Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) has launched a new program to connect experienced entrepreneurs with commercially relevant technologies developed by the lab’s researchers.
The Safari program will enable post-exit entrepreneurs — those who have established and sold at least one company — to access ORNL’s portfolio of hundreds of innovations, including energy, manufacturing, chemicals, materials, and transportation technologies.
“An experienced entrepreneur is likely to succeed in subsequent business ventures,” says Jennifer Caldwell, director of technology transfer at ORNL. “Safari aims to thoughtfully and expediently connect entrepreneurs looking to start a new company with available high-impact technologies.”
Once an entrepreneur has chosen technologies of interest, ORNL’s tech transfer team will bring them into the lab for a tailored technology “safari” consisting of meetings with researchers, lab tours, and demonstrations, with the goal of successfully pairing them with a technology for licensing.
In addition, Safari’s team of innovation managers will work with the entrepreneurs to develop a commercialization plan, including product, market, financing and team structure strategies.
“Our team has a lot of experience working with researchers who have spun out their own companies as well as with licensing technology to new entrepreneurs and well-established companies,” says Caldwell. “Safari allows us to apply that expertise before a company is even created to maximize the potential for success.”
Source: Oak Ridge National Laboratory
