourage the formation of new student teams and the fusing of their ideas.

Small Buhrmaster grants in the amounts of $1,000 to $2,000 are available, as determined by the Director of the Severino Center, for student ventures to test the market feasibility of their business concepts and to establish and define their target customers.  Mr. Buhrmaster, ’69 is a friend of the Lally school and a member of its advisory council.

The Severino Center also provides Mentoring and Resources via the Student Sandbox, Entrepreneurs-in-Residence, the Rensselaer Student Entrepreneurship Club, and assistance in finding teammates.  Experienced entrepreneur volunteers are assigned to coach teams that receive a Buhrmaster grant to help guide them in their market and business development activities.  

= '''Encouraging faculty innovation and entrepreneurship''' =

''Incredible professors like Burt Swersey, Dr. Eric Ledet, and many others''

''"For the last decade, the Rensselaer Plan has provided a blueprint for transformation and impact. It has guided development of an exceptional campus environment for advancing research with the potential to address science and society’s most challenging problems. Based on this strong foundation, Rensselaer research is creating a better future through the innovation and engineering of a better world. With our accelerated trajectory, the best is yet to come."''

Research is huge on RPI's campus and encouraging innovation is both in line with The Rensselaer Plan and Rensselaer's motto of "why not change the world?"

<parsererror style="display: block; white-space: pre; border: 2px solid #c77; padding: 0 1em 0 1em; margin: 1em; background-color: #fdd; color: black">

=== ===

=== ===

= '''Actively supporting the university technology transfer function''' =

''RPI Office of Technology Commercialization: ''[http://www.rpitechnology.com/ http://www.rpitechnology.com/]

''RPI Technology Transfer/Innovation Hub: ''[http://rpihub.org/author/admin/ http://rpihub.org/author/admin/]

= '''Facilitating University-Industry Collaboration''' =

== RPI Tech Park ==

Rensselaer Technology Park is a university related park for technology ventures seeking a unique environment focused on the interface between industry and education.

According to the rpitechpark.com website, the University Interactions Policy of the Tech Park is built upon "a fundamental objective of the Park is to develop interactions between tenant companies and the university.  Such interactions enrich the educational environment of the university and help the companies stay on the leading edge of their technologies.  All companies in the Park automatically become “affiliates” of Rensselaer."  Building a synergistic environment is a responsibility shared by all members of the Park staff."

== EVE (Emerging Ventures Ecosystem) ==

The work of turning ideas into real companies happens in RPI’s incubator, the Emerging Ventures Ecosystem (EVE).  EVE is a distributed incubation program which accelerates the growth of new businesses and boosts the transfer of scientific and technological breakthroughs from the laboratory and classroom to the marketplace, for social and economic impact.

Launched in February 2011, the Emerging Ventures Ecosystem (EVE) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute serves to link “Rensselaer institutional resources and alumni/ae expertise symbiotically with community strengths, in a multi-faceted partnership for mutual benefit.”  The goal of EVE is to nurture new businesses and to build upon the decades of successful efforts of RPI’s previous incubator by helping young businesses grow and succeed.

Rensselaer’s previous incubator program was opened in 1980 as the nation’s first such program wholly sponsored and operated by a university. In its later stages, the incubator was primarily used for its “brick and mortar” assets, as place for entrepreneurially minded students to rent at a low cost, with convenient access to a photocopier.  The model of RPI’s old incubator was traditional: it was rented by students who were seeking to start a venture, which either lived or died, and then moved on.  The RPI Incubator building was closed in late 2009 simply because it did not make any money for the institution.

The new EVE program utilizes an innovative distributed incubation model, maintaining a central office in Troy, NY and working with each company to find an ideal matchup of space-to-enterprise in Troy and the surrounding area.  EVE is overseen by James Spencer, who has 20 years of experience in leading organizational creation and growth as an entrepreneurial business executive.

Once a new company completes the application process for the EVE program — through which Rensselaer will determine, in part, whether the entrepreneur is willing to put in the effort to make the company successful — the program will assign a status to the company: pre-seed, emerging, or early stage. Assigning these descriptions will help EVE mentors and administrators determine the specific services needed by each business.

Under EVE, businesses that are accepted into the program will receive a series of specific services that will help accelerate their growth.  A board of advisers will be established from community resources or alumni/ae for each new company.  If a company already has a board of advisers or directors, EVE will assign an additional person to the board to act as a liaison to mobilize resources within the Institute.

Upon formation of a board of advisors, three or four key objectives are developed by each company with the help of their advisory board.  Milestones for these objectives are then established for each quarter, in an effort to create a concrete plan for success and to generate measurable objectives; new goals are developed for succeeding semesters.  Companies must continue to show steady progress in order to remain in the program.

As a member of EVE, a company will have access to the Entrepreneur(s)-in-Residence at the Lally School as well as other resources including labs, patenting and licensing services, faculty, and students for work-study assignments, internships (REIP), and student projects.  Additional resources for EVE members include alumni/ae and community volunteers such as attorneys and accountants who are available to answer questions and provide advice and one time assistance for basic questions.  If an EVE company requires further professional assistance, they are encouraged to select a professional service company from a list provided through the EVE program. Such services may be offered at a discount to seed and early stage companies.

EVE hosts monthly peer review meetings, known as CEO Roundtable Discussions, among the CEOs of the incubated companies as a framework for peer-to-peer coaching among the mix of pre-seed, early state, and emerging companies supported by the EVE incubator program.  At these meetings, participants will sign disclosure agreements allowing a platform for confidential open discussions about topics and issues of importance to them.  The companies will also be invited to a monthly meeting featuring a speaker or a lecturer based upon a topic selected by the EVE companies’ CEOs and will also attend quarterly meet-ups for all employees of incubated companies, allowing the employees to build relationships and exchange ideas.

EVE promotes and introduces its companies to investors, assists them in identifying and seeking grant opportunities such as NYSERDA and SBIR, and helps them prepare for business plan competitions; the companies are given assistance in preparing applications, presentations, and pitches.  Additionally, members are provided access to professional grant writers to assist them as needed.

The EVE companies are invited to expand their professional networks through networking opportunities within the local business and academic community in order increase exposure to decision makers, funding sources from grants, and potential angel investors.  EVE is physically located off-campus in an effort to incubate companies directly in the community of Troy, NY and to strategically re-invent the typical “brick and mortar” business incubation model followed by RPI’s old incubator.  EVE is not a center where entrepreneurial students can simply rent space and use a photocopier the way a “brick and mortar” incubator is often used, but it is a 4,000 square foot center which strictly focuses on moving students through a business development continuum and on preparing them to fill vacant business facilities in the Troy community, leased at very low prices by realtors.  EVE does not want to focus on space like the traditional brick and mortar incubation model because if a company takes up too much space, they can’t let others in; student startups enrolled in EVE are treated like real businesses.

EVE was launched in February of 2011 with eight companies and now supports over thirty.  The continuum of business development begins with the formation of customized ninety-day plans which include 3-5 specific short term goals, preparing these young ventures to fill business space in the community.  Each venture enrolled in EVE has access to a huge network of professional individuals which include over 90,000 alumni that can potentially serve as mentors (25-30 of which are very active), the wind tunnel and prototyping capabilities at RPI, NYSERDA money, professional services (the first hour or two of which are provided for free), and accounting firms to help set up Quickbooks.  Although many professional services are not provided for EVE companies, aggressive rates are negotiated with local providers and funding often comes from venture pitches.

The key to RPI’s Emerging Ventures Ecosystem is that companies never graduate from the incubator because business development and iteration is never finalized.  Companies supported by EVE are always welcome to come back and ask for assistance in making new connections with the large international network of individuals.  RPI’s large alumni network serves as a virtual incubator in the sense that the network is leveraged to help grow companies as they experience the transition from technology ideas and intellectual property to commercialization through their education. 

== ==

=   '''Engaging with regional and local economic development efforts''' =

== Startup Tech Valley - Where Entrepreneurs and the Community Come Together ==

A monthly meetup for first-time entrepreneurs, experienced entrepreneurs, aspiring entrepreneurs, investors, mentors, employees of startups, serviceprodiders to startups, and anyone else who wants to be involved.

== Tech Valley Center of Gravity ==

The Tech Valley Center of Gravity is a federation of makers, hackers, crafters, and artists who share camaraderie, space, and resources to do our tinkering. We have a permanent makerspace, several satellite locations, and a community of local individuals and organizations to share and support them. We are based in downtown Troy, NY, and sponsor events all over the New York State Capital Region.

Our primary goal is to build a community around the idea of doing for ourselves, rather than just passively consuming, and learning how the arts, crafts, and technologies that surround us every day work, along the way. We also aim to create a network of contacts for small business and start-ups in the Capital Region to connect with local leaders, like-minded businesses and individuals, and tools and resources they might not otherwise have access to.

== Accelerate518 ==

TAccelerate518 (A518) is a consortium of stakeholders nestled in the heart of our State—New York’s Capital Region. The Capital Region encompasses four counties: Albany, Schenectady, Rensselaer and Saratoga. The synergy of these four counties is the catalyst for invention and innovation.

The Capital Region has a rich history of incubating and growing multinational corporations, including: New York Central Railroad, American Express, Cap Cities, General Electric, American Locomotive Company, Albany International, International Paper, and Albany Molecular Research. Accelerate518 is a platform to facilitate multiple groups working together to advance entrepreneurship and innovation in the Capital Region.  The goals of A518 include fostering active collaboration among educators and stakeholders, providing practical resources for entrepreneurs, sharing resources for education and training, and developing a network of individuals committed to invigorating the startup culture of the Capital Region.  We have aligned our interests to help the regional entrepreneurial ecosystem grow companies and create sustainable jobs. Initial core members of A518 include: CEG, Albany Medical College, Albany Law School, Hudson Valley Community College, RPI, Sage Colleges, Siena College, Skidmore College, Union College, and University at Albany.

= Landscape Canvas and Presentation =

[https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1Ek9pplesv42Ubc0TzcqW7mtASYtgL_XbJmvxJG4e14s/pub?start=true&loop=true&delayms=3000 Landscape Canvas Documentation]

[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1cg47LQI3tLh2gxM4u2FfyEPX1ljnFulr97_amxy4ebc/pubhtml Landscape Presentation]

= Related Links =

[[Meghan Olson|Meghan Olson]]

[http://universityinnovation.org/wiki/Ray_Parker Ray Parker]

[[Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Strategic Priorities|Rensselaer_Polytechnic_Institute_Strategic_Priorities]]

[[Category:Universities]]

School:Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

2016-02-07T04:12:04Z

Ray Parker:

'''Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Innovation Ecosystem: Promoting student innovation and entrepreneurship'''

= '''Overview''' =

'''''The motto of entrepreneurship at RPI:  A way to think. A way to learn. A way to succeed. '''''

"Entrepreneurial thinking lies at the heart of Rensselaer’s philosophy. Like our faculty, Rensselaer students are encouraged to pursue creativity and discovery — and the results are often spectacular. Our undergraduates embrace change in ways that have transformed how the world works, plays, and lives.

Our entrepreneurship program is built on the premise that ''not everyone wants to, or needs to, become an entrepreneur, but in today’s world everyone should know how to think like one."''

This statement shows RPI's commitment to entrepreneurial thinking, not so much the outcome of entreprenurship. The RPI Exemplar's program is a great example of the culture of entrepreneurship that RPI thrives on, as the Exemplar's program is designed for students who have a high level of interest in complementing their education by aquiring an entrepreneurail perspective.

'''Formal programs:''' M.S. Technological Communication & Entrepreneurship

'''Extracurricular activities: ''' Exemplar's Program RPI Foundry Business Model Competition Change the World Challenge Elevator Pitch Competition  Education geared toward entrepreneurial thinking encourages students at RPI to think in different ways, to come up with new ideas to solve problems and to enter on-campus competitions such as the Change the World Challenge, the Class of ’51 Entrepreneurial Fund, the Elevator Pitch Competition, and the RPI Business Plan Competition.  These programs often provide the spark which gives students the entrepreneurial bug and encourages them to continue pursuing their ideas.

The Severino Center for Technological Entrepreneurship (SCTE), centered in Rensselaer’s Lally School of Management & Technology, helps to foster new generations of budding and successful entrepreneurs through outreach programs, education, and support systems.  In recognition of the fact that most business students aren’t inventors, the Lally School intersects with other schools on campus to encourage the formation of new student teams and the fusing of their ideas.

Small Buhrmaster grants in the amounts of $1,000 to $2,000 are available, as determined by the Director of the Severino Center, for student ventures to test the market feasibility of their business concepts and to establish and define their target customers.  Mr. Buhrmaster, ’69 is a friend of the Lally school and a member of its advisory council.

The Severino Center also provides Mentoring and Resources via the Student Sandbox, Entrepreneurs-in-Residence, the Rensselaer Student Entrepreneurship Club, and assistance in finding teammates.  Experienced entrepreneur volunteers are assigned to coach teams that receive a Buhrmaster grant to help guide them in their market and business development activities.  

= '''Encouraging faculty innovation and entrepreneurship''' =

''Incredible professors like Burt Swersey, Dr. Eric Ledet, and many others''

''"For the last decade, the Rensselaer Plan has provided a blueprint for transformation and impact. It has guided development of an exceptional campus environment for advancing research with the potential to address science and society’s most challenging problems. Based on this strong foundation, Rensselaer research is creating a better future through the innovation and engineering of a better world. With our accelerated trajectory, the best is yet to come."''

Research is huge on RPI's campus and encouraging innovation is both in line with The Rensselaer Plan and Rensselaer's motto of "why not change the world?"

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=== ===

=== Below is a rendering of the page up to the first error. ===

</parsererror>

= '''Actively supporting the university technology transfer function''' =

''RPI Office of Technology Commercialization: ''[http://www.rpitechnology.com/ http://www.rpitechnology.com/]

''RPI Technology Transfer/Innovation Hub: ''[http://rpihub.org/author/admin/ http://rpihub.org/author/admin/]

= '''Facilitating University-Industry Collaboration''' =

== RPI Tech Park ==

Rensselaer Technology Park is a university related park for technology ventures seeking a unique environment focused on the interface between industry and education.

According to the rpitechpark.com website, the University Interactions Policy of the Tech Park is built upon "a fundamental objective of the Park is to develop interactions between tenant companies and the university.  Such interactions enrich the educational environment of the university and help the companies stay on the leading edge of their technologies.  All companies in the Park automatically become “affiliates” of Rensselaer."  Building a synergistic environment is a responsibility shared by all members of the Park staff."

== EVE (Emerging Ventures Ecosystem) ==

The work of turning ideas into real companies happens in RPI’s incubator, the Emerging Ventures Ecosystem (EVE).  EVE is a distributed incubation program which accelerates the growth of new businesses and boosts the transfer of scientific and technological breakthroughs from the laboratory and classroom to the marketplace, for social and economic impact.

Launched in February 2011, the Emerging Ventures Ecosystem (EVE) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute serves to link “Rensselaer institutional resources and alumni/ae expertise symbiotically with community strengths, in a multi-faceted partnership for mutual benefit.”  The goal of EVE is to nurture new businesses and to build upon the decades of successful efforts of RPI’s previous incubator by helping young businesses grow and succeed.

Rensselaer’s previous incubator program was opened in 1980 as the nation’s first such program wholly sponsored and operated by a university. In its later stages, the incubator was primarily used for its “brick and mortar” assets, as place for entrepreneurially minded students to rent at a low cost, with convenient access to a photocopier.  The model of RPI’s old incubator was traditional: it was rented by students who were seeking to start a venture, which either lived or died, and then moved on.  The RPI Incubator building was closed in late 2009 simply because it did not make any money for the institution.

The new EVE program utilizes an innovative distributed incubation model, maintaining a central office in Troy, NY and working with each company to find an ideal matchup of space-to-enterprise in Troy and the surrounding area.  EVE is overseen by James Spencer, who has 20 years of experience in leading organizational creation and growth as an entrepreneurial business executive.

Once a new company completes the application process for the EVE program — through which Rensselaer will determine, in part, whether the entrepreneur is willing to put in the effort to make the company successful — the program will assign a status to the company: pre-seed, emerging, or early stage. Assigning these descriptions will help EVE mentors and administrators determine the specific services needed by each business.

Under EVE, businesses that are accepted into the program will receive a series of specific services that will help accelerate their growth.  A board of advisers will be established from community resources or alumni/ae for each new company.  If a company already has a board of advisers or directors, EVE will assign an additional person to the board to act as a liaison to mobilize resources within the Institute.

Upon formation of a board of advisors, three or four key objectives are developed by each company with the help of their advisory board.  Milestones for these objectives are then established for each quarter, in an effort to create a concrete plan for success and to generate measurable objectives; new goals are developed for succeeding semesters.  Companies must continue to show steady progress in order to remain in the program.

As a member of EVE, a company will have access to the Entrepreneur(s)-in-Residence at the Lally School as well as other resources including labs, patenting and licensing services, faculty, and students for work-study assignments, internships (REIP), and student projects.  Additional resources for EVE members include alumni/ae and community volunteers such as attorneys and accountants who are available to answer questions and provide advice and one time assistance for basic questions.  If an EVE company requires further professional assistance, they are encouraged to select a professional service company from a list provided through the EVE program. Such services may be offered at a discount to seed and early stage companies.

EVE hosts monthly peer review meetings, known as CEO Roundtable Discussions, among the CEOs of the incubated companies as a framework for peer-to-peer coaching among the mix of pre-seed, early state, and emerging companies supported by the EVE incubator program.  At these meetings, participants will sign disclosure agreements allowing a platform for confidential open discussions about topics and issues of importance to them.  The companies will also be invited to a monthly meeting featuring a speaker or a lecturer based upon a topic selected by the EVE companies’ CEOs and will also attend quarterly meet-ups for all employees of incubated companies, allowing the employees to build relationships and exchange ideas.

