Ignite Innovation Acceleration Information Session
2025-03-28 12:00 - 13:00 (America/New_York) | NY
Ignite Innovation Acceleration provides grant funding to Cornell labs that are working to advance their innovations toward licensing, startup formation, or industry partnerships. The program is open to inventions disclosed to CTL from Ithaca, Geneva, or Cornell Tech.

Funding up to $50,000 is provided in the form of project-specific grants with no payback requirement.
Attend this information session to learn more about the opportunity. Register for the info session.

Weill Cornell Medicine Biomedical Innovation Conference
2025-04-01 15:00 - 18:00 | Uris Auditorium, 1300 York Avenue, New York, 10065, United States
The 2025 Weill Cornell Medicine Biomedical Innovation Conference brings together academic founders with investors, industry representatives, entrepreneurs and ecosystem partners with the expressed goal of finding opportunities to connect and collaborate. The conference is a rare opportunity to meet a diverse group of life science inventors and spinout companies across therapeutics, device, digital health and diagnostic sectors. All Weill Cornell Medicine-affiliated inventors are encouraged to participate. In addition, select startup companies from the Upper East Side ecosystem, including Rockefeller University, Memorial Sloan Kettering, and surrounding hospitals, as well as startups where faculty serve as CMOs and Scientific Advisors, are also in attendance.
Over the years, this event has been a proven catalyst for direct investment from early-stage investors, co-development relationships with industry, and introductions to experienced management teams. Please contact Loren Busby (lob4002@med.cornell.edu) for more information.
Register for the event.

Lab to Impact: Medical Device Commercialization - A Journey from Breakthrough Research to Patient-Ready Technology
2025-04-08 13:00 - 14:00 | NY
Check out the recording for this event here.
Join the Center for Technology Licensing for a virtual session focused on medical device innovation and regulation.
Bringing groundbreaking medical devices from concept to patient care is no small feat. It requires a careful balance of scientific ingenuity, strategic development, and regulatory compliance. Join us for an exclusive panel discussion featuring top experts who have successfully navigated this complex landscape.
This session will provide invaluable insights into the journey from idea to market-ready medical technology, covering key aspects such as:

Navigating the FDA approval process

Balancing innovation with regulatory requirements

Strategies for successful device development

Emerging challenges in the medical device industry

Whether you’re considering a new idea, commercialization, or actively developing medical device solutions, this panel offers valuable perspectives on turning promising research into market-ready medical devices.
Meet the expert panelists:

Mark Melkerson – Former FDA Deputy Director, Office of Health Technology / CDRH / ODE; Principal, MNM Consulting

Thomas Roueche – President & CEO, Fesarius Therapeutics

Jason Spector, MD – Chief, Division of Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, Weill Cornell Medicine; Co-Founder, Fesarius Therapeutics

Ignite Innovation Acceleration Information Session
2025-04-11 12:00 - 13:00 | NY
Ignite Innovation Acceleration provides grant funding to Cornell labs that are working to advance their innovations toward licensing, startup formation, or industry partnerships. The program is open to inventions disclosed to CTL from Ithaca, Geneva, or Cornell Tech.

Funding up to $50,000 is provided in the form of project-specific grants with no payback requirement.
Attend this information session to learn more about the opportunity. Register for the information session.

Seeking Entrepreneurs: Turning University Research into Tech Venture
2025-04-11 14:30 - 15:30 | NY
This panel is part of the Entrepreneurship at Cornell Celebration Ezra. Attendees must register for Celebration Ezra to attend this session.
Moderated by Alice Li, this session will spotlight Cornell faculty innovators who are actively seeking entrepreneurial partners, including potential CEOs, to bring their technologies to life. Join us for a lively discussion with three faculty founders, each navigating the journey from lab to launch. The panel will culminate in an open networking session, offering a unique opportunity to connect with fellow innovators, entrepreneurs, and returning Cornell alumni eager to engage with the next wave of university-born innovation. Whether you are an aspiring founder, experienced operator, or simply curious about the future of academic startups, this event promises insight, inspiration, and connection.
Panelists:

Christopher Alabi, Associate Professor, Smith School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Joseph Peters, Professor and Chair, Microbiology, CALS
Rong Yang, Assistant Professor, Smith School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering

Moderated by Alice Li MS ’95, PhD ’98, Executive Director, Center for Technology Licensing at Cornell University (CTL)

