Deadline extended: Please apply by Friday, April 5.

The Bench-to-Business Boot Camp, hosted by Harvard's Office of Technology Development, is a two-day workshop on May 1 and 2 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. See "How do I sign up for the Boot Camp," below, for application details, or jump straight to the application form here.

Questions? Please contact Tyler Brown.

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 by January 25, 2019, to OTD's highly competitive Business Development Fellowship, which begins in Spring 2019. 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?

Seats are limited, and in order to participate, you'll need to apply first. Please submit your résumé and a cover letter explaining your interest in the Boot Camp to OTD by April 5, 2019, using the link below. Selected participants will be notified by April 15. The Boot Camp takes place on May 1 and 2 at Harvard Medical School, and if selected you must be able to attend both days in full.

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.