Tech Transfer Program Sponsored by Air Force Research Lab Launches in New York

ROME, N.Y., Aug. 12, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, two dozen students from 11 universities will converge in Rome, New York to participate in a challenging three-month entrepreneurship program sponsored by the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL). Titled the Commercialization Academy, the program's aim is to transition technologies developed by the Department of Defense (DoD) to the civilian marketplace.

"At the Air Force Research Laboratory, there are a multitude of technologies waiting to be adopted by entrepreneurs and introduced into the private sector," said Bill Wolf, Director of the Griffiss Institute, a non-profit organization guiding technology commercialization activities for the AFRL. "With the Commercialization Academy, we are looking to bridge the gap between the lab and the private market, tapping into the creativity and ingenuity of students to enrich our economy."

The program will provide an accelerated education on business practices and an introduction to various DoD technologies. Students will attend technology demonstrations, meet with researchers and business leaders, and work in teams to discover uses for select technologies in the private sector.

"This program offers students a rare opportunity to learn entrepreneurship in a fast-paced, collaborative environment and work with mentors to develop business strategies based on these technologies," said Mike McCoy, serial entrepreneur and Founder of the Commercialization Academy. "Through team exercises and coaching, they'll learn how to frame problems and draw upon the resources in their environment. We want to train visionary leaders who can implement these business ideas and transform the economic landscape of a community."

Students were selected following a competitive application and interview process. Their diverse backgrounds include experience in technical and non-technical fields, from engineering and computer science to finance and communications.

"We're really looking forward to seeing how this program will inspire the next generation of tech entrepreneurs," McCoy added.

For more information about the Commercialization Academy, please visit www.commercializationacademy.org.             

SOURCE The Startup Strategy Group