Inspiring Futures - Facilitated Mixer
2025-04-11 15:30 - 17:00 | NY
This event is part of the larger Entrepreneurship at Cornell Celebration Ezra. To attend this session, attendees must register for Celebration Ezra.
Inspirational Spotlight: Professor Hakim Weatherspoon, Professor of Computer Science and Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for the Cornell Ann S. Bowers College of Computing and Information Science.
Inspiring Futures is an engaging event designed to connect and empower, especially historically underrepresented individuals who have faced barriers in entering the field and/or in securing funding. We will spotlight first-time founders at Cornell, their technologies, or their startups. Through a curated selection of games, discussion, and display of posters, attendees will immerse themselves in the stories of Cornell innovators and entrepreneurs and discover methods to support and move forward in the modern entrepreneurial landscape.
Entrepreneurship should be accessible to everyone, and we aim to foster a community of support and encouragement, where every participant can see the potential for their own story. This reception is a call to action for all entrepreneurs, or entrepreneurs to be, to share, learn from each other, break down barriers, and build a more inclusive and equitable entrepreneurial ecosystem.
“Inspiring Futures” reception is your opportunity to contribute to and connect with like-minded individuals, learn about success stories, share challenges, and empower your entrepreneurial journey.
Organized by the Center for Technology Licensing and Computer Information Sciences. Supported by contributions from CTL, CIS, and the Engineering Career Center.

WCM Office Hours with Eric Bryant
2025-04-15 14:00 - 16:00 | NY
Eric holds a Master of Science in Biomedical Engineering from New York University (NYU), a Juris Doctor from New York Law School, and is a registered patent attorney. He works with the Weill Cornell office to execute on intellectual property strategy, review submitted invention disclosures, and manage domestic and foreign patent filings and patent prosecution. Eric’s expertise encompasses a variety of technologies including, but not limited to, diagnostics tools and methods, pharmaceuticals, controlled release therapeutic devices, respiratory devices, surgical tools, biological technologies and nanotechnology.
To reserve your 30-minute Zoom office hours session, click on the registration button below and select your preferred time. You will be given access to a Zoom registration link and will meet privately with Eric within that Zoom session.
Book with Eric on April 15 from 2-4 p.m. on Zoom.

WCM Office Hours with Louise Sarup
2025-04-17 14:00 - 16:00 | NY
Louise manages a portfolio of medical technologies focusing on imaging, platform technologies, and algorithms. She is a seasoned professional with years of experience in licensing and commercialization and is eager to answer your questions and provide valuable insights.
To reserve your 30-minute Zoom office hours session, click on the registration button below and select your preferred time. You will be given access to a Zoom registration link and will meet privately with Louise within that Zoom session.
Book with Louise on April 17 from 2 -4 p.m. at the NYC Office

Venturium '25 - Academic Venture Showcase
2025-04-23 11:30 - 14:30 | NY
Venturium’25 is a virtual, half-day showcase for spinouts from several academic institutions across the USA. The selected companies are actively raising a pre-seed or seed round to drive development and commercialization.
​Why Attend? This one-of-a-kind event allows our audience of venture capital, venture studios, accelerators, incubators, and industry to explore a curation of companies and innovation technologies.
​Attend to meet academic spinouts from Cornell University, Kentucky Commercialization Ventures, Northeastern University, Rutgers University, University of Connecticut, University of Louisville, University of Pennsylvania, and Washington University St. Louis.
​A full agenda for Venturium’25 containing the company names and contact information will be published in the coming weeks. The event will be split into two sessions that run in sequence: Physical Sciences & Life Sciences.
​Timing of event:

​11:30-11:45 | Meet the Academic Instituions Powering Venturium’25
​11:45-12:35 | Physical Sciences Showcase
​12:35-12:45 | Break
​12:45-2:25 | Life Sciences Showcase
​2:25-2:30 | Closing Remarks

​Join us to have the opportunity to discover new ventures, form strategic partnerships, and contribute to the growth of these companies. This event is a valuable platform for networking, learning, and fostering meaningful collaborations.
Register for the event.

Lab to Impact: Intellectual Property Module - Navigating AI-Assisted Innovation: Best Practices for Academic Researchers
2025-05-22 12:00 - 13:00 | NY
Join the Center for Technology Licensing for a virtual session focused on the practical implications of integrating artificial intelligence (AI) tools into academic research and innovation.
As AI becomes an integral part of research methodologies, it is essential for researchers to understand how to properly document and manage AI’s role in the invention process, ensuring intellectual property (IP) rights are protected.
This session will provide valuable guidance on how to navigate the evolving landscape of AI-assisted research, covering key topics such as:

Strategic approaches to incorporating AI tools in your research workflow
Best practices for documenting AI assistance during invention conception and development
Practical guidelines for maintaining transparent records of AI interactions (prompts and outputs)
Protecting IP potential while leveraging AI capabilities
Understanding the concept of hybrid inventorship in the AI era

Guest speaker:

David Sanker: Founder of Sanker IP
David will provide actionable insights and practical frameworks for researchers looking to optimize their use of AI while safeguarding their intellectual property interests.