EVE promotes and introduces its companies to investors, assists them in identifying and seeking grant opportunities such as NYSERDA and SBIR, and helps them prepare for business plan competitions; the companies are given assistance in preparing applications, presentations, and pitches.  Additionally, members are provided access to professional grant writers to assist them as needed.

The EVE companies are invited to expand their professional networks through networking opportunities within the local business and academic community in order increase exposure to decision makers, funding sources from grants, and potential angel investors.  EVE is physically located off-campus in an effort to incubate companies directly in the community of Troy, NY and to strategically re-invent the typical “brick and mortar” business incubation model followed by RPI’s old incubator.  EVE is not a center where entrepreneurial students can simply rent space and use a photocopier the way a “brick and mortar” incubator is often used, but it is a 4,000 square foot center which strictly focuses on moving students through a business development continuum and on preparing them to fill vacant business facilities in the Troy community, leased at very low prices by realtors.  EVE does not want to focus on space like the traditional brick and mortar incubation model because if a company takes up too much space, they can’t let others in; student startups enrolled in EVE are treated like real businesses.

EVE was launched in February of 2011 with eight companies and now supports over thirty.  The continuum of business development begins with the formation of customized ninety-day plans which include 3-5 specific short term goals, preparing these young ventures to fill business space in the community.  Each venture enrolled in EVE has access to a huge network of professional individuals which include over 90,000 alumni that can potentially serve as mentors (25-30 of which are very active), the wind tunnel and prototyping capabilities at RPI, NYSERDA money, professional services (the first hour or two of which are provided for free), and accounting firms to help set up Quickbooks.  Although many professional services are not provided for EVE companies, aggressive rates are negotiated with local providers and funding often comes from venture pitches.

The key to RPI’s Emerging Ventures Ecosystem is that companies never graduate from the incubator because business development and iteration is never finalized.  Companies supported by EVE are always welcome to come back and ask for assistance in making new connections with the large international network of individuals.  RPI’s large alumni network serves as a virtual incubator in the sense that the network is leveraged to help grow companies as they experience the transition from technology ideas and intellectual property to commercialization through their education. 

== ==

=   '''Engaging with regional and local economic development efforts''' =

== Startup Tech Valley - Where Entrepreneurs and the Community Come Together ==

A monthly meetup for first-time entrepreneurs, experienced entrepreneurs, aspiring entrepreneurs, investors, mentors, employees of startups, serviceprodiders to startups, and anyone else who wants to be involved.

== Tech Valley Center of Gravity ==

The Tech Valley Center of Gravity is a federation of makers, hackers, crafters, and artists who share camaraderie, space, and resources to do our tinkering. We have a permanent makerspace, several satellite locations, and a community of local individuals and organizations to share and support them. We are based in downtown Troy, NY, and sponsor events all over the New York State Capital Region.

Our primary goal is to build a community around the idea of doing for ourselves, rather than just passively consuming, and learning how the arts, crafts, and technologies that surround us every day work, along the way. We also aim to create a network of contacts for small business and start-ups in the Capital Region to connect with local leaders, like-minded businesses and individuals, and tools and resources they might not otherwise have access to.

== Accelerate518 ==

TAccelerate518 (A518) is a consortium of stakeholders nestled in the heart of our State—New York’s Capital Region. The Capital Region encompasses four counties: Albany, Schenectady, Rensselaer and Saratoga. The synergy of these four counties is the catalyst for invention and innovation.

The Capital Region has a rich history of incubating and growing multinational corporations, including: New York Central Railroad, American Express, Cap Cities, General Electric, American Locomotive Company, Albany International, International Paper, and Albany Molecular Research. Accelerate518 is a platform to facilitate multiple groups working together to advance entrepreneurship and innovation in the Capital Region.  The goals of A518 include fostering active collaboration among educators and stakeholders, providing practical resources for entrepreneurs, sharing resources for education and training, and developing a network of individuals committed to invigorating the startup culture of the Capital Region.  We have aligned our interests to help the regional entrepreneurial ecosystem grow companies and create sustainable jobs. Initial core members of A518 include: CEG, Albany Medical College, Albany Law School, Hudson Valley Community College, RPI, Sage Colleges, Siena College, Skidmore College, Union College, and University at Albany.

= Landscape Canvas and Presentation =

[https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1Ek9pplesv42Ubc0TzcqW7mtASYtgL_XbJmvxJG4e14s/pub?start=true&loop=true&delayms=3000 Landscape Canvas Documentation]

[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1cg47LQI3tLh2gxM4u2FfyEPX1ljnFulr97_amxy4ebc/pubhtml Landscape Presentation]

= Related Links =

[[Meghan Olson|Meghan Olson]]

[http://universityinnovation.org/wiki/Ray_Parker Ray Parker]

[[Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Strategic Priorities|Rensselaer_Polytechnic_Institute_Strategic_Priorities]]

[[Category:Universities]]

School:Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

2016-02-07T04:11:43Z

Ray Parker:

'''Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Innovation Ecosystem: Promoting student innovation and entrepreneurship'''

= '''Overview''' =

'''''The motto of entrepreneurship at RPI:  A way to think. A way to learn. A way to succeed. '''''

"Entrepreneurial thinking lies at the heart of Rensselaer’s philosophy. Like our faculty, Rensselaer students are encouraged to pursue creativity and discovery — and the results are often spectacular. Our undergraduates embrace change in ways that have transformed how the world works, plays, and lives.

Our entrepreneurship program is built on the premise that ''not everyone wants to, or needs to, become an entrepreneur, but in today’s world everyone should know how to think like one."''

This statement shows RPI's commitment to entrepreneurial thinking, not so much the outcome of entreprenurship. The RPI Exemplar's program is a great example of the culture of entrepreneurship that RPI thrives on, as the Exemplar's program is designed for students who have a high level of interest in complementing their education by aquiring an entrepreneurail perspective.

'''Formal programs:''' M.S. Technological Communication & Entrepreneurship

'''Extracurricular activities: ''' Exemplar's Program RPI Foundry Business Model Competition Change the World Challenge Elevator Pitch Competition  Education geared toward entrepreneurial thinking encourages students at RPI to think in different ways, to come up with new ideas to solve problems and to enter on-campus competitions such as the Change the World Challenge, the Class of ’51 Entrepreneurial Fund, the Elevator Pitch Competition, and the RPI Business Plan Competition.  These programs often provide the spark which gives students the entrepreneurial bug and encourages them to continue pursuing their ideas.

The Severino Center for Technological Entrepreneurship (SCTE), centered in Rensselaer’s Lally School of Management & Technology, helps to foster new generations of budding and successful entrepreneurs through outreach programs, education, and support systems.  In recognition of the fact that most business students aren’t inventors, the Lally School intersects with other schools on campus to encourage the formation of new student teams and the fusing of their ideas.

Small Buhrmaster grants in the amounts of $1,000 to $2,000 are available, as determined by the Director of the Severino Center, for student ventures to test the market feasibility of their business concepts and to establish and define their target customers.  Mr. Buhrmaster, ’69 is a friend of the Lally school and a member of its advisory council.

The Severino Center also provides Mentoring and Resources via the Student Sandbox, Entrepreneurs-in-Residence, the Rensselaer Student Entrepreneurship Club, and assistance in finding teammates.  Experienced entrepreneur volunteers are assigned to coach teams that receive a Buhrmaster grant to help guide them in their market and business development activities.  

= '''Encouraging faculty innovation and entrepreneurship''' =

''Incredible professors like Burt Swersey, Dr. Eric Ledet, and many others''

''"For the last decade, the Rensselaer Plan has provided a blueprint for transformation and impact. It has guided development of an exceptional campus environment for advancing research with the potential to address science and society’s most challenging problems. Based on this strong foundation, Rensselaer research is creating a better future through the innovation and engineering of a better world. With our accelerated trajectory, the best is yet to come."''

Research is huge on RPI's campus and encouraging innovation is both in line with The Rensselaer Plan and Rensselaer's motto of "why not change the world?"

<parsererror style="display: block; white-space: pre; border: 2px solid #c77; padding: 0 1em 0 1em; margin: 1em; background-color: #fdd; color: black">

=== This page contains the following errors: ===
<div style="font-family:monospace;font-size:12px">error on line 1 at column 818: attributes construct error</div>
=== Below is a rendering of the page up to the first error. ===

</parsererror>

= '''Actively supporting the university technology transfer function''' =

''RPI Office of Technology Commercialization: ''[http://www.rpitechnology.com/ http://www.rpitechnology.com/]

''RPI Technology Transfer/Innovation Hub: ''[http://rpihub.org/author/admin/ http://rpihub.org/author/admin/]

= '''Facilitating University-Industry Collaboration''' =

== RPI Tech Park ==

Rensselaer Technology Park is a university related park for technology ventures seeking a unique environment focused on the interface between industry and education.

According to the rpitechpark.com website, the University Interactions Policy of the Tech Park is built upon "a fundamental objective of the Park is to develop interactions between tenant companies and the university.  Such interactions enrich the educational environment of the university and help the companies stay on the leading edge of their technologies.  All companies in the Park automatically become “affiliates” of Rensselaer."  Building a synergistic environment is a responsibility shared by all members of the Park staff."

== EVE (Emerging Ventures Ecosystem) ==

The work of turning ideas into real companies happens in RPI’s incubator, the Emerging Ventures Ecosystem (EVE).  EVE is a distributed incubation program which accelerates the growth of new businesses and boosts the transfer of scientific and technological breakthroughs from the laboratory and classroom to the marketplace, for social and economic impact.

Launched in February 2011, the Emerging Ventures Ecosystem (EVE) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute serves to link “Rensselaer institutional resources and alumni/ae expertise symbiotically with community strengths, in a multi-faceted partnership for mutual benefit.”  The goal of EVE is to nurture new businesses and to build upon the decades of successful efforts of RPI’s previous incubator by helping young businesses grow and succeed.

Rensselaer’s previous incubator program was opened in 1980 as the nation’s first such program wholly sponsored and operated by a university. In its later stages, the incubator was primarily used for its “brick and mortar” assets, as place for entrepreneurially minded students to rent at a low cost, with convenient access to a photocopier.  The model of RPI’s old incubator was traditional: it was rented by students who were seeking to start a venture, which either lived or died, and then moved on.  The RPI Incubator building was closed in late 2009 simply because it did not make any money for the institution.

The new EVE program utilizes an innovative distributed incubation model, maintaining a central office in Troy, NY and working with each company to find an ideal matchup of space-to-enterprise in Troy and the surrounding area.  EVE is overseen by James Spencer, who has 20 years of experience in leading organizational creation and growth as an entrepreneurial business executive.

Once a new company completes the application process for the EVE program — through which Rensselaer will determine, in part, whether the entrepreneur is willing to put in the effort to make the company successful — the program will assign a status to the company: pre-seed, emerging, or early stage. Assigning these descriptions will help EVE mentors and administrators determine the specific services needed by each business.

Under EVE, businesses that are accepted into the program will receive a series of specific services that will help accelerate their growth.  A board of advisers will be established from community resources or alumni/ae for each new company.  If a company already has a board of advisers or directors, EVE will assign an additional person to the board to act as a liaison to mobilize resources within the Institute.

Upon formation of a board of advisors, three or four key objectives are developed by each company with the help of their advisory board.  Milestones for these objectives are then established for each quarter, in an effort to create a concrete plan for success and to generate measurable objectives; new goals are developed for succeeding semesters.  Companies must continue to show steady progress in order to remain in the program.

As a member of EVE, a company will have access to the Entrepreneur(s)-in-Residence at the Lally School as well as other resources including labs, patenting and licensing services, faculty, and students for work-study assignments, internships (REIP), and student projects.  Additional resources for EVE members include alumni/ae and community volunteers such as attorneys and accountants who are available to answer questions and provide advice and one time assistance for basic questions.  If an EVE company requires further professional assistance, they are encouraged to select a professional service company from a list provided through the EVE program. Such services may be offered at a discount to seed and early stage companies.

EVE hosts monthly peer review meetings, known as CEO Roundtable Discussions, among the CEOs of the incubated companies as a framework for peer-to-peer coaching among the mix of pre-seed, early state, and emerging companies supported by the EVE incubator program.  At these meetings, participants will sign disclosure agreements allowing a platform for confidential open discussions about topics and issues of importance to them.  The companies will also be invited to a monthly meeting featuring a speaker or a lecturer based upon a topic selected by the EVE companies’ CEOs and will also attend quarterly meet-ups for all employees of incubated companies, allowing the employees to build relationships and exchange ideas.

EVE promotes and introduces its companies to investors, assists them in identifying and seeking grant opportunities such as NYSERDA and SBIR, and helps them prepare for business plan competitions; the companies are given assistance in preparing applications, presentations, and pitches.  Additionally, members are provided access to professional grant writers to assist them as needed.

The EVE companies are invited to expand their professional networks through networking opportunities within the local business and academic community in order increase exposure to decision makers, funding sources from grants, and potential angel investors.  EVE is physically located off-campus in an effort to incubate companies directly in the community of Troy, NY and to strategically re-invent the typical “brick and mortar” business incubation model followed by RPI’s old incubator.  EVE is not a center where entrepreneurial students can simply rent space and use a photocopier the way a “brick and mortar” incubator is often used, but it is a 4,000 square foot center which strictly focuses on moving students through a business development continuum and on preparing them to fill vacant business facilities in the Troy community, leased at very low prices by realtors.  EVE does not want to focus on space like the traditional brick and mortar incubation model because if a company takes up too much space, they can’t let others in; student startups enrolled in EVE are treated like real businesses.

EVE was launched in February of 2011 with eight companies and now supports over thirty.  The continuum of business development begins with the formation of customized ninety-day plans which include 3-5 specific short term goals, preparing these young ventures to fill business space in the community.  Each venture enrolled in EVE has access to a huge network of professional individuals which include over 90,000 alumni that can potentially serve as mentors (25-30 of which are very active), the wind tunnel and prototyping capabilities at RPI, NYSERDA money, professional services (the first hour or two of which are provided for free), and accounting firms to help set up Quickbooks.  Although many professional services are not provided for EVE companies, aggressive rates are negotiated with local providers and funding often comes from venture pitches.

The key to RPI’s Emerging Ventures Ecosystem is that companies never graduate from the incubator because business development and iteration is never finalized.  Companies supported by EVE are always welcome to come back and ask for assistance in making new connections with the large international network of individuals.  RPI’s large alumni network serves as a virtual incubator in the sense that the network is leveraged to help grow companies as they experience the transition from technology ideas and intellectual property to commercialization through their education. 

== ==

=   '''Engaging with regional and local economic development efforts''' =

== Startup Tech Valley - Where Entrepreneurs and the Community Come Together ==

A monthly meetup for first-time entrepreneurs, experienced entrepreneurs, aspiring entrepreneurs, investors, mentors, employees of startups, serviceprodiders to startups, and anyone else who wants to be involved.

== Tech Valley Center of Gravity ==

The Tech Valley Center of Gravity is a federation of makers, hackers, crafters, and artists who share camaraderie, space, and resources to do our tinkering. We have a permanent makerspace, several satellite locations, and a community of local individuals and organizations to share and support them. We are based in downtown Troy, NY, and sponsor events all over the New York State Capital Region.

Our primary goal is to build a community around the idea of doing for ourselves, rather than just passively consuming, and learning how the arts, crafts, and technologies that surround us every day work, along the way. We also aim to create a network of contacts for small business and start-ups in the Capital Region to connect with local leaders, like-minded businesses and individuals, and tools and resources they might not otherwise have access to.

== Accelerate518 ==

TAccelerate518 (A518) is a consortium of stakeholders nestled in the heart of our State—New York’s Capital Region. The Capital Region encompasses four counties: Albany, Schenectady, Rensselaer and Saratoga. The synergy of these four counties is the catalyst for invention and innovation.

The Capital Region has a rich history of incubating and growing multinational corporations, including: New York Central Railroad, American Express, Cap Cities, General Electric, American Locomotive Company, Albany International, International Paper, and Albany Molecular Research. Accelerate518 is a platform to facilitate multiple groups working together to advance entrepreneurship and innovation in the Capital Region.  The goals of A518 include fostering active collaboration among educators and stakeholders, providing practical resources for entrepreneurs, sharing resources for education and training, and developing a network of individuals committed to invigorating the startup culture of the Capital Region.  We have aligned our interests to help the regional entrepreneurial ecosystem grow companies and create sustainable jobs. Initial core members of A518 include: CEG, Albany Medical College, Albany Law School, Hudson Valley Community College, RPI, Sage Colleges, Siena College, Skidmore College, Union College, and University at Albany.

= Landscape Canvas and Presentation =

[https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1Ek9pplesv42Ubc0TzcqW7mtASYtgL_XbJmvxJG4e14s/pub?start=true&loop=true&delayms=3000 Landscape Canvas Documentation]

[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1cg47LQI3tLh2gxM4u2FfyEPX1ljnFulr97_amxy4ebc/pubhtml Landscape Presentation]

= Related Links =

[[Meghan Olson|Meghan Olson]]

[http://universityinnovation.org/wiki/Ray_Parker Ray Parker]

[[Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Strategic Priorities|Rensselaer_Polytechnic_Institute_Strategic_Priorities]]

[[Category:Universities]]

School:Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

2016-02-07T04:11:05Z

Ray Parker:

'''Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Innovation Ecosystem: Promoting student innovation and entrepreneurship'''

= '''Overview''' =

'''''The motto of entrepreneurship at RPI:  A way to think. A way to learn. A way to succeed. '''''

"Entrepreneurial thinking lies at the heart of Rensselaer’s philosophy. Like our faculty, Rensselaer students are encouraged to pursue creativity and discovery — and the results are often spectacular. Our undergraduates embrace change in ways that have transformed how the world works, plays, and lives.

Our entrepreneurship program is built on the premise that ''not everyone wants to, or needs to, become an entrepreneur, but in today’s world everyone should know how to think like one."''

