Entrepreneurship and Commercialization Resources

Your Entrepreneurship Roadmap

Whether you are an undergraduate, a graduate student or a Cornell faculty member, we can help guide you on your entrepreneurial journey.

Entrepreneurs in Residence

Cornell Engineering's Entrepreneur-in-Residence Program partners experienced entrepreneurs with faculty, postdocs, and PhD students who are interested in learning more about commercialization and entrepreneurship. The aim is to help interested faculty, post-docs, and Ph.Ds learn to assess the commercial potential of new technology, learn how to build business models and plans, launch, grow, and connect to existing entrepreneurial resources at Cornell and in the region.

The Entrepreneurs in Residence are experienced entrepreneurs familiar with the local ecosystem and commercialization programs available to Cornell Engineering graduate students, post-docs and faculty. They can serve as a key point of contact to these programs.

Kevin M. McGovern Family Center for Venture Development

Cornell's Incubator for Life Science Companies

NSF I-Corps

NSF I-Corps gives researchers the opportunity to combine their strong technical and scientific knowledge with an entrepreneurial mindset, with the goal of discovering new technologies that can be developed for market.

The Upstate New York I-Corps Node combines the experience of the nation’s top university R&D region with the entrepreneurial knowledge of experienced mentors and faculty. The Node acts as a hub for commercialization training in the Northeast, connecting skilled researchers to valuable resources through national and regional I-Corps programming.

Praxis Center for Venture Development

Cornell’s On-Campus Incubator for Startups in Engineering, Digital and Physical Sciences.

Ph.D. Commercialization Fellows

Commercialization Fellows is an opportunity for engineering Ph.D. students to take a deep dive into the commercialization process and potential real-world applications of university inventions.

Scale Up and Rapid Prototyping

Cornell Engineering is offering up to $40,000 to engineers looking to advance their research toward establishing a proof-of-concept or functioning prototype, securing an industrial partner and funding for continued research, or licensing a technology to a startup or established company. If the effort proves to be successful during a 3 to 6-month period, funding recipients would be eligible for subsequent support.

Technology Innovation Fellowships

The Life Sciences and Green Technology Innovation Fellowships offer doctoral researchers and Johnson MBA students the opportunity the immerse themselves in real-world startup creation. Participants receive the tools, training, and connections they need to launch their own startups. 

W.E. Cornell

The W.E. Cornell program helps STEM women commercialize their innovations and overcome the challenges of leading a growing technology-based business. Combining a proven entrepreneurship curriculum with a focus on leadership development and empowerment, participants will finish the program prepared to take the next steps in their entrepreneurship journey. For more information, visit the W.E. Cornell website.