Cornell has various resources to help with technology commercialization and new venture formation.
CAT (Center for Advanced Technology)
The Center for Advanced Technology (CAT) program supports entrepreneurial development for life scientists and biotechnology industries in New York State. It is funded and designated by NYSTAR.
The CAT awards are administered through the Center for Life Science Enterprise / Center for Advanced Technology (CAT), under the Institute of Biotechnology at Cornell University. Cornell faculty and senior research associates who have support from a New York State industry partner may apply. A CAT grant can match their support up to $50K for one year. The essence of this competitive grant program is that the funding can help to advance an early stage life science technology, moving it closer to commercialization.
Ignite: Cornell Research Lab to Market
In an academic research environment, gap funding provides critical support to promising technologies and innovations that have great commercial potential but are “too early” for licensing or investment to help validate the innovation and reduce risk.
Ignite: Cornell Research Lab to Market gap funding series is overseen and managed by Center for Technology Licensing, Cornell’s tech transfer office, and supported by the Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation (“OVPRI”). Its purpose is to accelerate technology commercialization, venture creation and growth, and corporate collaboration, create training and career opportunities for students and researchers for entrepreneurship and advance Cornell innovation for societal impact and university mission.
Cornell Center for Material Research
The CCMR currently supports three Interdisciplinary Research Groups (IRGs) and a number of smaller ‘seed’ research groups through an NSF MRSEC grant and Cornell University support. Each group brings researchers from a variety of different departments together to work on an outstanding interdisciplinary problem in materials research and development. The research teams are chosen through periodic competitions which include external review by international experts in the field. Faculty participants are drawn from the more than 100 faculty in the CCMR. These faculty span 12 departments and 4 colleges at Cornell. In addition, the research teams are strengthened by collaborations with academic and industrial researchers from around the world.
Our Seed research program is devoted to the exploration of new ideas and high risk projects. Seed projects are funded for a maximum of two years. After this period, the project must transition to other support. Seed projects are not renewable.
Praxis Center
Praxis Center, founded in 2019, is the Center for Life Science Ventures’s sister incubator, with a focus on Cornell engineering, digital and physical sciences companies. The Center is funded through the Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation with support from the College of Engineering. The Center’s program focuses on accelerating research/development of its client companies’ technology/products, validating its client companies’ business plans, and strengthening its client companies’ management teams.
Weill Cornell Medicine BioVenture Lab
The BioVenture eLab, part of BioPharma Alliances & Research Collaborations, is a new program at Weill Cornell Medicine.
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Atkinson Center
Founded by a generous gift from David and Pat Atkinson, the David R. Atkinson Center for a Sustainable Future empowers faculty to think outside of their departments and across disciplines when it comes to tackling the world’s greatest challenge—creating a vital and resilient future for the global community. By providing start-up funding for cross-college collaborations, emergency research, and partnerships with non-profits, government, and industry, the Atkinson Center supports the pioneering risk-takers at the very heart of radical collaboration through multiple funds and fellowship programs, including Innovation for Impact Fund and Rapid Response Fund.
Entrepreneurship at Cornell
Entrepreneurship at Cornell is a diverse, university-wide program that finds and fosters the entrepreneurial spirit in participants from every college, every field, and in every stage of life. We are grounded in the belief that individuals who exhibit an entrepreneurial spirit and have acquired entrepreneurial knowledge can add significant value to any working environment from the smallest startup to the largest business, from non-profits to government agencies.
Cornell Entrepreneur Network
As an entrepreneur or business leader, do you sometimes feel like you live on that slick edge between huge risk and unlimited potential? CEN gives you stories to refer to in uncertain moments, the inside scoop on extraordinary successes, and real examples of how it’s done. Best of all, CEN puts you in the same room with Cornellians at all stages of the game. Soak up our presentations and make priceless connections in dozens of cities around the country and globe, as well as online. Wow us with your elevator speech in our open mic segment. Grab a drink, ask questions, and add us to your favorites. You can thank us at your IPO.