Lots of good questions (and hopefully good answers) from those who tour the Venture Development Center.

In the hope of answering other questions, here’s more about who we are, what we do, and why you should care:

Who we are

In organizational terms, the Venture Development Center is the strategic business development unit of the office of the vice provost for research. It focuses on research development and partnering, particularly multi-institution, multi-discipline, multi-sector initiatives where lots of planning is required.

More informally, you know us as William Brah, Susan Daudelin, Christine DePalma, John Ciccarelli, and Dan Phillips, savvy, cheerful, and dedicated to helping you be successful in your research ventures.

What we do

The Venture Development Center offers faculty, staff, and students and their partners in industry and other organizations with an important shared space and expertise for advancing collaborations and translating research capacities into development activities.

For a faculty member who wants to create a new center in one of the research cluster growth opportunity areas the university has identified, we will act as an adviser, helping to create a strategy for success, including need, team, deliverables, benefits, competitive advantage, performance milestones, and required investment which we will help obtain.

For groups of faculty from different disciplines who want to identify and develop research funding in one of the research cluster growth opportunity areas the university has identified, we will act as a convener and facilitator, helping to discover feasible sponsorship sources, and coordinate proposals and budgets.

For a faculty member who wants to translate research results into measurable improvements in practice, we will act as an agent, evaluating the social and commercial benefits, securing protection, and either concluding license agreements or creating a new start-up organization or company.

For a faculty member who wants one-on-one consultation, our specialties include developing earned income strategies for your program, brokering institutional partnering agreements, managing intellectual property, and organizing effective sponsor presentations. Most of these are things you feel kind of lost trying to deal with but are vital to success.

To support these activities, the VDC offers meeting areas for teams sharing ideas, information, and work. In addition, the VDC has office and lab options with flexible, affordable terms for you and your partners. The facility is both a launching pad for new initiatives, and a landing zone for their results. The quality of your work is increased by advanced technology unavailable elsewhere on campus.

Why you should care

The key to your success is the value we bring through our experience, connections, and entrepreneurial approach. The VDC has played a supporting role in numerous launches of new initiatives at the university, resulting in millions in investment.

You are welcome to visit the VDC on the third floor of Wheatley, where you will:

* Meet new people and learn about what they are working on.
* Get the university buzzing about ideas you care deeply about.
* Get inside news and opportunities.
* Share practical experiences.
* Get a sense of the big picture.

Our lounge provides complimentary coffee, comfortable chairs, and a great view of the harbor.

The VDC really is an experience, an escape into an interestingly different and energizing atmosphere. It’s a whole new way of understanding and connecting with the world, and each other.

Thank you for visiting.

William Brah, Assistant Vice Provost for Research and Executive Director, Venture Development Center