Hosted by Martin Teschl, Director of Business Development and Licensing at CTL.
Whether you’re considering a new idea, commercialization, or actively developing a technology, this event offers valuable perspectives on turning promising research into market-ready solutions.

Lab to Impact: Healthcare Module - From Bench to Market: Navigating the Complex Landscape of Drug Commercialization
2025-06-04 12:00 - 13:00 | NY
Join the Center for Technology Licensing for a dynamic panel on the real-world path from innovation to therapeutic impact.
Industry leaders and biotech entrepreneurs, including Weill Cornell inventors and founders of licensed startup Convergent Therapeutics, will share an insightful discussion on navigating the path from the laboratory to the patient in the drug development space. Whether you’re considering commercialization or actively developing potential new drugs, this panel offers valuable perspectives on turning promising research into new therapies.
Our expert panelists will share practical insights from every stage of the process—from discovery and development, preclinical research, and clinical trials to FDA review and post-market safety monitoring. You’ll gain a better understanding of how regulatory strategy and market access shape the journey, and how successful teams overcome common barriers to bring therapeutics to market.
What to expect:

Key insights into regulatory and market access strategy
Lessons from successful therapeutic launches
Real-world examples of collaboration and adaptation
Expert perspectives across the full drug development lifecycle

Guest speakers:

Alexander Brown, COO of Convergent Therapeutics
Dr. Neil Bander, CSO, Co-Founder of Convergent Therapeutics
Dr. Philip Kantoff, CEO, Co-Founder of Convergent Therapeutics
Dr. Scott Tagawa, Professor of Medicine in Urology at Weill Cornell Medicine

Hosted by Brian Kelly, Director of Technology Licensing, CTL at Weill Cornell Medicine
Whether you’re considering a new idea, commercialization, or actively developing a technology, this event offers valuable perspectives on turning promising research into market-ready solutions.

Cornell Innovation and Venture Advisor (CIVA) Roundtable
2025-09-09 12:00 - 13:00 | NY
Are you a Cornell inventor seeking expert industry feedback? Connect with us to become a featured presenter at an upcoming session.
Featured Cornell innovators:

Professor, Shaoyi Jiang, Meinig School of Biomedical Engineering
Aaron Pempel, CEO, MAV Unlimited, Inc. Presenting on MAV’s showcase of Robert Shepard’s work on volumetric manufacturing in 3D printing.

For more information on CIVA and research presenters: Click here

Lab to Impact: Understanding the Technology Commercialization Process
2025-09-15 12:00 - 13:00 | NY
Join the leadership at CTL for the first series, where we focus on intellectual property and guide you through the essential steps of the technology commercialization process. You will gain insights into the end-to-end process, from initial invention disclosure to IP protection, licensing, and ultimately, commercialization. Learn how CTL’s support can help you maximize the impact of your research by successfully navigating the complexities of the commercialization journey.
Register here.

Advancing Women's Health
2025-09-26 11:30 - 13:00 | NY
Join this special women’s health webinar spotlighting exciting new research at Weill Cornell Medicine. Dr. Zhen Zhao, Professor of Clinical Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, will present her idea for an AI-based clinical decision support tool for predicting the risk of pre-eclampsia.
Following this scientific presentation, we’ll be sitting down with the authors of “Unlocking Investment for Women’s Health”, Dr. Misti Ushio, Managing Partner, Digitalis Ventures, and Ipsita Smolinski, Founder & General Partner, Capitol Street, to explore today’s funding landscape and discuss how investors, government, industry and advocacy groups can work together to accelerate innovations in women’s health.
Don’t miss this opportunity to hear fresh perspectives and novel solutions that can have a significant impact on the women’s health sector in the near term.
Register here.

Ignite Innovation Acceleration Fall 2025 Information Session
2025-10-10 12:00 - 13:00, 2025-10-24 12:00 - 13:00, 2025-11-03 12:00 - 13:00 | NY
Ignite Innovation Acceleration is a gap funding program offering up to $50,000 to help Cornell research teams advance disclosed inventions toward commercialization. Funding supports work that moves technologies toward licensing, startup formation, or industry partnerships.
Applications are open from September 22 to November 7, 2025.
This session will provide an overview of:

Program goals and funding scope

Application process and timeline

Eligibility and selection criteria

How this program fits into the Ignite: Lab to Market funding series

Register here.