This statement shows RPI's commitment to entrepreneurial thinking, not so much the outcome of entreprenurship. The RPI Exemplar's program is a great example of the culture of entrepreneurship that RPI thrives on, as the Exemplar's program is designed for students who have a high level of interest in complementing their education by aquiring an entrepreneurail perspective.

'''Formal programs:''' M.S. Technological Communication & Entrepreneurship

'''Extracurricular activities: ''' Exemplar's Program RPI Foundry Business Model Competition Change the World Challenge Elevator Pitch Competition  Education geared toward entrepreneurial thinking encourages students at RPI to think in different ways, to come up with new ideas to solve problems and to enter on-campus competitions such as the Change the World Challenge, the Class of ’51 Entrepreneurial Fund, the Elevator Pitch Competition, and the RPI Business Plan Competition.  These programs often provide the spark which gives students the entrepreneurial bug and encourages them to continue pursuing their ideas.

The Severino Center for Technological Entrepreneurship (SCTE), centered in Rensselaer’s Lally School of Management & Technology, helps to foster new generations of budding and successful entrepreneurs through outreach programs, education, and support systems.  In recognition of the fact that most business students aren’t inventors, the Lally School intersects with other schools on campus to encourage the formation of new student teams and the fusing of their ideas.

Small Buhrmaster grants in the amounts of $1,000 to $2,000 are available, as determined by the Director of the Severino Center, for student ventures to test the market feasibility of their business concepts and to establish and define their target customers.  Mr. Buhrmaster, ’69 is a friend of the Lally school and a member of its advisory council.

The Severino Center also provides Mentoring and Resources via the Student Sandbox, Entrepreneurs-in-Residence, the Rensselaer Student Entrepreneurship Club, and assistance in finding teammates.  Experienced entrepreneur volunteers are assigned to coach teams that receive a Buhrmaster grant to help guide them in their market and business development activities.  

= '''Encouraging faculty innovation and entrepreneurship''' =

''Incredible professors like Burt Swersey, Dr. Eric Ledet, and many others''

''"For the last decade, the Rensselaer Plan has provided a blueprint for transformation and impact. It has guided development of an exceptional campus environment for advancing research with the potential to address science and society’s most challenging problems. Based on this strong foundation, Rensselaer research is creating a better future through the innovation and engineering of a better world. With our accelerated trajectory, the best is yet to come."''

Research is huge on RPI's campus and encouraging innovation is both in line with The Rensselaer Plan and Rensselaer's motto of "why not change the world?"

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=== This page contains the following errors: ===
<div style="font-family:monospace;font-size:12px">error on line 1 at column 818: attributes construct error</div>
=== Below is a rendering of the page up to the first error. ===

</parsererror>

= '''Actively supporting the university technology transfer function''' =

''RPI Office of Technology Commercialization: ''[http://www.rpitechnology.com/ http://www.rpitechnology.com/]

''RPI Technology Transfer/Innovation Hub: ''

= '''Facilitating University-Industry Collaboration''' =

== RPI Tech Park ==

Rensselaer Technology Park is a university related park for technology ventures seeking a unique environment focused on the interface between industry and education.

According to the rpitechpark.com website, the University Interactions Policy of the Tech Park is built upon "a fundamental objective of the Park is to develop interactions between tenant companies and the university.  Such interactions enrich the educational environment of the university and help the companies stay on the leading edge of their technologies.  All companies in the Park automatically become “affiliates” of Rensselaer."  Building a synergistic environment is a responsibility shared by all members of the Park staff."

== EVE (Emerging Ventures Ecosystem) ==

The work of turning ideas into real companies happens in RPI’s incubator, the Emerging Ventures Ecosystem (EVE).  EVE is a distributed incubation program which accelerates the growth of new businesses and boosts the transfer of scientific and technological breakthroughs from the laboratory and classroom to the marketplace, for social and economic impact.

Launched in February 2011, the Emerging Ventures Ecosystem (EVE) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute serves to link “Rensselaer institutional resources and alumni/ae expertise symbiotically with community strengths, in a multi-faceted partnership for mutual benefit.”  The goal of EVE is to nurture new businesses and to build upon the decades of successful efforts of RPI’s previous incubator by helping young businesses grow and succeed.

Rensselaer’s previous incubator program was opened in 1980 as the nation’s first such program wholly sponsored and operated by a university. In its later stages, the incubator was primarily used for its “brick and mortar” assets, as place for entrepreneurially minded students to rent at a low cost, with convenient access to a photocopier.  The model of RPI’s old incubator was traditional: it was rented by students who were seeking to start a venture, which either lived or died, and then moved on.  The RPI Incubator building was closed in late 2009 simply because it did not make any money for the institution.

The new EVE program utilizes an innovative distributed incubation model, maintaining a central office in Troy, NY and working with each company to find an ideal matchup of space-to-enterprise in Troy and the surrounding area.  EVE is overseen by James Spencer, who has 20 years of experience in leading organizational creation and growth as an entrepreneurial business executive.

Once a new company completes the application process for the EVE program — through which Rensselaer will determine, in part, whether the entrepreneur is willing to put in the effort to make the company successful — the program will assign a status to the company: pre-seed, emerging, or early stage. Assigning these descriptions will help EVE mentors and administrators determine the specific services needed by each business.

Under EVE, businesses that are accepted into the program will receive a series of specific services that will help accelerate their growth.  A board of advisers will be established from community resources or alumni/ae for each new company.  If a company already has a board of advisers or directors, EVE will assign an additional person to the board to act as a liaison to mobilize resources within the Institute.

Upon formation of a board of advisors, three or four key objectives are developed by each company with the help of their advisory board.  Milestones for these objectives are then established for each quarter, in an effort to create a concrete plan for success and to generate measurable objectives; new goals are developed for succeeding semesters.  Companies must continue to show steady progress in order to remain in the program.

As a member of EVE, a company will have access to the Entrepreneur(s)-in-Residence at the Lally School as well as other resources including labs, patenting and licensing services, faculty, and students for work-study assignments, internships (REIP), and student projects.  Additional resources for EVE members include alumni/ae and community volunteers such as attorneys and accountants who are available to answer questions and provide advice and one time assistance for basic questions.  If an EVE company requires further professional assistance, they are encouraged to select a professional service company from a list provided through the EVE program. Such services may be offered at a discount to seed and early stage companies.

EVE hosts monthly peer review meetings, known as CEO Roundtable Discussions, among the CEOs of the incubated companies as a framework for peer-to-peer coaching among the mix of pre-seed, early state, and emerging companies supported by the EVE incubator program.  At these meetings, participants will sign disclosure agreements allowing a platform for confidential open discussions about topics and issues of importance to them.  The companies will also be invited to a monthly meeting featuring a speaker or a lecturer based upon a topic selected by the EVE companies’ CEOs and will also attend quarterly meet-ups for all employees of incubated companies, allowing the employees to build relationships and exchange ideas.

EVE promotes and introduces its companies to investors, assists them in identifying and seeking grant opportunities such as NYSERDA and SBIR, and helps them prepare for business plan competitions; the companies are given assistance in preparing applications, presentations, and pitches.  Additionally, members are provided access to professional grant writers to assist them as needed.

The EVE companies are invited to expand their professional networks through networking opportunities within the local business and academic community in order increase exposure to decision makers, funding sources from grants, and potential angel investors.  EVE is physically located off-campus in an effort to incubate companies directly in the community of Troy, NY and to strategically re-invent the typical “brick and mortar” business incubation model followed by RPI’s old incubator.  EVE is not a center where entrepreneurial students can simply rent space and use a photocopier the way a “brick and mortar” incubator is often used, but it is a 4,000 square foot center which strictly focuses on moving students through a business development continuum and on preparing them to fill vacant business facilities in the Troy community, leased at very low prices by realtors.  EVE does not want to focus on space like the traditional brick and mortar incubation model because if a company takes up too much space, they can’t let others in; student startups enrolled in EVE are treated like real businesses.

EVE was launched in February of 2011 with eight companies and now supports over thirty.  The continuum of business development begins with the formation of customized ninety-day plans which include 3-5 specific short term goals, preparing these young ventures to fill business space in the community.  Each venture enrolled in EVE has access to a huge network of professional individuals which include over 90,000 alumni that can potentially serve as mentors (25-30 of which are very active), the wind tunnel and prototyping capabilities at RPI, NYSERDA money, professional services (the first hour or two of which are provided for free), and accounting firms to help set up Quickbooks.  Although many professional services are not provided for EVE companies, aggressive rates are negotiated with local providers and funding often comes from venture pitches.

The key to RPI’s Emerging Ventures Ecosystem is that companies never graduate from the incubator because business development and iteration is never finalized.  Companies supported by EVE are always welcome to come back and ask for assistance in making new connections with the large international network of individuals.  RPI’s large alumni network serves as a virtual incubator in the sense that the network is leveraged to help grow companies as they experience the transition from technology ideas and intellectual property to commercialization through their education. 

== ==

=   '''Engaging with regional and local economic development efforts''' =

== Startup Tech Valley - Where Entrepreneurs and the Community Come Together ==

A monthly meetup for first-time entrepreneurs, experienced entrepreneurs, aspiring entrepreneurs, investors, mentors, employees of startups, serviceprodiders to startups, and anyone else who wants to be involved.

== Tech Valley Center of Gravity ==

The Tech Valley Center of Gravity is a federation of makers, hackers, crafters, and artists who share camaraderie, space, and resources to do our tinkering. We have a permanent makerspace, several satellite locations, and a community of local individuals and organizations to share and support them. We are based in downtown Troy, NY, and sponsor events all over the New York State Capital Region.

Our primary goal is to build a community around the idea of doing for ourselves, rather than just passively consuming, and learning how the arts, crafts, and technologies that surround us every day work, along the way. We also aim to create a network of contacts for small business and start-ups in the Capital Region to connect with local leaders, like-minded businesses and individuals, and tools and resources they might not otherwise have access to.

== Accelerate518 ==

TAccelerate518 (A518) is a consortium of stakeholders nestled in the heart of our State—New York’s Capital Region. The Capital Region encompasses four counties: Albany, Schenectady, Rensselaer and Saratoga. The synergy of these four counties is the catalyst for invention and innovation.

The Capital Region has a rich history of incubating and growing multinational corporations, including: New York Central Railroad, American Express, Cap Cities, General Electric, American Locomotive Company, Albany International, International Paper, and Albany Molecular Research. Accelerate518 is a platform to facilitate multiple groups working together to advance entrepreneurship and innovation in the Capital Region.  The goals of A518 include fostering active collaboration among educators and stakeholders, providing practical resources for entrepreneurs, sharing resources for education and training, and developing a network of individuals committed to invigorating the startup culture of the Capital Region.  We have aligned our interests to help the regional entrepreneurial ecosystem grow companies and create sustainable jobs. Initial core members of A518 include: CEG, Albany Medical College, Albany Law School, Hudson Valley Community College, RPI, Sage Colleges, Siena College, Skidmore College, Union College, and University at Albany.

= Landscape Canvas and Presentation =

[https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1Ek9pplesv42Ubc0TzcqW7mtASYtgL_XbJmvxJG4e14s/pub?start=true&loop=true&delayms=3000 Landscape Canvas Documentation]

[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1cg47LQI3tLh2gxM4u2FfyEPX1ljnFulr97_amxy4ebc/pubhtml Landscape Presentation]

= Related Links =

[[Meghan Olson|Meghan Olson]]

[http://universityinnovation.org/wiki/Ray_Parker Ray Parker]

[[Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Strategic Priorities|Rensselaer_Polytechnic_Institute_Strategic_Priorities]]

[[Category:Universities]]

School:Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

2016-02-07T04:08:57Z

Ray Parker:

'''Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Innovation Ecosystem: Promoting student innovation and entrepreneurship'''

= '''Overview''' =

'''''The motto of entrepreneurship at RPI:  A way to think. A way to learn. A way to succeed. '''''

"Entrepreneurial thinking lies at the heart of Rensselaer’s philosophy. Like our faculty, Rensselaer students are encouraged to pursue creativity and discovery — and the results are often spectacular. Our undergraduates embrace change in ways that have transformed how the world works, plays, and lives.

Our entrepreneurship program is built on the premise that ''not everyone wants to, or needs to, become an entrepreneur, but in today’s world everyone should know how to think like one."''

This statement shows RPI's commitment to entrepreneurial thinking, not so much the outcome of entreprenurship. The RPI Exemplar's program is a great example of the culture of entrepreneurship that RPI thrives on, as the Exemplar's program is designed for students who have a high level of interest in complementing their education by aquiring an entrepreneurail perspective.

'''Formal programs:''' M.S. Technological Communication & Entrepreneurship

'''Extracurricular activities: ''' Exemplar's Program RPI Foundry Business Model Competition Change the World Challenge Elevator Pitch Competition  Education geared toward entrepreneurial thinking encourages students at RPI to think in different ways, to come up with new ideas to solve problems and to enter on-campus competitions such as the Change the World Challenge, the Class of ’51 Entrepreneurial Fund, the Elevator Pitch Competition, and the RPI Business Plan Competition.  These programs often provide the spark which gives students the entrepreneurial bug and encourages them to continue pursuing their ideas.

The Severino Center for Technological Entrepreneurship (SCTE), centered in Rensselaer’s Lally School of Management & Technology, helps to foster new generations of budding and successful entrepreneurs through outreach programs, education, and support systems.  In recognition of the fact that most business students aren’t inventors, the Lally School intersects with other schools on campus to encourage the formation of new student teams and the fusing of their ideas.

Small Buhrmaster grants in the amounts of $1,000 to $2,000 are available, as determined by the Director of the Severino Center, for student ventures to test the market feasibility of their business concepts and to establish and define their target customers.  Mr. Buhrmaster, ’69 is a friend of the Lally school and a member of its advisory council.

The Severino Center also provides Mentoring and Resources via the Student Sandbox, Entrepreneurs-in-Residence, the Rensselaer Student Entrepreneurship Club, and assistance in finding teammates.  Experienced entrepreneur volunteers are assigned to coach teams that receive a Buhrmaster grant to help guide them in their market and business development activities.  

= '''Encouraging faculty innovation and entrepreneurship''' =

''Incredible professors like Burt Swersey, Dr. Eric Ledet, and many others''

''"For the last decade, the Rensselaer Plan has provided a blueprint for transformation and impact. It has guided development of an exceptional campus environment for advancing research with the potential to address science and society’s most challenging problems. Based on this strong foundation, Rensselaer research is creating a better future through the innovation and engineering of a better world. With our accelerated trajectory, the best is yet to come."''

Research is huge on RPI's campus and encouraging innovation is both in line with The Rensselaer Plan and Rensselaer's motto of "why not change the world?"

<parsererror style="display: block; white-space: pre; border: 2px solid #c77; padding: 0 1em 0 1em; margin: 1em; background-color: #fdd; color: black">
=== This page contains the following errors: ===
<div style="font-family:monospace;font-size:12px">error on line 1 at column 818: attributes construct error </div>
=== Below is a rendering of the page up to the first error. ===
</parsererror>
= '''Actively supporting the university technology transfer function''' =

''RPI Office of Technology Commercialization: ''[http://www.rpitechnology.com/ http://www.rpitechnology.com/]

''RPI Technology Transfer/Innovation Hub: ''

= '''Facilitating University-Industry Collaboration''' =

== RPI Tech Park ==

Rensselaer Technology Park is a university related park for technology ventures seeking a unique environment focused on the interface between industry and education.

According to the rpitechpark.com website, the University Interactions Policy of the Tech Park is built upon "a fundamental objective of the Park is to develop interactions between tenant companies and the university.  Such interactions enrich the educational environment of the university and help the companies stay on the leading edge of their technologies.  All companies in the Park automatically become “affiliates” of Rensselaer."  Building a synergistic environment is a responsibility shared by all members of the Park staff."

== EVE (Emerging Ventures Ecosystem) ==

The work of turning ideas into real companies happens in RPI’s incubator, the Emerging Ventures Ecosystem (EVE).  EVE is a distributed incubation program which accelerates the growth of new businesses and boosts the transfer of scientific and technological breakthroughs from the laboratory and classroom to the marketplace, for social and economic impact.

Launched in February 2011, the Emerging Ventures Ecosystem (EVE) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute serves to link “Rensselaer institutional resources and alumni/ae expertise symbiotically with community strengths, in a multi-faceted partnership for mutual benefit.”  The goal of EVE is to nurture new businesses and to build upon the decades of successful efforts of RPI’s previous incubator by helping young businesses grow and succeed.

Rensselaer’s previous incubator program was opened in 1980 as the nation’s first such program wholly sponsored and operated by a university. In its later stages, the incubator was primarily used for its “brick and mortar” assets, as place for entrepreneurially minded students to rent at a low cost, with convenient access to a photocopier.  The model of RPI’s old incubator was traditional: it was rented by students who were seeking to start a venture, which either lived or died, and then moved on.  The RPI Incubator building was closed in late 2009 simply because it did not make any money for the institution.

The new EVE program utilizes an innovative distributed incubation model, maintaining a central office in Troy, NY and working with each company to find an ideal matchup of space-to-enterprise in Troy and the surrounding area.  EVE is overseen by James Spencer, who has 20 years of experience in leading organizational creation and growth as an entrepreneurial business executive.

Once a new company completes the application process for the EVE program — through which Rensselaer will determine, in part, whether the entrepreneur is willing to put in the effort to make the company successful — the program will assign a status to the company: pre-seed, emerging, or early stage. Assigning these descriptions will help EVE mentors and administrators determine the specific services needed by each business.

Under EVE, businesses that are accepted into the program will receive a series of specific services that will help accelerate their growth.  A board of advisers will be established from community resources or alumni/ae for each new company.  If a company already has a board of advisers or directors, EVE will assign an additional person to the board to act as a liaison to mobilize resources within the Institute.

