Mentorship to Maximize Research Impact
The OVPRI Innovation Network connects UO faculty to experienced mentors who offer guidance and support while opening doors to private industry. Our mentors bring business skills and relationships that can help faculty expand the scope of their research, broaden its impact, and shorten the amount of time needed to get innovative ideas into our community.
The OVPRI Innovation Network has assembled a mentor network across a broad range of experts. These mentors bring deep industry experience at all stages of company development, and they're led by our inaugural Mentor Network Catalyst, Dana Siebert.
Many UO researchers want to broaden the societal impact of their work, but share with us that they haven't had the time or expertise to develop relationships in the private sector.
Our mentors begin by helping you explore your personal and professional goals for connecting your research to industry. They help you understand your options. Maybe you want to remain focused on research or be a scientific advisor to a company while continuing your role at the university. Perhaps starting your company appeals to you.
Regardless of your direction, our mentors can often perspective and connections.
Our mentors can also help you understand the market needs for your research and evaluate whether licensing or company formation is the best path for your research to meet the market need.
If you decide that your research would have the greatest impact by forming a company, our mentors will work with you to:
- Develop a plan, validate the market, and shape the solution
- Build a team to complement your skills and goals
- Secure funding, create pilot projects, and engage customers
We offer flexible mentorship options. You can mentor a few hours in a specific program, lend your industry-specific knowledge on a scientific or regulatory issue for a short period of time, or mentor a company through the early stages of development.
Mentorship gives you an opportunity to:
- Give back to the university and foster community prosperity
- Build your personal network and exchange ideas
- Stay current with industry trends that may impact your research
- Learn about new innovation techniques from young mind
- Participate in entrepreneurial events
The Translational Opportunity Fund supports researchers looking to transform their fundamental research into commercially viable products and services.
Traditionally, these types of exploration are difficult to fund, as it falls in the gap between federal agencies' basic research programs and the product-oriented goals of commercial entities.
The program offers three funding tiers that provide support for resources needed to successfully translate UO innovators’ research and to launch new UO research-based startup companies. The three tracks align with different stages in the innovation and company spinout trajectory
The Translational Opportunity Fund is a grant opportunity with a rolling deadline. Funding amounts range from $10,000 - $250,000 for project periods of 1 year or less.
The Women's Innovation Network (WIN) is a nine-month, cross-disciplinary program that helps UO faculty, researchers, students, and entrepreneurs in our community overcome gender-based barriers to bringing their research to market or launching and sustaining their businesses.
A cohort of twenty participants attend monthly seminars, social events, and dedicated mentor calls to learn, explore, and discover together.
WIN fosters long-term relationships among participants, mentors, and industry leaders. We also offer access to leaders in company formation, fundraising, business pitches, grants, rhetoric and pragmatics, and public-private partnerships.
All monthly seminars are open to the public.
WIN is co-sponsored by OVPRI and Onward Eugene.