Advice for Scientist Entrepreneurs

These days, most universities have a technology tranfer office that is dedicated to licensing university research to commercial ventures. We offer a primer on university technology transfer.

Case Western offers a physics entrepreneurship program, a two-year professional master's program designed to give business training to scientists. Many other universities offer similar programs. Is this type of training right for you? Here's what to look for when evaluating such programs.

Before you get too far along in the process, it's imperative that you put together written contracts that define ownership rights, confidentiality and other important obigations and understandings.

Grant writing is a tried and true mechanism to raise money for scientific research but it can also be a source of funds for business ventures launched by scientist entrepreneurs.

Engineers are trained to look at the facts. In the world of marketing, the facts are important but they are only part of the equation.

The Chicago Innovation Awards honor innovative products and services, developed in the Chicago area.

Due diligence involves intense scrutiny of all of your documents. It's critical to keep your documents well-organized and readily accessible.

Knowing these tips for getting FDA approval will come in handy if you are working on new drugs or medical devices.

Your lab notebook could end up being used as evidence to invalidate your patent claim. We discuss the proper use of hardbound lab notebooks to ensure proper IP protection.

Ben Franklin, Thomas Edison, and many more -- the list of successful scientist entrepreneurs is a lengthy list indeed. We feature a few of our favorite scientist entrepreneurs.

Nanotechnology focuses on small things but it's a big entrepreneurial opportunity. Learn why venture capitalists are keeping a close eye on this fast-emerging industry.

Filing patents can be an intimidating endeavor, but there are some best practices for scientist entrepreneurs that you ought to know about.

Getting science out of the lab and into the market isn't easy. Here are some tips to get scientist entrepreneurs started on the right track.

Some scientists are interested strictly in science. Others have a propensity for entrepreneurship. Here's how to tell if you are a scientist who has entrepreneurial interests and potential.

You've developed the technology and launched the company. As a scientist entrepreneur, you've done well, but is it time to bring in some professional managers? Here are some signs that you need to bring in others who are more experienced in growing young companies.

The national laboratories play a vital role in our nation's economic development, but there are still some who question whether the role of the national laboratories is perhaps misplaced and outdated.

Science research funding cuts at Argonne and Fermilab are bad, bad, bad! Here's what you can do to help Argonne and Fermilab.

We introduce our 10 tips for entrepreneurial scientists who want to take their science to market.

Encouraging invention is the first step to creating valuable intellectual property. We look at what organizations must do in order to motivate employees to create proprietary science and apply for patents.

Patent laws require that you get inventorship right. Get it wrong and you can lose the patent. Here are some simple ways to avoid making a mistake in the naming of inventors.

You can't do it all. Scientists entrepreneurs must know when to transition leadership and when it's time to bring in the pros.

Promoting your science before you commercialize can smooth the road to funding...but there are a few mistakes you can make if you are not careful.

It takes money to make money. Here are a few things to know about the funding process.