University of Nebraska–Lincoln joins Innosphere Ventures’ University Partner Program to accelerate startup growth
Innosphere and NUtech Ventures form partnership to commercialize technologies
NUtech Ventures, the technology commercialization affiliate at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln (UNL), is joining Innosphere Ventures’ University Partner Program, which supports the growth of university startup companies.
Innosphere aims to be a value-added extension of NUtech’s commercialization process by facilitating introductions to corporate partners and helping faculty founders and CEOs achieve business milestones. NUtech and UNL currently offer a variety of business resources to their startup ventures, including a customer discovery program that helps campus researchers develop value propositions, learn about customer segmentation and interview prospective stakeholders.
Before forming a startup, university teams begin by licensing intellectual property, typically patents, from NUtech Ventures, before further developing the technology for commercial use. In 2020, for the third year in a row, the University of Nebraska System ranked in the top 100 academic institutions worldwide for issued U.S. patents.
“University of Nebraska–Lincoln faculty are launching startup companies to bring their innovations to the marketplace, and we’re excited to partner with Innosphere Ventures to provide additional support services,” said Brad Roth, Ph.D., executive director of NUtech Ventures. “This support is tailored for faculty founders, who are addressing the unique challenges and opportunities associated with early-stage technologies.”
Currently, UNL has startup companies related to cancer detection, organic weed control, conductive concrete, gut health, turfgrass management, and firefighting with drone technology, among others.
“We’re ready to start working with UNL faculty and licensing managers who are developing and commercializing cutting-edge research,” said Mike Freeman, CEO of Innosphere Ventures. “NUtech has a great mission of promoting economic development and improving quality of life. They’re a great partner for Innosphere because they share our same goal of transferring technologies from the lab to the marketplace, with broad, real-world impact.”
For many years, Innosphere has held partnerships with Colorado’s research universities and their technology transfer offices at Colorado State University (CSU Ventures), the University of Colorado Boulder (Venture Partners at CU Boulder), and the Colorado School of Mines’ Office of Research and Technology Transfer.
For more information on Innosphere Ventures’ University Partner Program, please visit innosphereventures.org/partners.
To view this press release announcement on GlobeNewswire, please click here.
About Innosphere Ventures:
Innosphere Ventures (Innosphere) is a Colorado-based incubator that accelerates growth of science and technology-based startups and emerging growth companies with an exclusive commercialization program, specialized office and laboratory facilities, and a seed-stage venture capital fund.
Innosphere’s commercialization program connects founders with experienced advisors, corporate
partners, and investors. The program teaches entrepreneurs valuable skills on how to access capital, acquire customers, build talented teams, accelerate top-line revenue growth, and plan for a company exit. Innosphere has been supporting startups for over 22 years and is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization with a strong mission to create jobs and grow the region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. Learn more at innosphereventures.org.
About NUtech Ventures at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln:
NUtech Ventures is the nonprofit technology commercialization affiliate of the University of Nebraska, serving the Lincoln and Kearney campuses. The NUtech team evaluates, protects, markets and licenses the university’s intellectual property to promote economic development and improve quality of life.
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Brad Roth | Executive Director at NUtech Ventures
[email protected]
Mike Freeman | CEO/GP at Innosphere Ventures
[email protected]