Ignite Innovation Acceleration Spring 2026 Information Session 3
2026-04-10 12:00 - 13:00 (America/New_York)
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 March 2 to April 24, 2026.
Who Should Apply?

Cornell faculty

Postdoctoral researchers

PhD innovators

Research teams developing technologies with commercial potential

Join our next info session on April 10 at noon. 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.

2026 BioInnovate Conference
2026-04-23 12:00 - 18:00 (America/New_York) | NY
Join the 2026 BioInnovate Conference, a curated forum connecting life sciences investors and industry leaders with promising spinouts from Weill Cornell Medicine, Cornell University, and Cornell Tech.
This event brings together academic inventors, early-stage investors, industry leaders, and startup executives to spark new connections, explore partnerships, and advance translational innovation. This year’s audience includes 40+ specialist biomedical investors and industry representatives.
Featured guests include:

Michael Foley, PhD, CEO & Co-Founder, Excelsior Sciences
Adam Volini, Executive Director & VP, Life Sciences & Strategic Partnerships, NYS Empire State Development
Henry Wei, MD ’02, Head of Development Innovation, Regeneron

Startup pitches from:

Astoria Biologica – first-in-class multiple sclerosis therapeutic
NeuroTwain – digital clinical decision support tool for neurological diseases

The program will also include the announcement of the Resnick Prize for Excellence in Entrepreneurship and additional awards.
Over the years, BioInnovate has catalyzed venture financings, industry partnerships, and leadership team formation for emerging companies across the Cornell innovation ecosystem.
If you are in NYC, join us at Uris Auditorium on the Weill Cornell campus starting at noon. In-person registration here.
If you are in Ithaca or anywhere else, join us online from 3-6 PM (ET). Virtual registration here.

Lab to Impact: The Rocky Road to Instant Ice Cream
2026-04-29 12:00 - 13:00 (America/New_York) | https://ctl.cornell.edu/event/lab-to-impact-the-rocky-road-to-instant-ice-cream
Join us for a discussion on the journey from scientific breakthrough to commercial success in food technology.
Using the evolution of instant ice cream as a case study, this session explores what it takes to move from lab innovation to a product people trust, adopt, and buy.
Our speakers—spanning academia, entrepreneurship, and industry—will share firsthand perspectives on navigating regulatory requirements, scaling production, and building a viable business around novel food technologies.
We’ll cover:
• Bridging research and commercial viability
• Navigating food safety regulations
• Scaling production while maintaining quality
• Building consumer trust
• Securing investment and partnerships
Speakers: Syed Ruzvi, professor at Cornell CALS, and Aris Despo, seasoned tech entrepreneur. Hosted by Marie Donnelly, Business Development and Licensing Manager at CTL.
Register here.

Anatomy of a Deal: Founder, Equity Investor & Lender
2026-04-29 12:00 - 13:00 (America/New_York)
Join Launch NY’s ECO Incubator for a practical, behind-the-scenes look at how early-stage clean energy deals come together—from initial conversations to closing. This session brings together a founder, an equity investor, and a lender to share how deals are sourced, structured, and financed in today’s market.
Featuring:

Gillian Francis, Managing & Founding Partner, Rapid Ventures
Stwart Peña Feliz, CEO & Co-Founder, MacroCycle Technologies
Maggie Wong, Senior VP, Silicon Valley Bank

Register now.

CTL@WCM Office Hours with Jamie Brisbois
2026-04-29 14:00 - 16:00 UTC | NY
CTL@WCM Office Hours are open to all who wish to gain more information about the advancement of their patent filings and to discuss their technology venture project with a one-on-one meeting with a Weill Cornell Business Development and Licensing Officer.
The April 29th office hours will be hosted virtually by Jamie Brisbois, Business Development and Licensing Associate at CTL, NYC office, from 2 – 4 p.m.
Jamie assists the licensing team in identifying, marketing, and licensing life sciences technologies developed at Weill Cornell Medicine.
Before joining CTL in 2021, Jamie worked as a consultant with ClearView Healthcare Partners, a boutique healthcare consulting firm based in Boston. In addition, he served three years as a fellow with Columbia Technology Ventures (CTV), the technology transfer office of Columbia University.
Jamie received his Ph.D. in Chemistry from Columbia University, where he helped develop a scalable signaling language for engineering multicellular communication in the laboratory of Dr. Virginia Cornish. Jamie holds a B.A. in Chemistry, Biochemistry, and French from Lawrence University (Appleton, WI), where he graduated Magna Cum Laude.
Register here.

Lab to Impact: The Hard Reality of Building a Biotech Startup - A CEO's Perspective
2026-05-06 12:00 - 13:00 (America/New_York) | https://ctl.cornell.edu/event/lab-to-impact-the-hard-reality-of-building-a-biotech-startup-a-ceos-perspective
What does it take to build a biotechnology company that advances early academic assets into a therapy used at the bedside, while overcoming the scientific, clinical, and financial hurdles along the way?
In this session, Laurence Blumberg, MD, MBA, a physician and serial biotech entrepreneur, shares a candid perspective drawn from decades of experience founding biotechnology companies and advancing scientific discoveries into clinical development. As founding CEO of Syntimmune, he guided the company through early clinical development before its acquisition by Alexion in 2018 for up to $1.2 billion. Earlier, he co-founded Syntonix Pharmaceuticals, where his early strategic vision helped shape a protein engineering platform later acquired by Biogen in 2007. That platform ultimately enabled the development of Eloctate and Alprolix, long-acting therapies for hemophilia A and B that have significantly improved care for patients with bleeding disorders.
This conversation examines the operational and strategic realities of building a therapeutics company. Topics will include:

Understanding the structure of the biotechnology ecosystem
Developing a rigorous Target Product Profile and market thesis
Deciding when to build internal capabilities versus leveraging external partners such as CROs and CDMOs
Securing the capital and strategic partnerships required to advance therapies through development

Researchers, physicians, and aspiring bioentrepreneurs are invited to join this candid conversation.
Hosted by Lynda Inseque, director of Technology & Venture Initiatives and Engagement at CTL.
Register here.
