Our Process

Center for Life Science Ventures incubation process
Center for Life Science Ventures incubation process

Pre-admission Consulting

You have an idea, as well as hundreds of questions. Is my business concept feasible and attractive? Do I have a solid business plan? Do I have a defined and secured IP? Is there some money to get things going? We offer the following consulting services:

Application and Admission 

Once you feel ready to apply and become a “client”, please follow the steps in How to Apply to complete the application package. Different from most incubation programs, we require an intellectual property license in place as part of the application package, and the incubation plan is part of the mutual agreement prior to admission.

We will then conduct an Advisory Council vote to make a decision. Admission to the Center for Life Science Ventures is highly selective. 

Incubation 

We offer a wide range of services and resources to support your startup, including

  • Product and technology development assistance
    • 10,000 Sq. ft. residential incubator in Weill Hall on Cornell campus
    • Over $1M in shared wet-lab, dry-lab and office equipment in house
    • Faculty indirect rates and priority on many university, college-based and center-based resources
    • Referral to external vendors, university grant resources
  • Business plan development and validation 
    • Undergrad, MBA, MHA student interns and volunteers 
    • Faculty-level reference library support, and secondary market research report access
    • Primary market research through Cornell alumni network
  • Management team recruitment, development and mentoring
    • Weekly incubation plan progress meetings with center staff
    • Biweekly mentorship meetings with assigned Executives-In-Residence
    • Ad hoc meetings with assigned volunteer mentors and consultants as needed
    • Referral/Recruitment to investable management team members  
  • Fundraising Assistance
  • Center client amenities 
    • Cornell NetID
    • Cornell library access with dedicated reference librarians from Weill Cornell Medicine, the College of Engineering, and SC Johnson College of Business
    • Cornell gym/wellness program access
    • Free weekday TCAT bus

Graduation

When our Clients reach one of the following goals, we will “graduate” you!

  • Self-sufficient operations
  • Significant external funding secured
  • Being acquired by another company