Upon formation of a board of advisors, three or four key objectives are developed by each company with the help of their advisory board.  Milestones for these objectives are then established for each quarter, in an effort to create a concrete plan for success and to generate measurable objectives; new goals are developed for succeeding semesters.  Companies must continue to show steady progress in order to remain in the program.

As a member of EVE, a company will have access to the Entrepreneur(s)-in-Residence at the Lally School as well as other resources including labs, patenting and licensing services, faculty, and students for work-study assignments, internships (REIP), and student projects.  Additional resources for EVE members include alumni/ae and community volunteers such as attorneys and accountants who are available to answer questions and provide advice and one time assistance for basic questions.  If an EVE company requires further professional assistance, they are encouraged to select a professional service company from a list provided through the EVE program. Such services may be offered at a discount to seed and early stage companies.

EVE hosts monthly peer review meetings, known as CEO Roundtable Discussions, among the CEOs of the incubated companies as a framework for peer-to-peer coaching among the mix of pre-seed, early state, and emerging companies supported by the EVE incubator program.  At these meetings, participants will sign disclosure agreements allowing a platform for confidential open discussions about topics and issues of importance to them.  The companies will also be invited to a monthly meeting featuring a speaker or a lecturer based upon a topic selected by the EVE companies’ CEOs and will also attend quarterly meet-ups for all employees of incubated companies, allowing the employees to build relationships and exchange ideas.

EVE promotes and introduces its companies to investors, assists them in identifying and seeking grant opportunities such as NYSERDA and SBIR, and helps them prepare for business plan competitions; the companies are given assistance in preparing applications, presentations, and pitches.  Additionally, members are provided access to professional grant writers to assist them as needed.

The EVE companies are invited to expand their professional networks through networking opportunities within the local business and academic community in order increase exposure to decision makers, funding sources from grants, and potential angel investors.  EVE is physically located off-campus in an effort to incubate companies directly in the community of Troy, NY and to strategically re-invent the typical “brick and mortar” business incubation model followed by RPI’s old incubator.  EVE is not a center where entrepreneurial students can simply rent space and use a photocopier the way a “brick and mortar” incubator is often used, but it is a 4,000 square foot center which strictly focuses on moving students through a business development continuum and on preparing them to fill vacant business facilities in the Troy community, leased at very low prices by realtors.  EVE does not want to focus on space like the traditional brick and mortar incubation model because if a company takes up too much space, they can’t let others in; student startups enrolled in EVE are treated like real businesses.

EVE was launched in February of 2011 with eight companies and now supports over thirty.  The continuum of business development begins with the formation of customized ninety-day plans which include 3-5 specific short term goals, preparing these young ventures to fill business space in the community.  Each venture enrolled in EVE has access to a huge network of professional individuals which include over 90,000 alumni that can potentially serve as mentors (25-30 of which are very active), the wind tunnel and prototyping capabilities at RPI, NYSERDA money, professional services (the first hour or two of which are provided for free), and accounting firms to help set up Quickbooks.  Although many professional services are not provided for EVE companies, aggressive rates are negotiated with local providers and funding often comes from venture pitches.

The key to RPI’s Emerging Ventures Ecosystem is that companies never graduate from the incubator because business development and iteration is never finalized.  Companies supported by EVE are always welcome to come back and ask for assistance in making new connections with the large international network of individuals.  RPI’s large alumni network serves as a virtual incubator in the sense that the network is leveraged to help grow companies as they experience the transition from technology ideas and intellectual property to commercialization through their education. 

== ==

=   '''Engaging with regional and local economic development efforts''' =

== Startup Tech Valley - Where Entrepreneurs and the Community Come Together ==

A monthly meetup for first-time entrepreneurs, experienced entrepreneurs, aspiring entrepreneurs, investors, mentors, employees of startups, serviceprodiders to startups, and anyone else who wants to be involved.

== Tech Valley Center of Gravity ==

The Tech Valley Center of Gravity is a federation of makers, hackers, crafters, and artists who share camaraderie, space, and resources to do our tinkering. We have a permanent makerspace, several satellite locations, and a community of local individuals and organizations to share and support them. We are based in downtown Troy, NY, and sponsor events all over the New York State Capital Region.

Our primary goal is to build a community around the idea of doing for ourselves, rather than just passively consuming, and learning how the arts, crafts, and technologies that surround us every day work, along the way. We also aim to create a network of contacts for small business and start-ups in the Capital Region to connect with local leaders, like-minded businesses and individuals, and tools and resources they might not otherwise have access to.



== Accelerate518 ==

TAccelerate518 (A518) is a consortium of stakeholders nestled in the heart of our State—New York’s Capital Region. The Capital Region encompasses four counties: Albany, Schenectady, Rensselaer and Saratoga. The synergy of these four counties is the catalyst for invention and innovation.

The Capital Region has a rich history of incubating and growing multinational corporations, including: New York Central Railroad, American Express, Cap Cities, General Electric, American Locomotive Company, Albany International, International Paper, and Albany Molecular Research. Accelerate518 is a platform to facilitate multiple groups working together to advance entrepreneurship and innovation in the Capital Region.  The goals of A518 include fostering active collaboration among educators and stakeholders, providing practical resources for entrepreneurs, sharing resources for education and training, and developing a network of individuals committed to invigorating the startup culture of the Capital Region.  We have aligned our interests to help the regional entrepreneurial ecosystem grow companies and create sustainable jobs. Initial core members of A518 include: CEG, Albany Medical College, Albany Law School, Hudson Valley Community College, RPI, Sage Colleges, Siena College, Skidmore College, Union College, and University at Albany.

= Landscape Canvas and Presentation =

[https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1Ek9pplesv42Ubc0TzcqW7mtASYtgL_XbJmvxJG4e14s/pub?start=true&loop=true&delayms=3000 Landscape Canvas Documentation]

[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1cg47LQI3tLh2gxM4u2FfyEPX1ljnFulr97_amxy4ebc/pubhtml Landscape Presentation]

= Related Links =

[[Meghan Olson|Meghan Olson]]

[http://universityinnovation.org/wiki/Ray_Parker Ray Parker]

[[Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Strategic Priorities|Rensselaer_Polytechnic_Institute_Strategic_Priorities]]

[[Category:Universities]]

School:Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

2016-02-07T04:06:16Z

Ray Parker:

'''Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Innovation Ecosystem: Promoting student innovation and entrepreneurship'''

= '''Overview''' =

'''''The motto of entrepreneurship at RPI:  A way to think. A way to learn. A way to succeed. '''''

"Entrepreneurial thinking lies at the heart of Rensselaer’s philosophy. Like our faculty, Rensselaer students are encouraged to pursue creativity and discovery — and the results are often spectacular. Our undergraduates embrace change in ways that have transformed how the world works, plays, and lives.

Our entrepreneurship program is built on the premise that ''not everyone wants to, or needs to, become an entrepreneur, but in today’s world everyone should know how to think like one."''

This statement shows RPI's commitment to entrepreneurial thinking, not so much the outcome of entreprenurship. The RPI Exemplar's program is a great example of the culture of entrepreneurship that RPI thrives on, as the Exemplar's program is designed for students who have a high level of interest in complementing their education by aquiring an entrepreneurail perspective.

'''Formal programs:''' M.S. Technological Communication & Entrepreneurship

'''Extracurricular activities: ''' Exemplar's Program RPI Foundry Business Model Competition Change the World Challenge Elevator Pitch Competition  Education geared toward entrepreneurial thinking encourages students at RPI to think in different ways, to come up with new ideas to solve problems and to enter on-campus competitions such as the Change the World Challenge, the Class of ’51 Entrepreneurial Fund, the Elevator Pitch Competition, and the RPI Business Plan Competition.  These programs often provide the spark which gives students the entrepreneurial bug and encourages them to continue pursuing their ideas.

The Severino Center for Technological Entrepreneurship (SCTE), centered in Rensselaer’s Lally School of Management & Technology, helps to foster new generations of budding and successful entrepreneurs through outreach programs, education, and support systems.  In recognition of the fact that most business students aren’t inventors, the Lally School intersects with other schools on campus to encourage the formation of new student teams and the fusing of their ideas.

Small Buhrmaster grants in the amounts of $1,000 to $2,000 are available, as determined by the Director of the Severino Center, for student ventures to test the market feasibility of their business concepts and to establish and define their target customers.  Mr. Buhrmaster, ’69 is a friend of the Lally school and a member of its advisory council.

The Severino Center also provides Mentoring and Resources via the Student Sandbox, Entrepreneurs-in-Residence, the Rensselaer Student Entrepreneurship Club, and assistance in finding teammates.  Experienced entrepreneur volunteers are assigned to coach teams that receive a Buhrmaster grant to help guide them in their market and business development activities.  

= '''Encouraging faculty innovation and entrepreneurship''' =

''Incredible professors like Burt Swersey, Dr. Eric Ledet, and many others''

''"For the last decade, the Rensselaer Plan has provided a blueprint for transformation and impact. It has guided development of an exceptional campus environment for advancing research with the potential to address science and society’s most challenging problems. Based on this strong foundation, Rensselaer research is creating a better future through the innovation and engineering of a better world. With our accelerated trajectory, the best is yet to come."''

Research is huge on RPI's campus and encouraging innovation is both in line with The Rensselaer Plan and Rensselaer's motto of "why not change the world?"

= '''Actively supporting the university technology transfer function''' =

''RPI Office of Technology Commercialization: ''[http://www.rpitechnology.com/ http://www.rpitechnology.com/] The Rensselaer Plan addresses technology transfer and intellectual property policies that encourage entrepreneurship:

== 6.2 Intellectual Property and Technology Commercialization ==

Research is the major driver of science and technology transfer, invention, and innovation. Technological entrepreneurship completes the technology lifecycle — from discovery to the creation of impact in the global marketplace. With an expanding research base, we will cultivate a campus culture that provides the spirit and motivation for inventors to pursue commercialization. We will:

Increase awareness of intellectual property, preserving its value in research agreements and maximizing its value under shared equity arrangements and licensing agreements, covering intellectual property developed in research and materials developed for distance education.

Create intellectual property policies that encourage entrepreneurship and allow the university to take equity positions in new ventures as appropriate.

Ensure that intellectual property policies have adequate and appropriate conflict of interest and conflict of commitment provisions.

Develop an awareness and infrastructure of intellectual property rights policies, incentives, and marketing to support innovation and commercialization.

== 6.3 Creating and Supporting New Ventures ==

World-class technological research universities excel in transferring research outputs to the commercial sector. We will create innovative programs targeted at growing major new technological ventures and creating value. We will:

Enhance the process of matching researchers and entrepreneurs to create new ventures that take Rensselaer intellectual property to market.

Provide business planning and facilitate venture capital for faculty and students for start-up companies that commercialize leading-edge Rensselaer research.

Expand the Incubator program to accommodate more start-ups and second-stage incubation.

Expand the flow of technology, talent, and ventures into the Rensselaer Technology Park and the Capital Region. Bring new focus to the Rensselaer Technology Park as the locus for mature ventures based on the technologies taught and researched at the Institute.

Work with private and public sources to attract new venture capital and entrepreneurial talent to the Capital Region.

= '''Facilitating University-Industry Collaboration''' =

== RPI Tech Park ==

Rensselaer Technology Park is a university related park for technology ventures seeking a unique environment focused on the interface between industry and education.

According to the rpitechpark.com website, the University Interactions Policy of the Tech Park is built upon "a fundamental objective of the Park is to develop interactions between tenant companies and the university.  Such interactions enrich the educational environment of the university and help the companies stay on the leading edge of their technologies.  All companies in the Park automatically become “affiliates” of Rensselaer."  Building a synergistic environment is a responsibility shared by all members of the Park staff."

== EVE (Emerging Ventures Ecosystem) ==

The work of turning ideas into real companies happens in RPI’s incubator, the Emerging Ventures Ecosystem (EVE).  EVE is a distributed incubation program which accelerates the growth of new businesses and boosts the transfer of scientific and technological breakthroughs from the laboratory and classroom to the marketplace, for social and economic impact.

Launched in February 2011, the Emerging Ventures Ecosystem (EVE) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute serves to link “Rensselaer institutional resources and alumni/ae expertise symbiotically with community strengths, in a multi-faceted partnership for mutual benefit.”  The goal of EVE is to nurture new businesses and to build upon the decades of successful efforts of RPI’s previous incubator by helping young businesses grow and succeed.

Rensselaer’s previous incubator program was opened in 1980 as the nation’s first such program wholly sponsored and operated by a university. In its later stages, the incubator was primarily used for its “brick and mortar” assets, as place for entrepreneurially minded students to rent at a low cost, with convenient access to a photocopier.  The model of RPI’s old incubator was traditional: it was rented by students who were seeking to start a venture, which either lived or died, and then moved on.  The RPI Incubator building was closed in late 2009 simply because it did not make any money for the institution.

The new EVE program utilizes an innovative distributed incubation model, maintaining a central office in Troy, NY and working with each company to find an ideal matchup of space-to-enterprise in Troy and the surrounding area.  EVE is overseen by James Spencer, who has 20 years of experience in leading organizational creation and growth as an entrepreneurial business executive.

Once a new company completes the application process for the EVE program — through which Rensselaer will determine, in part, whether the entrepreneur is willing to put in the effort to make the company successful — the program will assign a status to the company: pre-seed, emerging, or early stage. Assigning these descriptions will help EVE mentors and administrators determine the specific services needed by each business.

Under EVE, businesses that are accepted into the program will receive a series of specific services that will help accelerate their growth.  A board of advisers will be established from community resources or alumni/ae for each new company.  If a company already has a board of advisers or directors, EVE will assign an additional person to the board to act as a liaison to mobilize resources within the Institute.

Upon formation of a board of advisors, three or four key objectives are developed by each company with the help of their advisory board.  Milestones for these objectives are then established for each quarter, in an effort to create a concrete plan for success and to generate measurable objectives; new goals are developed for succeeding semesters.  Companies must continue to show steady progress in order to remain in the program.

As a member of EVE, a company will have access to the Entrepreneur(s)-in-Residence at the Lally School as well as other resources including labs, patenting and licensing services, faculty, and students for work-study assignments, internships (REIP), and student projects.  Additional resources for EVE members include alumni/ae and community volunteers such as attorneys and accountants who are available to answer questions and provide advice and one time assistance for basic questions.  If an EVE company requires further professional assistance, they are encouraged to select a professional service company from a list provided through the EVE program. Such services may be offered at a discount to seed and early stage companies.

EVE hosts monthly peer review meetings, known as CEO Roundtable Discussions, among the CEOs of the incubated companies as a framework for peer-to-peer coaching among the mix of pre-seed, early state, and emerging companies supported by the EVE incubator program.  At these meetings, participants will sign disclosure agreements allowing a platform for confidential open discussions about topics and issues of importance to them.  The companies will also be invited to a monthly meeting featuring a speaker or a lecturer based upon a topic selected by the EVE companies’ CEOs and will also attend quarterly meet-ups for all employees of incubated companies, allowing the employees to build relationships and exchange ideas.

EVE promotes and introduces its companies to investors, assists them in identifying and seeking grant opportunities such as NYSERDA and SBIR, and helps them prepare for business plan competitions; the companies are given assistance in preparing applications, presentations, and pitches.  Additionally, members are provided access to professional grant writers to assist them as needed.

The EVE companies are invited to expand their professional networks through networking opportunities within the local business and academic community in order increase exposure to decision makers, funding sources from grants, and potential angel investors.  EVE is physically located off-campus in an effort to incubate companies directly in the community of Troy, NY and to strategically re-invent the typical “brick and mortar” business incubation model followed by RPI’s old incubator.  EVE is not a center where entrepreneurial students can simply rent space and use a photocopier the way a “brick and mortar” incubator is often used, but it is a 4,000 square foot center which strictly focuses on moving students through a business development continuum and on preparing them to fill vacant business facilities in the Troy community, leased at very low prices by realtors.  EVE does not want to focus on space like the traditional brick and mortar incubation model because if a company takes up too much space, they can’t let others in; student startups enrolled in EVE are treated like real businesses.

EVE was launched in February of 2011 with eight companies and now supports over thirty.  The continuum of business development begins with the formation of customized ninety-day plans which include 3-5 specific short term goals, preparing these young ventures to fill business space in the community.  Each venture enrolled in EVE has access to a huge network of professional individuals which include over 90,000 alumni that can potentially serve as mentors (25-30 of which are very active), the wind tunnel and prototyping capabilities at RPI, NYSERDA money, professional services (the first hour or two of which are provided for free), and accounting firms to help set up Quickbooks.  Although many professional services are not provided for EVE companies, aggressive rates are negotiated with local providers and funding often comes from venture pitches.

The key to RPI’s Emerging Ventures Ecosystem is that companies never graduate from the incubator because business development and iteration is never finalized.  Companies supported by EVE are always welcome to come back and ask for assistance in making new connections with the large international network of individuals.  RPI’s large alumni network serves as a virtual incubator in the sense that the network is leveraged to help grow companies as they experience the transition from technology ideas and intellectual property to commercialization through their education. 

== ==

=   '''Engaging with regional and local economic development efforts''' =

== Startup Tech Valley - Where Entrepreneurs and the Community Come Together ==

A monthly meetup for first-time entrepreneurs, experienced entrepreneurs, aspiring entrepreneurs, investors, mentors, employees of startups, serviceprodiders to startups, and anyone else who wants to be involved.

== Tech Valley Center of Gravity ==

The Tech Valley Center of Gravity is a federation of makers, hackers, crafters, and artists who share camaraderie, space, and resources to do our tinkering. We have a permanent makerspace, several satellite locations, and a community of local individuals and organizations to share and support them. We are based in downtown Troy, NY, and sponsor events all over the New York State Capital Region.

Our primary goal is to build a community around the idea of doing for ourselves, rather than just passively consuming, and learning how the arts, crafts, and technologies that surround us every day work, along the way. We also aim to create a network of contacts for small business and start-ups in the Capital Region to connect with local leaders, like-minded businesses and individuals, and tools and resources they might not otherwise have access to.



