IUPUI Center for Research and Learning Innovation-to-Enterprise Central (ITEC)

Innovation-to-Enterprise Central (ITEC)

Spurring Economic Growth through Raising the Next Generation of Innovators and Business Leaders.

Nationwide, universities are recognized as “engines of economic development,” serving as a source of cutting edge scientific breakthroughs and technology development. IUPUI seeks to foster these endeavors through the Innovation-to-Enterprise Central (ITEC) program – a student-centered, multidisciplinary, active-learning initiative to provide opportunities for students to learn about research commercialization and develop entrepreneurial and business skills.

The ITEC initiative was piloted with only a single team during the 2011 spring semester and early part of summer. The program is now entering into its third year, proudly sponsoring 3-5 teams each term. Teams have worked on multiple medical innovations (such as potential therapeutics for bone healing), developed prototypes for web based applications or smartphone apps, and investigated business development opportunities in alternative energy.

For examples of past ITEC projects, please click here.

Today, ITEC facilitates the creation and support of collaborative, multidisciplinary research commercialization teams. These consist of students from multiple academic disciplines, faculty and other participants. The primary purpose of ITEC teams is to provide students with a unique opportunity to work one-on-one with mentors, to learn firsthand about research innovations emerging from the research labs on campus, and to explore opportunities for personal transformation from brainstorming to commercial enterprise. The ITEC experience is meant to promote students’ interest in invention and business development, in order to prepare the next generation of innovators and business leaders who will contribute to the economic growth and social advancement of Indiana and the nation. Students are selected to join a team through a competitive process. Project work begins in September and ends in April with teams’ final reports and deliverables.

ITEC is sponsored by the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research, through a Collaboration between the Center for Research and Learning (CRL) and Solution Center, in Partnership with IUPUI Academic and Research Units.

Student participants in ITEC will...

Receive $3,000
Explore and participate in the process of innovation
Build a significant professional network of entrepreneurs and business leaders
Gain knowledge and confidence as future inventors or in business startups

Eligibility Requirements

Undergraduate or Graduate student
Enrolled full-time at IUPUI
Cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale
Open to all majors
Interest in research commercialization
Willing to work on a team
Able to commit 10 hours/week

Program Duration: 30 weeks (September to April)

Student Application

To Apply click here! Application will be accepted beginning April 29, 2013 through September 2, 2013. Review and Selection of candidates begin July 9, 2013.