Lab to Impact: From Idea to Prototyping and Design in Medical Devices
2025-10-29 12:00 - 13:00 | NY
Prototyping is a critical step in translating medical device concepts into real-world solutions. Whether you’re working in a university lab, building a startup, or managing development inside a large company, understanding how to prototype effectively can reduce risk, save time, and guide better design decisions.
This one-hour virtual panel will explore the strategic role of prototyping across stages of development, from early testing to scalable production. Panelists will share experiences from both clinical and industry perspectives.
Speakers:

Audrey Beckman – Medical device executive with 35+ years of experience in product design leadership

Mohammed Fouda, MD – Clinician-innovator at Weill Cornell Medicine, developing a novel medical device

Moderator:Donna Rounds, PhD – Associate Director of Business Development and Licensing, CTL at Weill Cornell Medicine
Register for the October 29 panel discussion.

Weill Cornell Medicine Symposium on Innovation and Entrepreneurship 2025
2025-11-17 13:50 - 17:00 | https://ctl.cornell.edu/event/weill-cornell-medicine-symposium-on-innovation-and-entrepreneurship-2025
Weill Cornell Medicine Dean’s Office and Enterprise Innovation invite you to join us virtually
for an afternoon filled with insightful discussions on biomedical innovation and
entrepreneurship and a celebration of our innovator-entrepreneurs. This symposium
features a fireside chat with Dean Robert A. Harrington and Barry Kappel, Ph.D. ’06, M.B.A.,
Founder, President, CEO & Director of Sapience Therapeutics.
RSVP here.

Lab to Impact: The Path to Commercializing Semiconductor Technology
2025-11-18 12:00 - 13:00 | https://ctl.cornell.edu/event/lab-to-impact-the-path-to-commercializing-semiconductor-technology
Join leading experts from industry and academia as they explore the critical pathway from semiconductor innovation to commercial success.
This panel will address key challenges and opportunities in bringing new semiconductor technologies to market, including scaling challenges, manufacturing partnerships, and funding strategies. Speakers will share insights on bridging the gap between academic research and industrial applications, securing strategic partnerships, and navigating the complex landscape of chip fabrication and testing.
Register here.

Ignite Fellow for New Ventures Info Session 1
2025-11-21 12:00 - 13:00 | https://ctl.cornell.edu/event/ignite-fellow-for-new-ventures-info-session-1-2025-26
Ignite Fellows for New Ventures is the flagship PhD & master’s‑level fellowship in Cornell’s Lab‑to‑Market gap‑fund series. Since its 2022 launch, the program has supported entrepreneurial scientists and engineers ready to turn research into high‑impact startups.
We’re now recruiting our 5th annual cohort, open to master’s graduates, doctoral candidates, and PhD holders. Fellows are matched with a Cornell faculty inventor and receive up to $120,000 in funding. They join as full‑time Cornell employees, working in the lab and engaging with our incubator network for business development.
This is your opportunity to build a business, lead as a founder, advance technology commercialization, and enrich Cornell’s venture ecosystem. Whether your ambition is to become CEO, CSO or CTO—or to apply your entrepreneurial mindset to bold new discoveries—Ignite is designed for you.
What we look for:

Big‑vision innovators who take calculated risks

Scientists or engineers ready to lead a venture

Partners who want to work alongside a Cornell faculty inventor

What you’ll get:

Funding up to $120 K to support you and your early‑stage work

Mentorship and training through Cornell’s startup ecosystem

Access to faculty lab resources, the incubator network, and startup infrastructure

Register here.

Accelerating BioVenture Innovation Final Pitch Event
2025-12-09 17:30 - 20:00
Weill Cornell Medicine Enterprise Innovation invite you to join on Tuesday, December 9, 5:30-8pm as the finalist teams from the 2025 Accelerating BioVenture Innovation course pitch their technologies to a panel of early-stage investors and industry judges.
The pitch event will take place at Uris Auditorium, 1300 York Ave, New York, NY, followed by a networking reception at Griffis Faculty Lounge with investors, ecosystem partners and industry representatives who served as mentors and lecturers throughout the program. Celebrate the winning teams and scientific innovation with hors d’oeuvres and cocktails!
RSVP here.
About Accelerating BioVenture Innovation:
Accelerating BioVenture Innovation (ABI) is a 15-week experiential course in innovation and entrepreneurship that builds teams around patented technologies from local academic institutions and federal laboratories. The program educates participants on all aspects of commercializing an academic invention. Teams create pitch decks after weeks of instruction and mentorship from industry experts, and then finalist teams are selected to pitch to a panel of investors and industry judges.

