School:Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Innovation Ecosystem: Promoting student innovation and entrepreneurship
Contents
- 1 Overview
- 2 Lanscape Canvas Spreadsheet
- 3 Encouraging faculty innovation and entrepreneurship
- 4 Actively supporting the university technology transfer function
- 5 Facilitating University-Industry Collaboration
- 6 Engaging with regional and local economic development efforts
- 7 Landscape Canvas and Presentation
- 8 Related Links
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."
Formal programs:
- B.S. Electronic Arts (Media, Ecology, Entrepreneurship and Experimentation)
- BS. Design,Innovation and Society
- M.S. Technological Communication & Entrepreneurship
- Ph.D. Science and Technology Studies
- Minor Entrepreneurship
Extracurricular Activities:
- RPI Foundry
- RPI Design for America
- Startup Tech Valley
- Business Model Competition
- Change the World Challenge
- ESHIP Competitions
- Elevator Pitch Competition
Conferences and Workshops:
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 Eship competition series, 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.
Lanscape Canvas Spreadsheet
The Fall 2021 Landscape Canvas can be found at this link
The Fall 2019 Landscape Canvas can be found at this link
Encouraging faculty innovation and entrepreneurship
Incredible professors like Dr. Eric Ledet, the late Burt Swersey '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 known as 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 courses include: Priciples of Tech. Entrepreneurship, Design and Innovation Studio, and Inventors Studio.
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, the Forge, Embedded Controls club, 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. These labs and organizations foster student innovation and creativity for change.
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/
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."
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. Students at RPI attend these monthly meetings and gain valuable insights and connections to individuals around the area involved in entrepreneurship and innovation.
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.
IgniteU NY
IgniteU NY is an independent program focused on developing the entrepreneurs of New York State. They have created a professional yet fun environment filled with all the technology and amenities you need to flourish. Itis also an industry agnostic program focused primarily on the development of the entrepreneur, moreso than the development of the company. They offer various programs to connect entrepreneurs with their community and help them develop a wide range of entrepreneurial skill.
IgniteU NY offers a unique nine-week summer accelerator program for entrepreneurs. The experiential program incorporates aspects of the lean startup methodology and adds general business development and startup education.
They are looking for startups who have a proof of concept and a validated business model that describes their customer segments and value propositions.
The accelerator program, along with all of the other IgniteU initiatives, puts an emphasis on engaging in the community and building relationships.
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
Landscape Canvas Documentation
Related Links
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Student Priorities
University Innovation Fellows Candidates
Fall 2021:
University Innovation Fellows
Fall 2019:
Fall 2018:
Fall 2017:
Spring 2017:
Spring 2016:
Spring 2014:
Related links