== Accelerate518 ==

TAccelerate518 (A518) is a consortium of stakeholders nestled in the heart of our State—New York’s Capital Region. The Capital Region encompasses four counties: Albany, Schenectady, Rensselaer and Saratoga. The synergy of these four counties is the catalyst for invention and innovation.

The Capital Region has a rich history of incubating and growing multinational corporations, including: New York Central Railroad, American Express, Cap Cities, General Electric, American Locomotive Company, Albany International, International Paper, and Albany Molecular Research. Accelerate518 is a platform to facilitate multiple groups working together to advance entrepreneurship and innovation in the Capital Region.  The goals of A518 include fostering active collaboration among educators and stakeholders, providing practical resources for entrepreneurs, sharing resources for education and training, and developing a network of individuals committed to invigorating the startup culture of the Capital Region.  We have aligned our interests to help the regional entrepreneurial ecosystem grow companies and create sustainable jobs. Initial core members of A518 include: CEG, Albany Medical College, Albany Law School, Hudson Valley Community College, RPI, Sage Colleges, Siena College, Skidmore College, Union College, and University at Albany.

= Landscape Canvas and Presentation =

[https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1Ek9pplesv42Ubc0TzcqW7mtASYtgL_XbJmvxJG4e14s/pub?start=true&loop=true&delayms=3000 Landscape Canvas Documentation]

[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1cg47LQI3tLh2gxM4u2FfyEPX1ljnFulr97_amxy4ebc/pubhtml Landscape Presentation]

= Related Links =

[[Meghan Olson|Meghan Olson]]

[http://universityinnovation.org/wiki/Ray_Parker Ray Parker]

[[Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Strategic Priorities|Rensselaer_Polytechnic_Institute_Strategic_Priorities]]

[[Category:Universities]]

School:Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

2016-02-07T04:05:26Z

Ray Parker:

'''Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Innovation Ecosystem: Promoting student innovation and entrepreneurship'''

= '''Overview''' =

'''''The motto of entrepreneurship at RPI:  A way to think. A way to learn. A way to succeed. '''''

"Entrepreneurial thinking lies at the heart of Rensselaer’s philosophy. Like our faculty, Rensselaer students are encouraged to pursue creativity and discovery — and the results are often spectacular. Our undergraduates embrace change in ways that have transformed how the world works, plays, and lives.

Our entrepreneurship program is built on the premise that ''not everyone wants to, or needs to, become an entrepreneur, but in today’s world everyone should know how to think like one."''

This statement shows RPI's commitment to entrepreneurial thinking, not so much the outcome of entreprenurship. The RPI Exemplar's program is a great example of the culture of entrepreneurship that RPI thrives on, as the Exemplar's program is designed for students who have a high level of interest in complementing their education by aquiring an entrepreneurail perspective.

'''Formal programs:''' M.S. Technological Communication & Entrepreneurship

'''Extracurricular activities: ''' Exemplar's Program RPI Foundry Business Model Competition Change the World Challenge Elevator Pitch Competition  Education geared toward entrepreneurial thinking encourages students at RPI to think in different ways, to come up with new ideas to solve problems and to enter on-campus competitions such as the Change the World Challenge, the Class of ’51 Entrepreneurial Fund, the Elevator Pitch Competition, and the RPI Business Plan Competition.  These programs often provide the spark which gives students the entrepreneurial bug and encourages them to continue pursuing their ideas.

The Severino Center for Technological Entrepreneurship (SCTE), centered in Rensselaer’s Lally School of Management & Technology, helps to foster new generations of budding and successful entrepreneurs through outreach programs, education, and support systems.  In recognition of the fact that most business students aren’t inventors, the Lally School intersects with other schools on campus to encourage the formation of new student teams and the fusing of their ideas.

Small Buhrmaster grants in the amounts of $1,000 to $2,000 are available, as determined by the Director of the Severino Center, for student ventures to test the market feasibility of their business concepts and to establish and define their target customers.  Mr. Buhrmaster, ’69 is a friend of the Lally school and a member of its advisory council.

The Severino Center also provides Mentoring and Resources via the Student Sandbox, Entrepreneurs-in-Residence, the Rensselaer Student Entrepreneurship Club, and assistance in finding teammates.  Experienced entrepreneur volunteers are assigned to coach teams that receive a Buhrmaster grant to help guide them in their market and business development activities.  

= '''Encouraging faculty innovation and entrepreneurship''' =

''Incredible professors like Burt Swersey, Dr. Eric Ledet, and many others''

''"For the last decade, the Rensselaer Plan has provided a blueprint for transformation and impact. It has guided development of an exceptional campus environment for advancing research with the potential to address science and society’s most challenging problems. Based on this strong foundation, Rensselaer research is creating a better future through the innovation and engineering of a better world. With our accelerated trajectory, the best is yet to come."''

Research is huge on RPI's campus and encouraging innovation is both in line with The Rensselaer Plan and Rensselaer's motto of "why not change the world?"

= '''Actively supporting the university technology transfer function''' =

''RPI Office of Technology Commercialization: ''[http://www.rpitechnology.com/ http://www.rpitechnology.com/] The Rensselaer Plan addresses technology transfer and intellectual property policies that encourage entrepreneurship:

== 6.2 Intellectual Property and Technology Commercialization ==

Research is the major driver of science and technology transfer, invention, and innovation. Technological entrepreneurship completes the technology lifecycle — from discovery to the creation of impact in the global marketplace. With an expanding research base, we will cultivate a campus culture that provides the spirit and motivation for inventors to pursue commercialization. We will:

Increase awareness of intellectual property, preserving its value in research agreements and maximizing its value under shared equity arrangements and licensing agreements, covering intellectual property developed in research and materials developed for distance education.

Create intellectual property policies that encourage entrepreneurship and allow the university to take equity positions in new ventures as appropriate.

Ensure that intellectual property policies have adequate and appropriate conflict of interest and conflict of commitment provisions.

Develop an awareness and infrastructure of intellectual property rights policies, incentives, and marketing to support innovation and commercialization.

== 6.3 Creating and Supporting New Ventures ==

World-class technological research universities excel in transferring research outputs to the commercial sector. We will create innovative programs targeted at growing major new technological ventures and creating value. We will:

Enhance the process of matching researchers and entrepreneurs to create new ventures that take Rensselaer intellectual property to market.

Provide business planning and facilitate venture capital for faculty and students for start-up companies that commercialize leading-edge Rensselaer research.

Expand the Incubator program to accommodate more start-ups and second-stage incubation.

Expand the flow of technology, talent, and ventures into the Rensselaer Technology Park and the Capital Region. Bring new focus to the Rensselaer Technology Park as the locus for mature ventures based on the technologies taught and researched at the Institute.

Work with private and public sources to attract new venture capital and entrepreneurial talent to the Capital Region.

= '''Facilitating University-Industry Collaboration''' =

== RPI Tech Park ==

Rensselaer Technology Park is a university related park for technology ventures seeking a unique environment focused on the interface between industry and education.

According to the rpitechpark.com website, the University Interactions Policy of the Tech Park is built upon "a fundamental objective of the Park is to develop interactions between tenant companies and the university.  Such interactions enrich the educational environment of the university and help the companies stay on the leading edge of their technologies.  All companies in the Park automatically become “affiliates” of Rensselaer."  Building a synergistic environment is a responsibility shared by all members of the Park staff."

== EVE (Emerging Ventures Ecosystem) ==

The work of turning ideas into real companies happens in RPI’s incubator, the Emerging Ventures Ecosystem (EVE).  EVE is a distributed incubation program which accelerates the growth of new businesses and boosts the transfer of scientific and technological breakthroughs from the laboratory and classroom to the marketplace, for social and economic impact.

Launched in February 2011, the Emerging Ventures Ecosystem (EVE) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute serves to link “Rensselaer institutional resources and alumni/ae expertise symbiotically with community strengths, in a multi-faceted partnership for mutual benefit.”  The goal of EVE is to nurture new businesses and to build upon the decades of successful efforts of RPI’s previous incubator by helping young businesses grow and succeed.

Rensselaer’s previous incubator program was opened in 1980 as the nation’s first such program wholly sponsored and operated by a university. In its later stages, the incubator was primarily used for its “brick and mortar” assets, as place for entrepreneurially minded students to rent at a low cost, with convenient access to a photocopier.  The model of RPI’s old incubator was traditional: it was rented by students who were seeking to start a venture, which either lived or died, and then moved on.  The RPI Incubator building was closed in late 2009 simply because it did not make any money for the institution.

The new EVE program utilizes an innovative distributed incubation model, maintaining a central office in Troy, NY and working with each company to find an ideal matchup of space-to-enterprise in Troy and the surrounding area.  EVE is overseen by James Spencer, who has 20 years of experience in leading organizational creation and growth as an entrepreneurial business executive.

Once a new company completes the application process for the EVE program — through which Rensselaer will determine, in part, whether the entrepreneur is willing to put in the effort to make the company successful — the program will assign a status to the company: pre-seed, emerging, or early stage. Assigning these descriptions will help EVE mentors and administrators determine the specific services needed by each business.

Under EVE, businesses that are accepted into the program will receive a series of specific services that will help accelerate their growth.  A board of advisers will be established from community resources or alumni/ae for each new company.  If a company already has a board of advisers or directors, EVE will assign an additional person to the board to act as a liaison to mobilize resources within the Institute.

Upon formation of a board of advisors, three or four key objectives are developed by each company with the help of their advisory board.  Milestones for these objectives are then established for each quarter, in an effort to create a concrete plan for success and to generate measurable objectives; new goals are developed for succeeding semesters.  Companies must continue to show steady progress in order to remain in the program.

As a member of EVE, a company will have access to the Entrepreneur(s)-in-Residence at the Lally School as well as other resources including labs, patenting and licensing services, faculty, and students for work-study assignments, internships (REIP), and student projects.  Additional resources for EVE members include alumni/ae and community volunteers such as attorneys and accountants who are available to answer questions and provide advice and one time assistance for basic questions.  If an EVE company requires further professional assistance, they are encouraged to select a professional service company from a list provided through the EVE program. Such services may be offered at a discount to seed and early stage companies.

EVE hosts monthly peer review meetings, known as CEO Roundtable Discussions, among the CEOs of the incubated companies as a framework for peer-to-peer coaching among the mix of pre-seed, early state, and emerging companies supported by the EVE incubator program.  At these meetings, participants will sign disclosure agreements allowing a platform for confidential open discussions about topics and issues of importance to them.  The companies will also be invited to a monthly meeting featuring a speaker or a lecturer based upon a topic selected by the EVE companies’ CEOs and will also attend quarterly meet-ups for all employees of incubated companies, allowing the employees to build relationships and exchange ideas.

EVE promotes and introduces its companies to investors, assists them in identifying and seeking grant opportunities such as NYSERDA and SBIR, and helps them prepare for business plan competitions; the companies are given assistance in preparing applications, presentations, and pitches.  Additionally, members are provided access to professional grant writers to assist them as needed.

The EVE companies are invited to expand their professional networks through networking opportunities within the local business and academic community in order increase exposure to decision makers, funding sources from grants, and potential angel investors.  EVE is physically located off-campus in an effort to incubate companies directly in the community of Troy, NY and to strategically re-invent the typical “brick and mortar” business incubation model followed by RPI’s old incubator.  EVE is not a center where entrepreneurial students can simply rent space and use a photocopier the way a “brick and mortar” incubator is often used, but it is a 4,000 square foot center which strictly focuses on moving students through a business development continuum and on preparing them to fill vacant business facilities in the Troy community, leased at very low prices by realtors.  EVE does not want to focus on space like the traditional brick and mortar incubation model because if a company takes up too much space, they can’t let others in; student startups enrolled in EVE are treated like real businesses.

EVE was launched in February of 2011 with eight companies and now supports over thirty.  The continuum of business development begins with the formation of customized ninety-day plans which include 3-5 specific short term goals, preparing these young ventures to fill business space in the community.  Each venture enrolled in EVE has access to a huge network of professional individuals which include over 90,000 alumni that can potentially serve as mentors (25-30 of which are very active), the wind tunnel and prototyping capabilities at RPI, NYSERDA money, professional services (the first hour or two of which are provided for free), and accounting firms to help set up Quickbooks.  Although many professional services are not provided for EVE companies, aggressive rates are negotiated with local providers and funding often comes from venture pitches.

The key to RPI’s Emerging Ventures Ecosystem is that companies never graduate from the incubator because business development and iteration is never finalized.  Companies supported by EVE are always welcome to come back and ask for assistance in making new connections with the large international network of individuals.  RPI’s large alumni network serves as a virtual incubator in the sense that the network is leveraged to help grow companies as they experience the transition from technology ideas and intellectual property to commercialization through their education. 



== Accelerate518 ==

TAccelerate518 (A518) is a consortium of stakeholders nestled in the heart of our State—New York’s Capital Region. The Capital Region encompasses four counties: Albany, Schenectady, Rensselaer and Saratoga. The synergy of these four counties is the catalyst for invention and innovation.

The Capital Region has a rich history of incubating and growing multinational corporations, including: New York Central Railroad, American Express, Cap Cities, General Electric, American Locomotive Company, Albany International, International Paper, and Albany Molecular Research.
Accelerate518 is a platform to facilitate multiple groups working together to advance entrepreneurship and innovation in the Capital Region.  The goals of A518 include fostering active collaboration among educators and stakeholders, providing practical resources for entrepreneurs, sharing resources for education and training, and developing a network of individuals committed to invigorating the startup culture of the Capital Region.  We have aligned our interests to help the regional entrepreneurial ecosystem grow companies and create sustainable jobs.
Initial core members of A518 include: CEG, Albany Medical College, Albany Law School, Hudson Valley Community College, RPI, Sage Colleges, Siena College, Skidmore College, Union College, and University at Albany.

=   '''Engaging with regional and local economic development efforts''' =

== Startup Tech Valley - Where Entrepreneurs and the Community Come Together ==

A monthly meetup for first-time entrepreneurs, experienced entrepreneurs, aspiring entrepreneurs, investors, mentors, employees of startups, serviceprodiders to startups, and anyone else who wants to be involved.

== Tech Valley Center of Gravity ==

The Tech Valley Center of Gravity is a federation of makers, hackers, crafters, and artists who share camaraderie, space, and resources to do our tinkering. We have a permanent makerspace, several satellite locations, and a community of local individuals and organizations to share and support them. We are based in downtown Troy, NY, and sponsor events all over the New York State Capital Region.

Our primary goal is to build a community around the idea of doing for ourselves, rather than just passively consuming, and learning how the arts, crafts, and technologies that surround us every day work, along the way. We also aim to create a network of contacts for small business and start-ups in the Capital Region to connect with local leaders, like-minded businesses and individuals, and tools and resources they might not otherwise have access to.

= Landscape Canvas and Presentation =

[https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1Ek9pplesv42Ubc0TzcqW7mtASYtgL_XbJmvxJG4e14s/pub?start=true&loop=true&delayms=3000 Landscape Canvas Documentation]

[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1cg47LQI3tLh2gxM4u2FfyEPX1ljnFulr97_amxy4ebc/pubhtml Landscape Presentation]

= Related Links =

[[Meghan Olson|Meghan Olson]]

[http://universityinnovation.org/wiki/Ray_Parker Ray Parker]

[[Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Strategic Priorities|Rensselaer_Polytechnic_Institute_Strategic_Priorities]]

[[Category:Universities]]

Fellow:Ray Parker

2016-02-07T03:53:13Z

Ray Parker:

[[File:Ray Parker.jpg|thumb|Picture of Ray Parker]]

Ray Okada Parker is an undergraduate student at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute studying chemical engineering. Ray Parker has had multiple internship experiences at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Orbital ATK and Northrop Grumman Corporation. On campus, Ray is involved in the co-ed service fraternity, Alpha Phi Omega, Engineers for a Sustainable World, The White Key Leadership Honor Society, and the Inventor’s Guild. Ray is also involved with the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, Japanese American Citizen’s League, Planetary Society, Lime Connect, AAAS and USBLN.

Ray is currently a fellow at Lime Connect, University Innovation Fellows and Student Advisory Council Member at USBLN. Ray worked in the Information Technology and Enterprise Shared Services Directorate, helping to manage and streamline innovative practices within Northrop Grumman’s internal information services department and the entire information division. Before that, he worked at Bristol-Myers Squibb developing commercialization separation techniques for three next-generation arthritis and cancer treatment drugs, after which he went to Orbital ATK in Wallops Island, Virginia, to help test and integrate sounding rocket payloads for six months. Ray’s aerospace background started in 2013 with a summer internship at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, working in the Applied Physics Laboratory, helping to develop and test a moon rover payload design that will launch in 2020.
<div align="justify" style="margin-left:0mm; margin-right:0mm; text-indent:0mm; margin-top:0.00mm; margin-bottom:2.81mm;">Ray has two published academic papers and has over two years of work experience. Ray is studying to receive a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 2017. In his free time, Ray enjoys working on his biodiesel project at Rensselaer, doing community service and working on entrepreneurial projects.</div>

== Personal Website and LinkedIn ==

[[www.linkedin.com/in/rayokadaparker/|LinkedIn]]

[http://www.rayokadaparker.com/ Website]

[http://theinventorsguild.com/ The Inventor's Guild]

= Related Links =

[http://universityinnovation.org/wiki/Rensselaer_Polytechnic_Institute Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute]

[http://universityinnovation.org/wiki/Rensselaer_Polytechnic_Institute_Strategic_Priorities Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Strategic Priorities]

[[Category:Student Contributors|m]]

Fellow:Ray Parker

2016-02-07T00:22:52Z

Ray Parker:

[[File:Ray Parker.jpg|thumb|Picture of Ray Parker]]

Ray Okada Parker is an undergraduate student at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute studying chemical engineering. Ray Parker has had multiple internship experiences at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Orbital ATK and Northrop Grumman Corporation. On campus, Ray is involved in the co-ed service fraternity, Alpha Phi Omega, Engineers for a Sustainable World, The White Key Leadership Honor Society, and the Inventor’s Guild. Ray is also involved with the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, Japanese American Citizen’s League, Planetary Society, Lime Connect, AAAS and USBLN.

