Research to Revenue: A Practical Guide to University Start-Ups

Luther H. Hodges Jr. and Luther H. Hodges Sr. Series on Business, Entrepreneurship, and Public Policy

by Don Rose, Cam Patterson

University start-ups are unique in the world of business and entrepreneurship, translating research conducted at and owned by universities into market-ready products--a complex process that requires a combination of scientific, technical, legal, business, and financial skills to be successful. Start-ups have the potential to generate revenue for universities, enhance faculty recruitment and retention, create jobs, and create investment opportunities for venture capitalists and entrepreneurs. Research to Revenue presents the first-ever comprehensive guide to understanding, starting, and managing university startups. By systematically describing the process of translating academic research into commercial enterprises, Don Rose and Cam Patterson give a thorough, process-oriented, and practical set of guidelines that cover not only best practices but also common--and avoidable--mistakes. They detail the key factors and components that contribute to a successful start-up, explain what makes university start-ups unique, delineate the steps of building and managing them, and describe how to foster and maintain start-ups at a university. Written for faculty and staff working on campus, tech-transfer officers, university administrators, and venture capitalists unfamiliar with university structures, Research to Revenue ensures that any reader unfamiliar with technology commercialization and entrepreneurship will understand the fundamentals of the process, including intellectual property rights, fund-raising, and business models. This work is an invaluable resource for the successful formation and well-managed operation of university start-ups.

352 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 15, 2016

Reviews

[Yang Zheng · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just as the book states, a very practical guide to the entire landscape of commercializing technology from universities. This is a niche form of entrepreneurship that is quite different (yet also not so different) from other forms of entrepreneurship. There are many pitfalls and best practices that are uniquely native to this path. The book does a great job covering the majority of these topics. Very realistic with expectations. A must read for those going down this journey.

[Duong Tan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good and useful book. Practical.

[Will Abel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid view into how to evaluate university research and spin that research out.