Brown Technology Innovations

Brown Innovation Fellows

Brown Innovation Fellows is a paid internship program for graduate students, postdocs and medical students interested in technology commercialization.

This program is a part of Brown Technology Innovations (BTI), which is responsible for managing the university’s patent portfolio and driving commercialization of Brown-developed technologies.  The first cohort has three positions for Fellows representing diverse areas of expertise.

Fellows will work with BTI Business Development Directors and receive training in technology evaluation, market research, and patenting.  Fellows will be involved in assessing the commercial potential of early-stage technologies developed at Brown, evaluating industry interest and developing marketing strategies, and composing technical reports and pitch documents. Participation in the Fellows program will provide an understanding of the basic business elements involved in creating an early stage startup company and provide valuable business skills relevant to non-academic careers in science, technology, business, and law.

This position is intended to be in addition to the regular coursework, research, and teaching responsibilities of Brown graduate students and Postdocs.  Fellows must be able to commit to the program (10 hours per week, virtual) without impact to their academic program and research progress, and PhD students and postdocs must have the consent of their advisor to participate. We encourage international students to apply, however please be aware that acceptance into the program will be contingent upon coordination with OISSS. All students accepted will need to comply with guidance from the Graduate Student and/or Postdoc office as appropriate to ensure that the program aligns with their current status within the university.

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Work Areas

Fellows will be working in the following areas

Technology Evaluation and Patent Assessment

  • Reviewing invention disclosures:
    • Distill down provided materials into a brief overview of the invention
    • Conduct a literature and patent review to evaluate novelty of the invention and where it could fit within the market
    • Identify the competitive landscape and commercial opportunity
  • Create target lists for technology marketing
  • Supporting patent prosecution including reviewing and summarizing USPTO correspondence

Marketing Brown Innovations and Technical Expertise

  • Preparing and/or reviewing technology marketing materials
  • Reviewing one page summaries of Brown technologies prepared by contracted science writers for accuracy and focus
  • Drafting and/or reviewing marketing materials (e.g. short summary slide decks, one-page summaries, core competency documents) for conferences or other events attended by Business Development Directors

Development of New Venture Opportunities

  • Preparing business plans or pitch decks for potential Brown start-ups
  • Participating in, or supporting others participating in, pitch competitions or accelerator programs
     

Qualifications

Education and Experience

  • Brown University graduate degree candidates or Post-doctoral researchers - we particularly encourage applicants from STEM fields including BioMed, Engineering, Brain Science, Digital Health, Chemistry, Physics and Computer Science in addition to business related fields in economics and public health.
  • Completed all qualifying examinations (PhD candidates) and have at least one year remaining at Brown
  • Support from their faculty advisor (PhD candidates and Postdocs)

Competencies

  • Strong science/technical background
  • Strong writing skills, e.g. the ability to distill down complex scientific concepts into broadly understandable language
  • Reliable communication
  • Ability to work independently to meet project deadlines
  • Commitment and availability for 10 hours per week (for a minimum of one year)
  • Enthusiasm and willingness to take on new challenges
  • Preference for students / Postdocs who are inventors on Brown patents, and/or have an interest in pursuing a start-up upon completion of their Brown program

Deadline

  • Applications are due May 27, 2022
  • Program will begin in July, 2022

Questions

Please contact Melissa Simon, Brown Technology Innovations Director of Business Development at melissa_j_simon@brown.edu