Center for Entrepreneurship and Commercialization at Lindner Forms Innovative Technology Partnership with NASA

The Center for Entrepreneurship and Commercialization (CEC) at the Lindner College of Business has partnered with NASA Ames Research Center (ARC) to provide UC students with a unique opportunity to learn first-hand about technology commercialization. Graduate and undergraduate students will work with NASA scientists in a number of different technology areas related to healthcare, biotechnology, and engineering, among others. 

"It’s very exciting that NASA and UC are expanding our relationship to include the entrepreneurial side of discovery and the possible commercialization of research," says University of Cincinnati President Santa J. Ono. "Our students will benefit tremendously from these real-world opportunities for enterprise."

Students began work in Fall 2014 to assess the commercialization potential of 174 NASA patents. They considered factors such as interest from possible funding sources in the Greater Cincinnati area and the potential for collaboration with students, researchers and academic departments at UC. Next steps include selecting patented technology for commercialization, ongoing meetings with NASA ARC business and technical staff for briefing of the selected patented technologies, preparing market segment identification reports and developing potential business plans. 

“This arrangement is advantageous to all parties," says Professor Thomas Dalziel, executive director of the UC's CEC. "UC students gain access to quality patents in the NASA portfolio and the expertise of NASA scientists. They work under the direction of our entrepreneurship faculty in collaboration with faculty from other colleges at UC who conduct related scientific research. Students ultimately share their results with NASA, as well as entrepreneurs, and investors for their input. We are hopeful that tangible opportunities for commercialization will result from these interactions. Importantly, the program provides an excellent opportunity for our students to create lasting connections to the thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem here in Cincinnati."

Lindner College of Business Dean David Szymanski added: “I am so pleased that we have been able to support this outstanding opportunity for our students. This partnership benefits not only the University, but has the potential to bring about far reaching changes in how NASA’s technological advances touch the world in the future.”