Ray is currently a fellow at Lime Connect, University Innovation Fellows and Student Advisory Council Member at USBLN. Ray worked in the Information Technology and Enterprise Shared Services Directorate, helping to manage and streamline innovative practices within Northrop Grumman’s internal information services department and the entire information division. Before that, he worked at Bristol-Myers Squibb developing commercialization separation techniques for three next-generation arthritis and cancer treatment drugs, after which he went to Orbital ATK in Wallops Island, Virginia, to help test and integrate sounding rocket payloads for six months. Ray’s aerospace background started in 2013 with a summer internship at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, working in the Applied Physics Laboratory, helping to develop and test a moon rover payload design that will launch in 2020.
<div align="justify" style="margin-left:0mm; margin-right:0mm; text-indent:0mm; margin-top:0.00mm; margin-bottom:2.81mm;">Ray has two published academic papers and has over two years of work experience. Ray is studying to receive a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 2017. In his free time, Ray enjoys working on his biodiesel project at Rensselaer, doing community service and working on entrepreneurial projects.</div>

== Personal Website and LinkedIn ==

[[www.linkedin.com/in/rayokadaparker/|LinkedIn]]

[http://www.rayokadaparker.com/ Website]

[http://theinventorsguild.com/ The Inventor's Guild]

= Related Links =

[http://universityinnovation.org/Rensselaer%20Polytechnic%20Institute Rensselaer_Polytechnic_Institute]

[http://universityinnovation.org/Rensselaer%20Polytechnic%20Institute%20Strategic%20Priorities Rensselaer_Polytechnic_Institute_Strategic_Priorities]

[[Category:Student Contributors|m]]

Fellow:Ray Parker

2016-02-07T00:21:23Z

Ray Parker:

[[File:Ray Parker.jpg|thumb|Picture of Ray Parker]]

Ray Okada Parker is an undergraduate student at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute studying chemical engineering. Ray Parker has had multiple internship experiences at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Orbital ATK and Northrop Grumman Corporation. On campus, Ray is involved in the co-ed service fraternity, Alpha Phi Omega, Engineers for a Sustainable World, The White Key Leadership Honor Society, and the Inventor’s Guild. Ray is also involved with the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, Japanese American Citizen’s League, Planetary Society, Lime Connect, AAAS and USBLN.

Ray is currently a fellow at Lime Connect, University Innovation Fellows and Student Advisory Council Member at USBLN. Ray worked in the Information Technology and Enterprise Shared Services Directorate, helping to manage and streamline innovative practices within Northrop Grumman’s internal information services department and the entire information division. Before that, he worked at Bristol-Myers Squibb developing commercialization separation techniques for three next-generation arthritis and cancer treatment drugs, after which he went to Orbital ATK in Wallops Island, Virginia, to help test and integrate sounding rocket payloads for six months. Ray’s aerospace background started in 2013 with a summer internship at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, working in the Applied Physics Laboratory, helping to develop and test a moon rover payload design that will launch in 2020.
<div align="justify" style="margin-left:0mm; margin-right:0mm; text-indent:0mm; margin-top:0.00mm; margin-bottom:2.81mm;">Ray has two published academic papers and has over two years of work experience. Ray is studying to receive a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 2017. In his free time, Ray enjoys working on his biodiesel project at Rensselaer, doing community service and working on entrepreneurial projects.</div>

== Personal Website and LinkedIn ==

www.linkedin.com/in/rayokadaparker/

= Related Links =

[http://universityinnovation.org/Rensselaer%20Polytechnic%20Institute Rensselaer_Polytechnic_Institute]

[http://universityinnovation.org/Rensselaer%20Polytechnic%20Institute%20Strategic%20Priorities Rensselaer_Polytechnic_Institute_Strategic_Priorities]

[[Category:Student Contributors|m]]

Fellow:Ray Parker

2016-02-07T00:20:56Z

Ray Parker:

[[File:Ray Parker.jpg]]

Ray Okada Parker is an undergraduate student at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute studying chemical engineering. Ray Parker has had multiple internship experiences at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Orbital ATK and Northrop Grumman Corporation. On campus, Ray is involved in the co-ed service fraternity, Alpha Phi Omega, Engineers for a Sustainable World, The White Key Leadership Honor Society, and the Inventor’s Guild. Ray is also involved with the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, Japanese American Citizen’s League, Planetary Society, Lime Connect, AAAS and USBLN.

Ray is currently a fellow at Lime Connect, University Innovation Fellows and Student Advisory Council Member at USBLN. Ray worked in the Information Technology and Enterprise Shared Services Directorate, helping to manage and streamline innovative practices within Northrop Grumman’s internal information services department and the entire information division. Before that, he worked at Bristol-Myers Squibb developing commercialization separation techniques for three next-generation arthritis and cancer treatment drugs, after which he went to Orbital ATK in Wallops Island, Virginia, to help test and integrate sounding rocket payloads for six months. Ray’s aerospace background started in 2013 with a summer internship at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, working in the Applied Physics Laboratory, helping to develop and test a moon rover payload design that will launch in 2020.
<div align="justify" style="margin-left:0mm; margin-right:0mm; text-indent:0mm; margin-top:0.00mm; margin-bottom:2.81mm;">Ray has two published academic papers and has over two years of work experience. Ray is studying to receive a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 2017. In his free time, Ray enjoys working on his biodiesel project at Rensselaer, doing community service and working on entrepreneurial projects.</div>

== Personal Website and LinkedIn ==

www.linkedin.com/in/rayokadaparker/

= Related Links =

[http://universityinnovation.org/Rensselaer%20Polytechnic%20Institute Rensselaer_Polytechnic_Institute]

[http://universityinnovation.org/Rensselaer%20Polytechnic%20Institute%20Strategic%20Priorities Rensselaer_Polytechnic_Institute_Strategic_Priorities]

[[Category:Student Contributors|m]]

File:Ray Parker.jpg

2016-02-07T00:20:11Z

Ray Parker:

Fellow:Ray Parker

2016-02-07T00:19:53Z

Ray Parker:

Ray Okada Parker is an undergraduate student at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute studying chemical engineering. Ray Parker has had multiple internship experiences at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Orbital ATK and Northrop Grumman Corporation. On campus, Ray is involved in the co-ed service fraternity, Alpha Phi Omega, Engineers for a Sustainable World, The White Key Leadership Honor Society, and the Inventor’s Guild. Ray is also involved with the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, Japanese American Citizen’s League, Planetary Society, Lime Connect, AAAS and USBLN.

Ray is currently a fellow at Lime Connect, University Innovation Fellows and Student Advisory Council Member at USBLN. Ray worked in the Information Technology and Enterprise Shared Services Directorate, helping to manage and streamline innovative practices within Northrop Grumman’s internal information services department and the entire information division. Before that, he worked at Bristol-Myers Squibb developing commercialization separation techniques for three next-generation arthritis and cancer treatment drugs, after which he went to Orbital ATK in Wallops Island, Virginia, to help test and integrate sounding rocket payloads for six months. Ray’s aerospace background started in 2013 with a summer internship at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, working in the Applied Physics Laboratory, helping to develop and test a moon rover payload design that will launch in 2020.
<div align="justify" style="margin-left:0mm; margin-right:0mm; text-indent:0mm; margin-top:0.00mm; margin-bottom:2.81mm;">Ray has two published academic papers and has over two years of work experience. Ray is studying to receive a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 2017. In his free time, Ray enjoys working on his biodiesel project at Rensselaer, doing community service and working on entrepreneurial projects.</div>

== Personal Website and LinkedIn ==

www.linkedin.com/in/rayokadaparker/

= Related Links =

[http://universityinnovation.org/Rensselaer%20Polytechnic%20Institute Rensselaer_Polytechnic_Institute]

[http://universityinnovation.org/Rensselaer%20Polytechnic%20Institute%20Strategic%20Priorities Rensselaer_Polytechnic_Institute_Strategic_Priorities]

[[Category:Student Contributors|m]]

School:Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

2016-02-07T00:19:33Z

Ray Parker:

'''Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Innovation Ecosystem: Promoting student innovation and entrepreneurship'''

= '''Overview''' =

'''''The motto of entrepreneurship at RPI:  A way to think. A way to learn. A way to succeed. '''''

"Entrepreneurial thinking lies at the heart of Rensselaer’s philosophy. Like our faculty, Rensselaer students are encouraged to pursue creativity and discovery — and the results are often spectacular. Our undergraduates embrace change in ways that have transformed how the world works, plays, and lives.

Our entrepreneurship program is built on the premise that ''not everyone wants to, or needs to, become an entrepreneur, but in today’s world everyone should know how to think like one."''

This statement shows RPI's commitment to entrepreneurial thinking, not so much the outcome of entreprenurship. The RPI Exemplar's program is a great example of the culture of entrepreneurship that RPI thrives on, as the Exemplar's program is designed for students who have a high level of interest in complementing their education by aquiring an entrepreneurail perspective.

'''Formal programs:''' M.S. Technological Communication & Entrepreneurship

'''Extracurricular activities: ''' Exemplar's Program RPI Foundry Business Model Competition Change the World Challenge Elevator Pitch Competition  Education geared toward entrepreneurial thinking encourages students at RPI to think in different ways, to come up with new ideas to solve problems and to enter on-campus competitions such as the Change the World Challenge, the Class of ’51 Entrepreneurial Fund, the Elevator Pitch Competition, and the RPI Business Plan Competition.  These programs often provide the spark which gives students the entrepreneurial bug and encourages them to continue pursuing their ideas.

The Severino Center for Technological Entrepreneurship (SCTE), centered in Rensselaer’s Lally School of Management & Technology, helps to foster new generations of budding and successful entrepreneurs through outreach programs, education, and support systems.  In recognition of the fact that most business students aren’t inventors, the Lally School intersects with other schools on campus to encourage the formation of new student teams and the fusing of their ideas.

Small Buhrmaster grants in the amounts of $1,000 to $2,000 are available, as determined by the Director of the Severino Center, for student ventures to test the market feasibility of their business concepts and to establish and define their target customers.  Mr. Buhrmaster, ’69 is a friend of the Lally school and a member of its advisory council.

The Severino Center also provides Mentoring and Resources via the Student Sandbox, Entrepreneurs-in-Residence, the Rensselaer Student Entrepreneurship Club, and assistance in finding teammates.  Experienced entrepreneur volunteers are assigned to coach teams that receive a Buhrmaster grant to help guide them in their market and business development activities.  

= '''Encouraging faculty innovation and entrepreneurship''' =

''Incredible professors like Burt Swersey, Dr. Eric Ledet, and many others''

''"For the last decade, the Rensselaer Plan has provided a blueprint for transformation and impact. It has guided development of an exceptional campus environment for advancing research with the potential to address science and society’s most challenging problems. Based on this strong foundation, Rensselaer research is creating a better future through the innovation and engineering of a better world. With our accelerated trajectory, the best is yet to come."''

Research is huge on RPI's campus and encouraging innovation is both in line with The Rensselaer Plan and Rensselaer's motto of "why not change the world?"

= '''Actively supporting the university technology transfer function''' =

''RPI Office of Technology Commercialization: ''[http://www.rpitechnology.com/ http://www.rpitechnology.com/] The Rensselaer Plan addresses technology transfer and intellectual property policies that encourage entrepreneurship:

== 6.2 Intellectual Property and Technology Commercialization ==

Research is the major driver of science and technology transfer, invention, and innovation. Technological entrepreneurship completes the technology lifecycle — from discovery to the creation of impact in the global marketplace. With an expanding research base, we will cultivate a campus culture that provides the spirit and motivation for inventors to pursue commercialization. We will:

Increase awareness of intellectual property, preserving its value in research agreements and maximizing its value under shared equity arrangements and licensing agreements, covering intellectual property developed in research and materials developed for distance education.

Create intellectual property policies that encourage entrepreneurship and allow the university to take equity positions in new ventures as appropriate.

Ensure that intellectual property policies have adequate and appropriate conflict of interest and conflict of commitment provisions.

Develop an awareness and infrastructure of intellectual property rights policies, incentives, and marketing to support innovation and commercialization.

== 6.3 Creating and Supporting New Ventures ==

World-class technological research universities excel in transferring research outputs to the commercial sector. We will create innovative programs targeted at growing major new technological ventures and creating value. We will:

Enhance the process of matching researchers and entrepreneurs to create new ventures that take Rensselaer intellectual property to market.

Provide business planning and facilitate venture capital for faculty and students for start-up companies that commercialize leading-edge Rensselaer research.

Expand the Incubator program to accommodate more start-ups and second-stage incubation.

Expand the flow of technology, talent, and ventures into the Rensselaer Technology Park and the Capital Region. Bring new focus to the Rensselaer Technology Park as the locus for mature ventures based on the technologies taught and researched at the Institute.

Work with private and public sources to attract new venture capital and entrepreneurial talent to the Capital Region.

= '''Facilitating University-Industry Collaboration''' =

== RPI Tech Park ==

Rensselaer Technology Park is a university related park for technology ventures seeking a unique environment focused on the interface between industry and education.

According to the rpitechpark.com website, the University Interactions Policy of the Tech Park is built upon "a fundamental objective of the Park is to develop interactions between tenant companies and the university.  Such interactions enrich the educational environment of the university and help the companies stay on the leading edge of their technologies.  All companies in the Park automatically become “affiliates” of Rensselaer."  Building a synergistic environment is a responsibility shared by all members of the Park staff."

== EVE (Emerging Ventures Ecosystem) ==

The work of turning ideas into real companies happens in RPI’s incubator, the Emerging Ventures Ecosystem (EVE).  EVE is a distributed incubation program which accelerates the growth of new businesses and boosts the transfer of scientific and technological breakthroughs from the laboratory and classroom to the marketplace, for social and economic impact.

Launched in February 2011, the Emerging Ventures Ecosystem (EVE) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute serves to link “Rensselaer institutional resources and alumni/ae expertise symbiotically with community strengths, in a multi-faceted partnership for mutual benefit.”  The goal of EVE is to nurture new businesses and to build upon the decades of successful efforts of RPI’s previous incubator by helping young businesses grow and succeed.

Rensselaer’s previous incubator program was opened in 1980 as the nation’s first such program wholly sponsored and operated by a university. In its later stages, the incubator was primarily used for its “brick and mortar” assets, as place for entrepreneurially minded students to rent at a low cost, with convenient access to a photocopier.  The model of RPI’s old incubator was traditional: it was rented by students who were seeking to start a venture, which either lived or died, and then moved on.  The RPI Incubator building was closed in late 2009 simply because it did not make any money for the institution.

The new EVE program utilizes an innovative distributed incubation model, maintaining a central office in Troy, NY and working with each company to find an ideal matchup of space-to-enterprise in Troy and the surrounding area.  EVE is overseen by James Spencer, who has 20 years of experience in leading organizational creation and growth as an entrepreneurial business executive.

Once a new company completes the application process for the EVE program — through which Rensselaer will determine, in part, whether the entrepreneur is willing to put in the effort to make the company successful — the program will assign a status to the company: pre-seed, emerging, or early stage. Assigning these descriptions will help EVE mentors and administrators determine the specific services needed by each business.

Under EVE, businesses that are accepted into the program will receive a series of specific services that will help accelerate their growth.  A board of advisers will be established from community resources or alumni/ae for each new company.  If a company already has a board of advisers or directors, EVE will assign an additional person to the board to act as a liaison to mobilize resources within the Institute.

Upon formation of a board of advisors, three or four key objectives are developed by each company with the help of their advisory board.  Milestones for these objectives are then established for each quarter, in an effort to create a concrete plan for success and to generate measurable objectives; new goals are developed for succeeding semesters.  Companies must continue to show steady progress in order to remain in the program.

As a member of EVE, a company will have access to the Entrepreneur(s)-in-Residence at the Lally School as well as other resources including labs, patenting and licensing services, faculty, and students for work-study assignments, internships (REIP), and student projects.  Additional resources for EVE members include alumni/ae and community volunteers such as attorneys and accountants who are available to answer questions and provide advice and one time assistance for basic questions.  If an EVE company requires further professional assistance, they are encouraged to select a professional service company from a list provided through the EVE program. Such services may be offered at a discount to seed and early stage companies.

EVE hosts monthly peer review meetings, known as CEO Roundtable Discussions, among the CEOs of the incubated companies as a framework for peer-to-peer coaching among the mix of pre-seed, early state, and emerging companies supported by the EVE incubator program.  At these meetings, participants will sign disclosure agreements allowing a platform for confidential open discussions about topics and issues of importance to them.  The companies will also be invited to a monthly meeting featuring a speaker or a lecturer based upon a topic selected by the EVE companies’ CEOs and will also attend quarterly meet-ups for all employees of incubated companies, allowing the employees to build relationships and exchange ideas.

EVE promotes and introduces its companies to investors, assists them in identifying and seeking grant opportunities such as NYSERDA and SBIR, and helps them prepare for business plan competitions; the companies are given assistance in preparing applications, presentations, and pitches.  Additionally, members are provided access to professional grant writers to assist them as needed.

The EVE companies are invited to expand their professional networks through networking opportunities within the local business and academic community in order increase exposure to decision makers, funding sources from grants, and potential angel investors.  EVE is physically located off-campus in an effort to incubate companies directly in the community of Troy, NY and to strategically re-invent the typical “brick and mortar” business incubation model followed by RPI’s old incubator.  EVE is not a center where entrepreneurial students can simply rent space and use a photocopier the way a “brick and mortar” incubator is often used, but it is a 4,000 square foot center which strictly focuses on moving students through a business development continuum and on preparing them to fill vacant business facilities in the Troy community, leased at very low prices by realtors.  EVE does not want to focus on space like the traditional brick and mortar incubation model because if a company takes up too much space, they can’t let others in; student startups enrolled in EVE are treated like real businesses.

