The Bench-to-Business Boot Camp, hosted by Harvard's Office of Technology Development, is a multi-day workshop for Harvard graduate 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.

This year's Boot Camp will take place via Zoom on April 21-22, 2022, from 9:00AM to 12:15PM Eastern Time. We have also added an in-person workshop and networking session on April 26 from 3:00PM to 5:30PM at a venue in Harvard Square. Each day’s schedule is unique.

Apply by April 17 to express your interest in attending the Boot Camp. Those selected to attend will be notified by email. We will expect you to attend both Zoom sessions in full, and hope most attendees will also join us in-person at the workshop on April 26 to socialize and participate in a hands-on case study exercise.

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This is a short form that will only take a few minutes. NOTE: If you have any trouble with the form (clinical affiliates especially), please email us.

Questions? Please contact Meghan McGill and Sona Barthakur.

Who can participate?

All Harvard University graduate 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 half-day sessions.

What will I get out of the Boot Camp?

• You'll learn important skills and perspective you can't acquire at the lab bench
• You'll become a savvier scientist, able to lead more translational research
• 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

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. Preference will be given to applicants who have attended this Boot Camp.

Do I have to pay?

No, there is no cost to attend. The Bench-to-Business Boot Camp is an educational outreach effort by Harvard Office of Technology Development.

How do I sign up for the Boot Camp?

To express your interest in attending the Boot Camp, please fill out this application form. The deadline to apply is April 17, 2022 (please apply sooner if able). Selected attendees will be notified by email.

What's on the agenda?

An engaging series of guest lectures and panel discussions that provide a window into technology development and the real-world applications of the skills you'll develop. Topics will include (subject to change):

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, interpret patents, and communicate the value of an innovation

Startup formation

See how your university colleagues have followed their passion for entrepreneurship to advance an innovation developed in the lab

Best practices for connecting with partners

Find out how industry professionals think about business development: in-licensing, corporate partnerships, and the pipeline

Investor diligence: Evaluating the total package

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

Careers in technology development

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

Getting involved

The OTD Business Development Fellowship

Learn about OTD's Fellowship program, an opportunity to apply these skills in a practical setting