Ignite Fellow for New Ventures Info Session 2
2025-12-17 12:00 - 13:00 | https://ctl.cornell.edu/event/ignite-fellow-for-new-ventures-info-session-2-december-17

CTL at JP Morgan Healthcare Conference 2026
2026-01-12 - 2026-01-15 | NY
Alice Li, Executive Director at CTL, and Lisa Placanica, Senior Managing Director at CTL at Weill Cornell Medicine, will represent Cornell at this year’s JP Morgan Healthcare Conference, taking place in San Francisco from January 12 – 15, and will meet with life science investors to connect them with Cornell technologies and startups.
More information about the conference here.

Lab to Impact: Telling Your Scientific Story for Commercialization Impact
2026-01-22 12:00 - 13:00 | https://ctl.cornell.edu/event/lab-to-impact-telling-your-scientific-story-for-commercialization-impact
Discoveries do not become products or services on their own. Beyond validating the underlying science and its novelty, researchers must communicate their work in language that resonates with audiences outside their field, including industry partners, investors, and potential customers. Effective storytelling helps build understanding and trust, highlight the value of new discoveries, and enable others to see why an innovation matters.
In this session, Telling Your Scientific Story for Commercialization Impact, Julia Felice, Ph.D., will help scientific innovators strengthen their ability to communicate complex ideas in ways that drive engagement and action. Participants will explore how narrative supports the adoption of new technologies and how a clear, compelling story can accelerate partnerships, funding, and early market traction.
Participants will:

Learn how to adapt their scientific story for diverse audiences.
Engage with examples and development of a concise “hook” that conveys the value of their research to non-technical decision makers.
Leave with a Storytelling for Impact Checklist to guide future communication efforts.
Be invited to follow-up office hours with Julia Felice for individualized feedback on their own innovation story (limited spots).

The goal of this workshop is to help innovators understand how to cross the “communication chasm,” an important step on the path from Lab to Impact.
Register here.

Cross-Campus Innovation Exchange | Climate & Energy
2026-01-23 12:00 - 17:00 | Cornell Tech, New York City, 2 West Loop Road, New York, NY, 10044, United States
Campus Climate Tech and Columbia Climate Fund are bringing together a critical mass of faculty, postdocs, PhDs, and Masters & undergrad engineering student leaders focused on advancing climate tech across top research institutions in the Northeast.

​Meet your peers across departments and other universities

​Network with potential employers

​Explore opportunities for collaboration on research and startup ventures

​
​There will be:
​1) Opening address by our lead sponsor: NY Ventures
​2) Panels on commercializing university research
​3) Major industry players will pitch the innovation areas where they see the greatest opportunity for academia & startups to advance
​4) Opportunities to present your research
​5) A workshop to match with your future co-founder and a primer on techno-economic analyses
​6) Panel on climate tech resources and initiatives being driven across NYC
​7) Plenty of networking time at the venue and an after party at 6:30 pm at Granny Annie’s Bar & Kitchen located next door.
​

Lab to Impact: Social Science at the Frontiers of Innovation
2026-01-27 12:00 - 13:00 | https://ctl.cornell.edu/event/lab-to-impact-social-science-at-the-frontiers-of-innovation
Join Professor Eve DeRosa and social entrepreneur Steve Shapiro for a conversation on translating behavioral science and human-centered research into impactful products, services, and ventures. Explore how social scientists are shaping business models and creating change in communities.
This event has been postponed. New date: January 27, 2026.
Register here.

Ignite Connect 2026: Accelerating Impact
2026-01-29 12:00 - 14:00
Join us for Cornell’s annual virtual forum spotlighting investment-ready university technologies and venture teams. Ignite Connect features a curated lineup of startups backed by gap-funding programs that have advanced beyond early validation and are actively seeking investment, strategic partnerships, or licensing opportunities.
Ideal for pre-seed/seed investors, corporate venture teams, and innovation scouts, the event includes a spotlight address, four thematic pitch tracks, and opportunities to schedule one-on-one meetings with founders and faculty innovators.
Register here.

Ignite Fellow for New Ventures Info Session 3
2026-01-30 12:00 - 13:00 | https://ctl.cornell.edu/event/ignite-fellow-for-new-ventures-info-session-3-2

Ignite Fellow for New Ventures Info Session 4
2026-02-20 12:00 - 13:00 | https://ctl.cornell.edu/event/ignite-fellow-for-new-ventures-info-session-4-2026
