University to host Advanced Invention to Venture workshop

The College of Engineering and Smeal College of Business will host the Advanced Invention to Venture (AI2V) workshop Nov. 20 to 23 at the University Park campus. This intense four-day workshop is open to student teams, faculty, nonacademic-affiliated venture teams and corporate technologists who have committed to starting a company and are striving to define and articulate the market value of their technology and the best strategy for commercialization.

Participants will conduct critical and strategic thinking about their ventures with assigned mentors and coaches who are accomplished entrepreneurs in industry. AI2V instructors, coaches and mentors will help participants to formulate plans to raise money, recruit team members and further develop technology.

AI2V is a sequel to Invention to Venture, a one-day workshop on the basics of technology commercialization and entrepreneurship, which was held on Oct. 24 at Penn State.

Sponsored by Penn State in conjunction with the National Collegiate Inventors and Innovators Alliance (NCIIA), AI2V provides a more thorough review of the subject with hands-on exercises that make the materials pertinent to each participating team's venture. Limited class size and carefully selected mentors and speakers provide startups a unique venture acceleration opportunity.

Costs for the program vary and are based on position in the venture development pipeline.  Rates are as follows:

• NCIIA e-teams:  Fee waived, contact NCIIA for details
• Student startup teams: $500 per team
• Faculty startup teams: $750 per team
• Other startups (pre-revenue): $1,000 per team
• Practitioners and observers: $1,000 per person, includes admission for one accompanying team
• Small business (under $1 million in sales): $2,000 per team
• Corporate venture: $5,000 per team

Included in the fees are workshop materials, access to local and national coaches and investors, the opportunity to practice and present venture pitches to business experts for advice and feedback, eight weeks of follow-up, post-workshop coaching (optional) and lunches and snacks.

Visit www.invention2venture.org/advancedi2v for registration and further details.

For more information, contact Khanjan Mehta at khanjan@engr.psu.edu or 814-863-4426.