Introduction

The U.S. Air Force has a goal of increasing its technology transfer successes through a 10-fold increase in invention disclosures, patents, licenses, and collaborative partnerships with industry.  C-TRAC aims to help with this mission by connecting innovative AF technologies with local industry, investors and aspiring entrepreneurs through an event called Tech2Market April 2017 that marries the best of Startup Weekend and Go Code competitions to maximize licensing potential.   The Tech2Market April 2017 event will be the second in a series of four that will be sponsored in part by AFRL. These events are aimed at increasing the number of invention disclosures, licenses, CRADAs and awareness of technology transfer opportunities available for industry, academia and non-profits.

Details

The Tech2Market April 2017 event will be hosted at Catalyst Campus in Colorado Springs on April 21 – 23, 2016.  Similar to events held at leading university technology transfer centers, like Purdue and Stanford, where mentorship plays a key role in successful technology transfer, C-TRAC and partners seek to connect AF technologies with industry using similar techniques.  At the Tech2Market April 2017, three USAF technologies will be presented to industry partners, investor companies, and about 25 aspiring university-level entrepreneurs, the latter of which will form teams around the technologies presented and build commercialization plans for each technology.   These entrepreneurs will build their plans with the mentorship of select industry members, investors and the USAF inventors who will be available to clarify issues concerning the technologies.  The event will culminate with a presentation of commercialization plans to an audience of aerospace and defense industry partners and investor companies who may opt to license a technology or engage the aspiring entrepreneurs for further development of the technology through internships or sponsorships.

Partnership

C-TRAC recognizes the talent and experience of other organizations in Colorado Springs that facilitate events like “Startup Week” and “Startup Weekend” with great success. C-TRAC will partner with such successful organizations as Peak Startup, the QUAD Innovation Program and Accelerating Potential to ensure the successful facilitation of the Tech2Market April 2017 event.  C-TRAC will coordinate the schedule and find USAF technologies to highlight.  Peak Startup will assist with facilitation of the event and introducing mentors to entrepreneurs.  The QUAD will enlist students aspiring to be entrepreneurs.  All organizations will tap their resources to find suitable industry and investor involvement.