IQSS: Scholars & Startups: How to commercialize your academic Work

University communities generate huge numbers of ideas with commercial potential, and that potential is becoming increasingly realized. You might be familiar with high profile start-ups with university roots (e.g., Genzyme, Akamai, Google, Facebook) and the associated ‘creation stories’ (e.g., “Genius researcher spins-out breakthrough scientific discovery”, “Computer Science whiz drops out and moves to Silicon Valley”). The reality is more varied, with new companies emerging from all disciplines, including the social sciences. These companies commercialize academic research, internally built tools, side projects, class projects etc. In addition, many academics are forming commercial entities or forging partnerships to empower their own research, obtain access to new data, or secure funding. In today's talk, we provide an introduction to this world and a guide to help you unlock the potential of your work.