April 9, 2025 — Rutgers University-New Brunswick
In a highly interactive session held over Zoom yesterday, doctoral students at the School of Graduate Studies (SGS) explored the world of innovation, startups, and intellectual property at the workshop titled “Entrepreneurship and Intellectual Property for Doctoral Students.” The event, hosted in collaboration with the Rutgers Technology Transfer Office and led by Dr. Eusebio (EZ) Pires, Senior Manager of Technology Marketing & Business Development, attracted an audience eager to learn how to bring their research from the lab to the marketplace.
The workshop provided an engaging introduction to the essentials of entrepreneurship and IP, covering topics such as patenting, licensing, and startup development. It was tailored specifically to graduate students, with content rooted in their research contexts and disciplinary backgrounds. Participants had the opportunity to meet one another, ask questions and share ideas.
Attendees also received practical guidance on protecting intellectual property, from identifying patentable research to understanding university policies and available resources. Case examples highlighted the real-world potential of academic discoveries and the pathways to turn them into commercial products or services. By the end of the session, students walked away with a clearer understanding of how to strategically manage intellectual property and what steps to take to transform their ideas into impactful entrepreneurial endeavors.
Resources for Entrepreneurial-Minded Researchers
For students eager to delve deeper into commercialization, Rutgers offers multiple avenues of support, including:
- The Tech Transfer Trainee Program, which provides hands-on experience in evaluating and marketing innovations.
- Funding initiatives like TechAdvance and HealthAdvance, designed to accelerate research translation.
- The I-Corps program, which helps researchers explore market opportunities for their discoveries.
Next Steps for Interested Students
Students interested in learning more about research commercialization at Rutgers can explore resources and support at research.rutgers.edu or contact innovate@research.rutgers.edu for further guidance.
The event was part of SGS’s ongoing commitment to professional development and innovation in graduate education.