EVE was launched in February of 2011 with eight companies and now supports over thirty.  The continuum of business development begins with the formation of customized ninety-day plans which include 3-5 specific short term goals, preparing these young ventures to fill business space in the community.  Each venture enrolled in EVE has access to a huge network of professional individuals which include over 90,000 alumni that can potentially serve as mentors (25-30 of which are very active), the wind tunnel and prototyping capabilities at RPI, NYSERDA money, professional services (the first hour or two of which are provided for free), and accounting firms to help set up Quickbooks.  Although many professional services are not provided for EVE companies, aggressive rates are negotiated with local providers and funding often comes from venture pitches.

The key to RPI’s Emerging Ventures Ecosystem is that companies never graduate from the incubator because business development and iteration is never finalized.  Companies supported by EVE are always welcome to come back and ask for assistance in making new connections with the large international network of individuals.  RPI’s large alumni network serves as a virtual incubator in the sense that the network is leveraged to help grow companies as they experience the transition from technology ideas and intellectual property to commercialization through their education. 

=   '''Engaging with regional and local economic development efforts''' =

== Startup Tech Valley - Where Entrepreneurs and the Community Come Together ==

A monthly meetup for first-time entrepreneurs, experienced entrepreneurs, aspiring entrepreneurs, investors, mentors, employees of startups, serviceprodiders to startups, and anyone else who wants to be involved.

== Tech Valley Center of Gravity ==

The Tech Valley Center of Gravity is a federation of makers, hackers, crafters, and artists who share camaraderie, space, and resources to do our tinkering. We have a permanent makerspace, several satellite locations, and a community of local individuals and organizations to share and support them. We are based in downtown Troy, NY, and sponsor events all over the New York State Capital Region.

Our primary goal is to build a community around the idea of doing for ourselves, rather than just passively consuming, and learning how the arts, crafts, and technologies that surround us every day work, along the way. We also aim to create a network of contacts for small business and start-ups in the Capital Region to connect with local leaders, like-minded businesses and individuals, and tools and resources they might not otherwise have access to.

= Landscape Canvas and Presentation =

[https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1Ek9pplesv42Ubc0TzcqW7mtASYtgL_XbJmvxJG4e14s/pub?start=true&loop=true&delayms=3000 Landscape Canvas Documentation]

[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1cg47LQI3tLh2gxM4u2FfyEPX1ljnFulr97_amxy4ebc/pubhtml Landscape Presentation]

= Related Links =

[[Meghan Olson|Meghan Olson]]

[http://universityinnovation.org/wiki/Ray_Parker Ray Parker]

[[Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Strategic Priorities|Rensselaer_Polytechnic_Institute_Strategic_Priorities]]

[[Category:Universities]]

Priorities:Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Strategic Priorities

2016-02-07T00:19:05Z

Ray Parker:

= Overview =

The Innovation and Entrepreneurship Landscape Canvas at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is relatively well-established but is severely lacking in student involvement, stemming from lack of exposure to the resources available on campus and an unclear "access point" for students to begin their involvement in the I&E Ecosystem at Rensselaer.  Yet, Rensselaer clearly values entrepreneurship, as indicated by an excerpt of The Rensselaer Plan found below. It is imperative that Rensselaer students learn about opportunities to get involved in entrepreneurial persuits early on in their college career in order for Rensselaer to effectively achieve the goals stated in the Rensselaer Plan. 

{{#Widget:YouTube|id=pWT9tAZCBYI}}

== 6.1 Entrepreneurship Education and Research ==
<div>Entrepreneurship is a way of life that springs from fundamental education and research programs. We will work to infuse understanding and encouragement of entrepreneurship through all schools and programs. Specifically, we will:</div><div> </div>
*Expand the Institute’s fundamental research activity in technological entrepreneurship and the management of innovation.
*Teach the fundamentals of entrepreneurship — and intrapreneurship — to students across all majors, establishing a general curriculum requirement in this area.
*Expand opportunities for students to create innovation by increasing the number of hands-on courses, such as: Introduction to Engineering Design, Inventors Studio, and Multidisciplinary Design Laboratory; programs such as Product Design and Innovation, and competitions such as the Formula SAE car project.
*Provide opportunities for students to work in settings where technology is being commercialized, such as entrepreneurial faculty projects, internships, and co-op experiences.
*Create opportunities in the Rensselaer Union and in the residence halls for students to propose, design, and implement projects, processes, and organizations.

= Expanding Innovation & Entrepreneurship on Campus =

== Needs, Mindsets, Ideas & Potential Action Items for Advancement ==

#The joint venture between the NCIIA and Epicenter is all about '''values '''and '''empowering''' students, with the goal of bringing ideas to life that will be beneficial to society and to the economy. Values such as raising people, especially the most needy, out of poverty and helping them fulfill their potential. These are the kind of values that students must be empowerd with and that must be ingraned into engineering education. A majority of RPI student want to make a difference in the world. They want to change it for the better for billions of people. But, they must be equipped with the right skillsets in order to do so. Innovative and entrepreneurial thinking must be better ingrained into their education, as they learn that TECHNOLOGY has the ability to play a critical role in solving these kinds of problems. Leveraging the power of smart phones, sensors, and the Internet is key in order to create DISRUPTIVE TECHNOLOGIES for health, education, envrionment, and raising the standard of living. Integrating these values into engineering educaiton is key to empowering students to develop a strong sense of empathy and a passionate desire to take action. Some key books that are value-driven, which state that work must be based on clear values are: * ''How Will You Value Your Life'' - Clayton Christianson * ''Start with Why'' - Michael Sinek - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
#Students and professors must be fully aware of the fact that t'''he world has changed'''. Acknowledgement is not enough. RPI has opportunity to be one of the LEADERS in using technology to benefit billions of people. Dr. Shirley Ann Jackson, the President of RPI, has made innovation and entrepreneurship one of the key goals in the Refresh Rensselaer Plan. HER LEADERSHIP MUST BE EMPHASIZED. Her input, and that of the Provost and the Deans at RPI must be heard. Their suggestions regarding the efforts to expand the ecosystem of innovation and entrepreneurship at RPI must be noted and vocalized; the department heads and heads of curriculum in each department at RPI must be drilled down with this information.  - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
#'''What we teach MUST change. '''Professor Tina Seelig said it beautifuly in her Innovation Enginer talk - we must learn how to think like ? + ? = 10, not 5 + 5 = ?. Sure, “engineers make sure bridges don’t fall down," it is their responsibility. But engineers can also create new ways to communicate, new paths to education, and new technology that makes it possible for any one person, anywhere in the world, to get the best possible healthcare and education. Another beautiful example is Max Little's TED talk about Parkinson’s diagnosis. His innovation is '''massively scalable''', continues to learn, and costs essentially nothing. Shouldn’t healthcare, education, and opportunity fit the same requirements? Why aren't students stretched to reach for the ideal in their designs? - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
#It is so very important to provide students with '''the right skills.''' “Knowledge and Thoroughness” is the current RPI motto, along with "Why not change the world?" But what will, and should, the new motto be?  "Change the world" is too vague and does not adequately point out the '''threats '''poised by inequalities. Students need to learn to see opportunities without being told what to do, and they need to make their visions into reality. They can't sit back asking "Why not change the world?" but rather, they need to sit back and say "How can I change the world?" "What is the next step?" "What difference can I make TODAY?" and "Am I doing work that is making an impact? Am I building the skillsets I need?" - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
#Technology must be focused on making life better for the 99%, not for the elite and their fancier kitchens, cars, or toys. If students learn to focus on the most needy, then everyone can use the technology. There are many people right in North Troy, New York who are struggling to survive.  THEY are our customers, not the 1%. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
#What are the '''barriers''' to succeeding? The''' faculty''' certainly have not been forced to think differently like this, but they MUST now be forced to think differently.  - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

= The Early Adopters and Getting the Movement Started  =

== Strategy #1 - Faculty Reach ==

Start with a few faculty members - the “early adopters” - who will introduce creativity, opportunity-finding, innovation, and an entrepreneurial ATTITUDE into their courses.

Strategic targets as early adopters:

*Mark Steiner - make changes in Introduction to Engineering Design (IED) classes

== Strategy #2 - TEDx & Events That Inspire ==

ate them to take their academics more seriously, and look at their learning as an opportunity to develop their portfolio of skillsets that will equip them with the tools to make a difference in the world. 

= Sustaining the Movement  =

== Strategy #1 - support ==

Gain support from alumni and from companies who hire RPI graduates.

Listed below; frequently growing:

=== Companies ===

*Ecovative Design
*Howstuffworks.com
*Texas Instruments
*Gerber Scientific

=== Alumni ===

*Steven Sasson
*Gary Burrell

== Strategy #2 - On-Campus Partnerships ==

Work with the Alumni Association Director:

*To reach out to companies that advise each of the departments on campus
*To get input on changing the curriculum

'''OVERALL GOAL -'''

'''CHANGE THE CULTURE OF RPI! GET MORE STUDENTS INOLVED IN I&E!!!'''

= '''Related Links''' =

[[Meghan Olson|'''Meghan Olson''']]

[http://universityinnovation.org/wiki/Ray_Parker '''Ray Parker''']

[[Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute|'''Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute''']]

[[Category:Student Priorities|Student_Priorities]]

Fellow:Ray Parker

2016-02-07T00:17:36Z

Ray Parker: Created page with "  Ray Okada Parker is an undergraduate student at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute studying chemical en..."

Fellow:Meghan Olson

2016-02-07T00:10:08Z

Ray Parker:

[[File:Meghan Olson.jpg|thumb]]

I am a senior at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute studying Mechanical Engineering and Design, Innovation, and Society (dual B.S. degree). The design aspect of my program includes a sequence of studio classes which focuses on "creating new products, services, and media in the context of social needs and environmental concerns" while bridging the MechE and Design disciplines. Following my undergraduate degree, I am planning on pursuing a M.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering as part of the co-terminal program at RPI.

My hobbies include tennis, powerlifting, sewing, scrapbooking, reading, and anything that invloves being outside in the sunshine. I hope to beging my career post-RPI at an innovative and forward thinking company but would like to eventually start my own company, as an entrepreneur who seeks to create social change and make a difference for humanity.

== Please connect with me on LinkedIn!  ==

www.linkedin.com/in/meghanolson/

= Related Links =

[[Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute|Rensselaer_Polytechnic_Institute]]

[[Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Strategic Priorities|Rensselaer_Polytechnic_Institute_Strategic_Priorities]]

[[Category:Student Contributors|m]]

School:Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

2016-02-07T00:04:13Z

Ray Parker:

'''Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Innovation Ecosystem: Promoting student innovation and entrepreneurship'''

= '''Overview''' =

'''''The motto of entrepreneurship at RPI:  A way to think. A way to learn. A way to succeed. '''''

"Entrepreneurial thinking lies at the heart of Rensselaer’s philosophy. Like our faculty, Rensselaer students are encouraged to pursue creativity and discovery — and the results are often spectacular. Our undergraduates embrace change in ways that have transformed how the world works, plays, and lives.

Our entrepreneurship program is built on the premise that ''not everyone wants to, or needs to, become an entrepreneur, but in today’s world everyone should know how to think like one."''

This statement shows RPI's commitment to entrepreneurial thinking, not so much the outcome of entreprenurship. The RPI Exemplar's program is a great example of the culture of entrepreneurship that RPI thrives on, as the Exemplar's program is designed for students who have a high level of interest in complementing their education by aquiring an entrepreneurail perspective.

'''Formal programs:''' M.S. Technological Communication & Entrepreneurship

'''Extracurricular activities: ''' Exemplar's Program RPI Foundry Business Model Competition Change the World Challenge Elevator Pitch Competition  Education geared toward entrepreneurial thinking encourages students at RPI to think in different ways, to come up with new ideas to solve problems and to enter on-campus competitions such as the Change the World Challenge, the Class of ’51 Entrepreneurial Fund, the Elevator Pitch Competition, and the RPI Business Plan Competition.  These programs often provide the spark which gives students the entrepreneurial bug and encourages them to continue pursuing their ideas.

The Severino Center for Technological Entrepreneurship (SCTE), centered in Rensselaer’s Lally School of Management & Technology, helps to foster new generations of budding and successful entrepreneurs through outreach programs, education, and support systems.  In recognition of the fact that most business students aren’t inventors, the Lally School intersects with other schools on campus to encourage the formation of new student teams and the fusing of their ideas.

Small Buhrmaster grants in the amounts of $1,000 to $2,000 are available, as determined by the Director of the Severino Center, for student ventures to test the market feasibility of their business concepts and to establish and define their target customers.  Mr. Buhrmaster, ’69 is a friend of the Lally school and a member of its advisory council.

The Severino Center also provides Mentoring and Resources via the Student Sandbox, Entrepreneurs-in-Residence, the Rensselaer Student Entrepreneurship Club, and assistance in finding teammates.  Experienced entrepreneur volunteers are assigned to coach teams that receive a Buhrmaster grant to help guide them in their market and business development activities.  

= '''Encouraging faculty innovation and entrepreneurship''' =

''Incredible professors like Burt Swersey, Dr. Eric Ledet, and many others''

''"For the last decade, the Rensselaer Plan has provided a blueprint for transformation and impact. It has guided development of an exceptional campus environment for advancing research with the potential to address science and society’s most challenging problems. Based on this strong foundation, Rensselaer research is creating a better future through the innovation and engineering of a better world. With our accelerated trajectory, the best is yet to come."''

Research is huge on RPI's campus and encouraging innovation is both in line with The Rensselaer Plan and Rensselaer's motto of "why not change the world?"

= '''Actively supporting the university technology transfer function''' =

''RPI Office of Technology Commercialization: ''[http://www.rpitechnology.com/ http://www.rpitechnology.com/] The Rensselaer Plan addresses technology transfer and intellectual property policies that encourage entrepreneurship:

== 6.2 Intellectual Property and Technology Commercialization ==

Research is the major driver of science and technology transfer, invention, and innovation. Technological entrepreneurship completes the technology lifecycle — from discovery to the creation of impact in the global marketplace. With an expanding research base, we will cultivate a campus culture that provides the spirit and motivation for inventors to pursue commercialization. We will:

Increase awareness of intellectual property, preserving its value in research agreements and maximizing its value under shared equity arrangements and licensing agreements, covering intellectual property developed in research and materials developed for distance education.

Create intellectual property policies that encourage entrepreneurship and allow the university to take equity positions in new ventures as appropriate.

Ensure that intellectual property policies have adequate and appropriate conflict of interest and conflict of commitment provisions.

Develop an awareness and infrastructure of intellectual property rights policies, incentives, and marketing to support innovation and commercialization.

== 6.3 Creating and Supporting New Ventures ==

World-class technological research universities excel in transferring research outputs to the commercial sector. We will create innovative programs targeted at growing major new technological ventures and creating value. We will:

Enhance the process of matching researchers and entrepreneurs to create new ventures that take Rensselaer intellectual property to market.

Provide business planning and facilitate venture capital for faculty and students for start-up companies that commercialize leading-edge Rensselaer research.

Expand the Incubator program to accommodate more start-ups and second-stage incubation.

Expand the flow of technology, talent, and ventures into the Rensselaer Technology Park and the Capital Region. Bring new focus to the Rensselaer Technology Park as the locus for mature ventures based on the technologies taught and researched at the Institute.

Work with private and public sources to attract new venture capital and entrepreneurial talent to the Capital Region.

= '''Facilitating University-Industry Collaboration''' =

== RPI Tech Park ==

Rensselaer Technology Park is a university related park for technology ventures seeking a unique environment focused on the interface between industry and education.

According to the rpitechpark.com website, the University Interactions Policy of the Tech Park is built upon "a fundamental objective of the Park is to develop interactions between tenant companies and the university.  Such interactions enrich the educational environment of the university and help the companies stay on the leading edge of their technologies.  All companies in the Park automatically become “affiliates” of Rensselaer."  Building a synergistic environment is a responsibility shared by all members of the Park staff."

== EVE (Emerging Ventures Ecosystem) ==

The work of turning ideas into real companies happens in RPI’s incubator, the Emerging Ventures Ecosystem (EVE).  EVE is a distributed incubation program which accelerates the growth of new businesses and boosts the transfer of scientific and technological breakthroughs from the laboratory and classroom to the marketplace, for social and economic impact.

Launched in February 2011, the Emerging Ventures Ecosystem (EVE) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute serves to link “Rensselaer institutional resources and alumni/ae expertise symbiotically with community strengths, in a multi-faceted partnership for mutual benefit.”  The goal of EVE is to nurture new businesses and to build upon the decades of successful efforts of RPI’s previous incubator by helping young businesses grow and succeed.

Rensselaer’s previous incubator program was opened in 1980 as the nation’s first such program wholly sponsored and operated by a university. In its later stages, the incubator was primarily used for its “brick and mortar” assets, as place for entrepreneurially minded students to rent at a low cost, with convenient access to a photocopier.  The model of RPI’s old incubator was traditional: it was rented by students who were seeking to start a venture, which either lived or died, and then moved on.  The RPI Incubator building was closed in late 2009 simply because it did not make any money for the institution.

The new EVE program utilizes an innovative distributed incubation model, maintaining a central office in Troy, NY and working with each company to find an ideal matchup of space-to-enterprise in Troy and the surrounding area.  EVE is overseen by James Spencer, who has 20 years of experience in leading organizational creation and growth as an entrepreneurial business executive.

Once a new company completes the application process for the EVE program — through which Rensselaer will determine, in part, whether the entrepreneur is willing to put in the effort to make the company successful — the program will assign a status to the company: pre-seed, emerging, or early stage. Assigning these descriptions will help EVE mentors and administrators determine the specific services needed by each business.

