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CANCELED: Deadline to apply to OTD's 2020 Bench-to-Business Boot Camp

April 04th, 2020 ~ 08:00pm - 08:00pm

Bench-to-Business Boot Camp

NOTE: As of March 16, 2020, this event has been CANCELED. Please stay tuned for the announcement of a future event date and application period.

The Bench-to-Business Boot Camp, hosted by Harvard's Office of Technology Development, is a two-day workshop for Harvard PhD students and postdocs, designed to teach you the skills to recognize and convey the value of scientific and technological innovations to the world of industry, business, and entrepreneurship.

Questions? Please contact Elizabeth Jaensch.

Who can participate?

All Harvard University PhD students and postdocs are eligible to apply! The Boot Camp will be useful to researchers in any scientific field, including physical sciences, life sciences, biomedical sciences, engineering, and public health. Please note: You must be able to commit to attending both full-day sessions.

What will I get out of the Boot Camp?

  • You'll learn important skills you can't acquire from your benchmate, and become a more competitive, well-rounded job applicant
  • You'll become a savvier scientist, able to lead more translational research
  • You'll expand your network and meet other researchers who share your interests
  • You'll gain exposure to promising career options outside of academia
  • You'll develop a greater appreciation for the real-world impact of scientific innovation
  • You'll remember why your research matters — and learn how to convince others, too

Interested in applying the skills learned at the Bench-to-Business Boot Camp right away? Apply to OTD's highly competitive Business Development Fellowship. For more information about the fellowship, visit otd.harvard.edu/about/fellowships.

Do I have to pay?

No, the Bench-to-Business Boot Camp is absolutely free!

How do I sign up for the Boot Camp?

Note, this application period has been canceled, as of March 16, 2020. Please stay tuned for the announcement of a future event date and application period.

What's on the agenda?

An engaging series of lectures, interactive exercises, and panel discussions that provide you with an opportunity to participate in technology development and see the real-world applications of the skills you'll develop. Topics will include*:

What is technology development?

Learn the purpose and history of university technology transfer, with an emphasis on real-world examples

Dissecting market opportunities for new applications

Learn how to identify new applications for a technology and define the market opportunities

Outlining a commercialization strategy

Understand the development steps to transform a novel technology into a commercial product

Intellectual property fundamentals

Build the skills to identify intellectual property and be able to find, navigate, and interpret patents

Communicating the value proposition

Learn how to effectively communicate the value proposition to potential licensees and partners

Best practices for connecting with partners

Find out what industry professionals seek when connecting with academics

Investor diligence: Evaluating the total package

Understand what investors look for when taking a deeper dive into a potential opportunity

Structuring the deal

Learn the various partnership models by which industry can engage with academics and their innovations

Getting involved: The OTD Business Development Fellowship Program

Learn about the Fellowship program first-hand from current fellows

Careers in technology development

Hear from former Harvard researchers who have taken the leap into industry, business, law, technology development, and entrepreneurship

*Topics may be subject to change based on time limitations, participant feedback, etc.

Press Contact: Kirsten Mabry | (617) 495-4157

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