INVITE

Phase I, GCP provided training on how to screen technologies developed at universities or in research laboratories, guidance in the screening of dozens of technologies and selection of the most promising twelve technologies, and a two-month workshop for representatives of the twelve technologies, designed to assist the representatives in developing commercialization strategies and plans for their innovations.

Phase II began with the selection of six technologies for further development. An IC² business development team, including two INVITE interns, pursued international commercialization strategies for these six technologies. The technologies included a mixture of bioscience, 3D visualization, and chemistry projects, at various stages of development. The business development team worked with the technologists to create relationships with possible partners in the U.S. The program resulted in relationships with U.S. partners for each of the six, including licensing arrangements, partnerships to complete laboratory scale-up, and funding partners.

Another component of Phase II was the participation of five INVITE or Monterrey incubator representatives in the IC² master’s degree program—the Master of Science in Science and Technology Commercialization. This one-year UT master’s degree program provides executives with the knowledge and skills needed for the rapid transfer of research, knowledge, and technology from ideas to the marketplace—the entrepreneurial wealth creation process.

Additionally, two Monterrey incubator representatives were in residence at IC²’s Austin Technology Incubator to learn the best practices of technology business incubation.