Under EVE, businesses that are accepted into the program will receive a series of specific services that will help accelerate their growth.  A board of advisers will be established from community resources or alumni/ae for each new company.  If a company already has a board of advisers or directors, EVE will assign an additional person to the board to act as a liaison to mobilize resources within the Institute.

Upon formation of a board of advisors, three or four key objectives are developed by each company with the help of their advisory board.  Milestones for these objectives are then established for each quarter, in an effort to create a concrete plan for success and to generate measurable objectives; new goals are developed for succeeding semesters.  Companies must continue to show steady progress in order to remain in the program.

As a member of EVE, a company will have access to the Entrepreneur(s)-in-Residence at the Lally School as well as other resources including labs, patenting and licensing services, faculty, and students for work-study assignments, internships (REIP), and student projects.  Additional resources for EVE members include alumni/ae and community volunteers such as attorneys and accountants who are available to answer questions and provide advice and one time assistance for basic questions.  If an EVE company requires further professional assistance, they are encouraged to select a professional service company from a list provided through the EVE program. Such services may be offered at a discount to seed and early stage companies.

EVE hosts monthly peer review meetings, known as CEO Roundtable Discussions, among the CEOs of the incubated companies as a framework for peer-to-peer coaching among the mix of pre-seed, early state, and emerging companies supported by the EVE incubator program.  At these meetings, participants will sign disclosure agreements allowing a platform for confidential open discussions about topics and issues of importance to them.  The companies will also be invited to a monthly meeting featuring a speaker or a lecturer based upon a topic selected by the EVE companies’ CEOs and will also attend quarterly meet-ups for all employees of incubated companies, allowing the employees to build relationships and exchange ideas.

EVE promotes and introduces its companies to investors, assists them in identifying and seeking grant opportunities such as NYSERDA and SBIR, and helps them prepare for business plan competitions; the companies are given assistance in preparing applications, presentations, and pitches.  Additionally, members are provided access to professional grant writers to assist them as needed.

The EVE companies are invited to expand their professional networks through networking opportunities within the local business and academic community in order increase exposure to decision makers, funding sources from grants, and potential angel investors.  EVE is physically located off-campus in an effort to incubate companies directly in the community of Troy, NY and to strategically re-invent the typical “brick and mortar” business incubation model followed by RPI’s old incubator.  EVE is not a center where entrepreneurial students can simply rent space and use a photocopier the way a “brick and mortar” incubator is often used, but it is a 4,000 square foot center which strictly focuses on moving students through a business development continuum and on preparing them to fill vacant business facilities in the Troy community, leased at very low prices by realtors.  EVE does not want to focus on space like the traditional brick and mortar incubation model because if a company takes up too much space, they can’t let others in; student startups enrolled in EVE are treated like real businesses.

EVE was launched in February of 2011 with eight companies and now supports over thirty.  The continuum of business development begins with the formation of customized ninety-day plans which include 3-5 specific short term goals, preparing these young ventures to fill business space in the community.  Each venture enrolled in EVE has access to a huge network of professional individuals which include over 90,000 alumni that can potentially serve as mentors (25-30 of which are very active), the wind tunnel and prototyping capabilities at RPI, NYSERDA money, professional services (the first hour or two of which are provided for free), and accounting firms to help set up Quickbooks.  Although many professional services are not provided for EVE companies, aggressive rates are negotiated with local providers and funding often comes from venture pitches.

The key to RPI’s Emerging Ventures Ecosystem is that companies never graduate from the incubator because business development and iteration is never finalized.  Companies supported by EVE are always welcome to come back and ask for assistance in making new connections with the large international network of individuals.  RPI’s large alumni network serves as a virtual incubator in the sense that the network is leveraged to help grow companies as they experience the transition from technology ideas and intellectual property to commercialization through their education. 

=   '''Engaging with regional and local economic development efforts''' =

== Startup Tech Valley - Where Entrepreneurs and the Community Come Together ==

A monthly meetup for first-time entrepreneurs, experienced entrepreneurs, aspiring entrepreneurs, investors, mentors, employees of startups, serviceprodiders to startups, and anyone else who wants to be involved.

== Tech Valley Center of Gravity ==

The Tech Valley Center of Gravity is a federation of makers, hackers, crafters, and artists who share camaraderie, space, and resources to do our tinkering. We have a permanent makerspace, several satellite locations, and a community of local individuals and organizations to share and support them. We are based in downtown Troy, NY, and sponsor events all over the New York State Capital Region.

Our primary goal is to build a community around the idea of doing for ourselves, rather than just passively consuming, and learning how the arts, crafts, and technologies that surround us every day work, along the way. We also aim to create a network of contacts for small business and start-ups in the Capital Region to connect with local leaders, like-minded businesses and individuals, and tools and resources they might not otherwise have access to.

= Landscape Canvas and Presentation =

[https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1Ek9pplesv42Ubc0TzcqW7mtASYtgL_XbJmvxJG4e14s/pub?start=true&loop=true&delayms=3000 Landscape Canvas Documentation]

[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1cg47LQI3tLh2gxM4u2FfyEPX1ljnFulr97_amxy4ebc/pubhtml Landscape Presentation]

= Related Links =

[[Meghan Olson|Meghan_Olson]]

[[Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Strategic Priorities|Rensselaer_Polytechnic_Institute_Strategic_Priorities]]

[[Category:Universities]]

School:Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

2016-02-07T00:00:49Z

Ray Parker:

'''Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Innovation Ecosystem: Promoting student innovation and entrepreneurship'''

= '''Overview''' =

'''''The motto of entrepreneurship at RPI:  A way to think. A way to learn. A way to succeed. '''''

"Entrepreneurial thinking lies at the heart of Rensselaer’s philosophy. Like our faculty, Rensselaer students are encouraged to pursue creativity and discovery — and the results are often spectacular. Our undergraduates embrace change in ways that have transformed how the world works, plays, and lives.

Our entrepreneurship program is built on the premise that ''not everyone wants to, or needs to, become an entrepreneur, but in today’s world everyone should know how to think like one."''

This statement shows RPI's commitment to entrepreneurial thinking, not so much the outcome of entreprenurship. The RPI Exemplar's program is a great example of the culture of entrepreneurship that RPI thrives on, as the Exemplar's program is designed for students who have a high level of interest in complementing their education by aquiring an entrepreneurail perspective.

'''Formal programs:''' M.S. Technological Communication & Entrepreneurship

'''Extracurricular activities: ''' Exemplar's Program RPI Foundry Business Model Competition Change the World Challenge Elevator Pitch Competition  Education geared toward entrepreneurial thinking encourages students at RPI to think in different ways, to come up with new ideas to solve problems and to enter on-campus competitions such as the Change the World Challenge, the Class of ’51 Entrepreneurial Fund, the Elevator Pitch Competition, and the RPI Business Plan Competition.  These programs often provide the spark which gives students the entrepreneurial bug and encourages them to continue pursuing their ideas.

The Severino Center for Technological Entrepreneurship (SCTE), centered in Rensselaer’s Lally School of Management & Technology, helps to foster new generations of budding and successful entrepreneurs through outreach programs, education, and support systems.  In recognition of the fact that most business students aren’t inventors, the Lally School intersects with other schools on campus to encourage the formation of new student teams and the fusing of their ideas.

Small Buhrmaster grants in the amounts of $1,000 to $2,000 are available, as determined by the Director of the Severino Center, for student ventures to test the market feasibility of their business concepts and to establish and define their target customers.  Mr. Buhrmaster, ’69 is a friend of the Lally school and a member of its advisory council.

The Severino Center also provides Mentoring and Resources via the Student Sandbox, Entrepreneurs-in-Residence, the Rensselaer Student Entrepreneurship Club, and assistance in finding teammates.  Experienced entrepreneur volunteers are assigned to coach teams that receive a Buhrmaster grant to help guide them in their market and business development activities.  

= '''Encouraging faculty innovation and entrepreneurship''' =

''Incredible professors like Burt Swersey, Dr. Eric Ledet, and many others''

''"For the last decade, the Rensselaer Plan has provided a blueprint for transformation and impact. It has guided development of an exceptional campus environment for advancing research with the potential to address science and society’s most challenging problems. Based on this strong foundation, Rensselaer research is creating a better future through the innovation and engineering of a better world. With our accelerated trajectory, the best is yet to come."''

Research is huge on RPI's campus and encouraging innovation is both in line with The Rensselaer Plan and Rensselaer's motto of "why not change the world?"

= '''Actively supporting the university technology transfer function''' =

''RPI Office of Technology Commercialization: ''[http://www.rpitechnology.com/ http://www.rpitechnology.com/] The Rensselaer Plan addresses technology transfer and intellectual property policies that encourage entrepreneurship:

== 6.2 Intellectual Property and Technology Commercialization ==

Research is the major driver of science and technology transfer, invention, and innovation. Technological entrepreneurship completes the technology lifecycle — from discovery to the creation of impact in the global marketplace. With an expanding research base, we will cultivate a campus culture that provides the spirit and motivation for inventors to pursue commercialization. We will:

Increase awareness of intellectual property, preserving its value in research agreements and maximizing its value under shared equity arrangements and licensing agreements, covering intellectual property developed in research and materials developed for distance education.

Create intellectual property policies that encourage entrepreneurship and allow the university to take equity positions in new ventures as appropriate.

Ensure that intellectual property policies have adequate and appropriate conflict of interest and conflict of commitment provisions.

Develop an awareness and infrastructure of intellectual property rights policies, incentives, and marketing to support innovation and commercialization.

== 6.3 Creating and Supporting New Ventures ==

World-class technological research universities excel in transferring research outputs to the commercial sector. We will create innovative programs targeted at growing major new technological ventures and creating value. We will:

Enhance the process of matching researchers and entrepreneurs to create new ventures that take Rensselaer intellectual property to market.

Provide business planning and facilitate venture capital for faculty and students for start-up companies that commercialize leading-edge Rensselaer research.

Expand the Incubator program to accommodate more start-ups and second-stage incubation.

Expand the flow of technology, talent, and ventures into the Rensselaer Technology Park and the Capital Region. Bring new focus to the Rensselaer Technology Park as the locus for mature ventures based on the technologies taught and researched at the Institute.

Work with private and public sources to attract new venture capital and entrepreneurial talent to the Capital Region.

= '''Facilitating University-Industry Collaboration''' =

== RPI Tech Park ==

Rensselaer Technology Park is a university related park for technology ventures seeking a unique environment focused on the interface between industry and education.

According to the rpitechpark.com website, the University Interactions Policy of the Tech Park is built upon "a fundamental objective of the Park is to develop interactions between tenant companies and the university.  Such interactions enrich the educational environment of the university and help the companies stay on the leading edge of their technologies.  All companies in the Park automatically become “affiliates” of Rensselaer."  Building a synergistic environment is a responsibility shared by all members of the Park staff."

== EVE (Emerging Ventures Ecosystem) ==

The work of turning ideas into real companies happens in RPI’s incubator, the Emerging Ventures Ecosystem (EVE).  EVE is a distributed incubation program which accelerates the growth of new businesses and boosts the transfer of scientific and technological breakthroughs from the laboratory and classroom to the marketplace, for social and economic impact.

Launched in February 2011, the Emerging Ventures Ecosystem (EVE) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute serves to link “Rensselaer institutional resources and alumni/ae expertise symbiotically with community strengths, in a multi-faceted partnership for mutual benefit.”  The goal of EVE is to nurture new businesses and to build upon the decades of successful efforts of RPI’s previous incubator by helping young businesses grow and succeed.

Rensselaer’s previous incubator program was opened in 1980 as the nation’s first such program wholly sponsored and operated by a university. In its later stages, the incubator was primarily used for its “brick and mortar” assets, as place for entrepreneurially minded students to rent at a low cost, with convenient access to a photocopier.  The model of RPI’s old incubator was traditional: it was rented by students who were seeking to start a venture, which either lived or died, and then moved on.  The RPI Incubator building was closed in late 2009 simply because it did not make any money for the institution.

The new EVE program utilizes an innovative distributed incubation model, maintaining a central office in Troy, NY and working with each company to find an ideal matchup of space-to-enterprise in Troy and the surrounding area.  EVE is overseen by James Spencer, who has 20 years of experience in leading organizational creation and growth as an entrepreneurial business executive.

Once a new company completes the application process for the EVE program — through which Rensselaer will determine, in part, whether the entrepreneur is willing to put in the effort to make the company successful — the program will assign a status to the company: pre-seed, emerging, or early stage. Assigning these descriptions will help EVE mentors and administrators determine the specific services needed by each business.

Under EVE, businesses that are accepted into the program will receive a series of specific services that will help accelerate their growth.  A board of advisers will be established from community resources or alumni/ae for each new company.  If a company already has a board of advisers or directors, EVE will assign an additional person to the board to act as a liaison to mobilize resources within the Institute.

Upon formation of a board of advisors, three or four key objectives are developed by each company with the help of their advisory board.  Milestones for these objectives are then established for each quarter, in an effort to create a concrete plan for success and to generate measurable objectives; new goals are developed for succeeding semesters.  Companies must continue to show steady progress in order to remain in the program.

As a member of EVE, a company will have access to the Entrepreneur(s)-in-Residence at the Lally School as well as other resources including labs, patenting and licensing services, faculty, and students for work-study assignments, internships (REIP), and student projects.  Additional resources for EVE members include alumni/ae and community volunteers such as attorneys and accountants who are available to answer questions and provide advice and one time assistance for basic questions.  If an EVE company requires further professional assistance, they are encouraged to select a professional service company from a list provided through the EVE program. Such services may be offered at a discount to seed and early stage companies.

EVE hosts monthly peer review meetings, known as CEO Roundtable Discussions, among the CEOs of the incubated companies as a framework for peer-to-peer coaching among the mix of pre-seed, early state, and emerging companies supported by the EVE incubator program.  At these meetings, participants will sign disclosure agreements allowing a platform for confidential open discussions about topics and issues of importance to them.  The companies will also be invited to a monthly meeting featuring a speaker or a lecturer based upon a topic selected by the EVE companies’ CEOs and will also attend quarterly meet-ups for all employees of incubated companies, allowing the employees to build relationships and exchange ideas.

EVE promotes and introduces its companies to investors, assists them in identifying and seeking grant opportunities such as NYSERDA and SBIR, and helps them prepare for business plan competitions; the companies are given assistance in preparing applications, presentations, and pitches.  Additionally, members are provided access to professional grant writers to assist them as needed.

The EVE companies are invited to expand their professional networks through networking opportunities within the local business and academic community in order increase exposure to decision makers, funding sources from grants, and potential angel investors.  EVE is physically located off-campus in an effort to incubate companies directly in the community of Troy, NY and to strategically re-invent the typical “brick and mortar” business incubation model followed by RPI’s old incubator.  EVE is not a center where entrepreneurial students can simply rent space and use a photocopier the way a “brick and mortar” incubator is often used, but it is a 4,000 square foot center which strictly focuses on moving students through a business development continuum and on preparing them to fill vacant business facilities in the Troy community, leased at very low prices by realtors.  EVE does not want to focus on space like the traditional brick and mortar incubation model because if a company takes up too much space, they can’t let others in; student startups enrolled in EVE are treated like real businesses.

EVE was launched in February of 2011 with eight companies and now supports over thirty.  The continuum of business development begins with the formation of customized ninety-day plans which include 3-5 specific short term goals, preparing these young ventures to fill business space in the community.  Each venture enrolled in EVE has access to a huge network of professional individuals which include over 90,000 alumni that can potentially serve as mentors (25-30 of which are very active), the wind tunnel and prototyping capabilities at RPI, NYSERDA money, professional services (the first hour or two of which are provided for free), and accounting firms to help set up Quickbooks.  Although many professional services are not provided for EVE companies, aggressive rates are negotiated with local providers and funding often comes from venture pitches.

The key to RPI’s Emerging Ventures Ecosystem is that companies never graduate from the incubator because business development and iteration is never finalized.  Companies supported by EVE are always welcome to come back and ask for assistance in making new connections with the large international network of individuals.  RPI’s large alumni network serves as a virtual incubator in the sense that the network is leveraged to help grow companies as they experience the transition from technology ideas and intellectual property to commercialization through their education. 

=   '''Engaging with regional and local economic development efforts''' =

== Startup Tech Valley - Where Entrepreneurs and the Community Come Together ==

A monthly meetup for first-time entrepreneurs, experienced entrepreneurs, aspiring entrepreneurs, investors, mentors, employees of startups, serviceprodiders to startups, and anyone else who wants to be involved.

== Tech Valley Center of Gravity ==

The Tech Valley Center of Gravity is a federation of makers, hackers, crafters, and artists who share camaraderie, space, and resources to do our tinkering. We have a permanent makerspace, several satellite locations, and a community of local individuals and organizations to share and support them. We are based in downtown Troy, NY, and sponsor events all over the New York State Capital Region.

Our primary goal is to build a community around the idea of doing for ourselves, rather than just passively consuming, and learning how the arts, crafts, and technologies that surround us every day work, along the way. We also aim to create a network of contacts for small business and start-ups in the Capital Region to connect with local leaders, like-minded businesses and individuals, and tools and resources they might not otherwise have access to.

=   =

= Landscape Canvas and Presentation =

[https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1Ek9pplesv42Ubc0TzcqW7mtASYtgL_XbJmvxJG4e14s/pub?start=true&loop=true&delayms=3000 Landscape Canvas Documentation]

[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1cg47LQI3tLh2gxM4u2FfyEPX1ljnFulr97_amxy4ebc/pubhtml Landscape Presentation]

= Related Links =

[[Meghan Olson|Meghan_Olson]]

[[Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Strategic Priorities|Rensselaer_Polytechnic_Institute_Strategic_Priorities]]

[[Category:Universities]]