How To Fund Commercialization of University Research? Crowdfunding, of Course!
Perhaps it was just a matter of time – but here’s a new development in the funding of academic research and technology commercialization. The University of Utah’s Technology Commercialization Office (TCO)—#1 in the country for startups launched by research organizations for three of the last five years—has spun off more than 150 companies in the past seven […]
Osage Venture Partners closes third fund at $66M
Osage Venture Partners is pleased to announce the final closing of Osage Venture Partners III, exceeding its target fund size by 10 percent to reach $66 million. Osage Venture Partners III continues the strategy executed in Osage Venture Partners II, investing exclusively in early-stage enterprise software companies in the Mid-Atlantic region. Osage Venture Partners III […]
Tech Launch Arizona announces $715K in awards from new POC program
Nineteen University of Arizona researchers are recipients of Proof of Concept Program Awards by the newly established Tech Launch Arizona, or TLA. The purpose of the program, or POC, is to enable faculty with promising inventions and discoveries to address technological and commercial hurdles – moving them closer to commercialization. The awards, ranging from $10,000 to […]
New York Times article covers new venture investment in SBA program for start-ups
While many small businesses are waiting for the federal government to write rules for so-called equity crowdfunding, the Obama administration is moving forward with another effort to funnel investment capital to start-ups. Last week, the Small Business Administration announced that it had granted a venture capital fund from North Carolina the first license to participate in a new […]
Foundation Venture Capital Group invests in University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey start-ups
NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J., Jan. 25, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — Parkinson’s disease affects one million people in the United States and seven million worldwide. While L-Dopa is effective in treating the disease symptoms, the vast majority of patients taking it chronically eventually develop L-Dopa Induced Dyskinesia (LID), abnormal involuntary movements that can be disabling. A new company, MentiNova, Inc., is exploring […]
University Crowdfunding: New capital requires new talent
Crowdfunding is seeping into mainstream conversation on university campuses around the world. This emerging funding vehicle, which targets smaller investments from a large number of people, has demonstrated historic success when directed at things like art studios and trendy gadgets; however, now it is being weighed for inclusion as a legitimate source of capital for […]
Michigan’s Pre-seed Capital Fund invests $1M in four companies
Four Michigan companies recently received investments from the Michigan Pre-Seed Capital Fund, totaling $1 million. To date, the Michigan Pre-Seed Capital Fund, a collaborative effort of Michigan’s SmartZones to support start-ups’ product commercialization, has awarded 83 Michigan companies with seed funding totaling more than $19 million.
University of Edinburgh to invest in a VC fund to support life science start-ups
The University of Edinburgh is to invest in a venture capital fund focusing on early stage life sciences companies. The new fund, which will be managed by US-based Rock Spring Ventures, will engage closely with the University’s company formation teams at Edinburgh Research and Innovation and Edinburgh BioQuarter. Spin-out and start-up companies from the University’s research labs will make up […]
Crowdfunding crazies ruining it for the rest of us?
In our University Crowdfunding Review last week (available here), we identified this sort of malicious misrepresentation as a stopper for crowdfunding for equity. How will stories like this affect political momentum and investors’ willingness to participate in this emerging funding vehicle? Will the perception of this risk/public fallout be magnified at the university-leve? ——– Regulators are scrutinizing […]
Forbes article on student-led University Venture Fund, University of Utah
UVF hosts an annual University Private Equity Summit, where top VCs and investment experts offer best practices and wisdom to approximately 300 attendees. It’s not too late to attend this year’s Summit in Salt Lake City and Park City, January 24-26. David Hornick ofAugust Capital and Jeremy Andrus of SkullCandy head this year’s keynote list. Panelists include Matt Miller of Sequoia Capital, David McClure of500 Startups, Ray […]