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E140A - Session 9

Green Tech Entrepreneurship


Summary

As our world faces challenges more formidable than those of the past, engineers are developing green technologies that address issues of environmental sustainability and growth. Replacing the internet craze of the early millennium, green tech is the hot, new innovation frontier. Due to the complexity of the technologies addressing issues such as solar energy and carbon sequestration, it is not surprising to learn that a large majority of these life changing technologies emerge from the labs of universities. But how do these technologies make it from the basements of the Yang building to the market?

This session provides insight into the process of transferring a university developed technology into industry. We will explore the unique challenges that come along with the extended product development cycle endemic to green technology companies, and the hurdles that entrepreneurs face when trying to bring their products to market.

Guests

Katherine Ku, Director at the Office of Technology Licensing

Linda Chao, Senior Licensing Associate

Required Readings (Policy on Required Readings.)

  • Case: Trexel (Purchase here)
  • Geoffrey Moore, Crossing the Chasm, HarperCollins, 1999 (Read Part I. Skim Part II.)
  • Carefully review the OTL website, paying particular attention to OTL's Standard Operating Procedure, Stanford Startups, and TechFinder.
  • The 4M Framework For How University Innovations Get Commercialized, And Corresponding Ways To Optimize University IP Policies And Practices
  • Watch the following video clip of John Hennessy
  • Suggested Reading

    Study Questions (Policy on Study Questions.)

    1. What criteria should you use to evaluate the projects that Trexel could take on?
    2. Is the transfer of technology from universities to industry important? Why or why not?
    3. What's different about green technologies?

    Assignment

    Login into the MFP Forum. Under the session assignment topic answer the following questions. For this assignment, only one submission is required per team.

    Which project (molded structural foam, injection molding, blow molding, PVC extrusions, or meat trays and food packaging) should Bernstein recommend to the board? Why?