NELSON TECHNOLOGY FELLOWS
USING ENTREPRENEURSHIP TO ACCELERATE TECHNOLOGY @ BROWN
The Nelson Technology Fellows program provides the opportunity for students to work with Brown faculty whose research has potential commercial application. Fellows are appointed on a rolling basis and work directly with faculty to evaluate their research’s business potential and provide concrete, project-based support.
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
Brown has a long history of research and innovation. The Nelson Technology Fellows program, a collaborative effort between the Nelson Center and Brown Technology Innovations, seeks to support this innovation by matching talented Brown undergraduate and graduate students with research faculty whose work has commercial potential. These matches are made on a rolling basis as research projects and interested students with relevant expertise are identified. The specific work that Fellows contribute to a project will necessarily vary depending on what is needed. For some it might be identifying possible use cases for a given technology, for others it might involve mapping an intellectual property strategy, or for others evaluating suitable markets and potential partnerships for a possible venture. Fellows must be comfortable with the high degree of fluidity that goes with working on a pre-company idea or with an early start-up and indeed part of the work that fellows may do is to help sift through the uncertainty to identify possible strategies for moving the venture forward. Throughout Fellows will receive consultative support from Nelson Center and BTI staff.
EXAMPLE PROJECTS
Bolden Therapeutics
Bolden Therapeutics is a biotechnology company developing first-in-class therapeutics to treat central nervous system diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease and ischemic stroke. The company is being led by Brown alum Johnny Page, Dr. Justin Fallon and Dr. Ashley Webb. Bolden recently received a Biogen-LabCentral Golden Ticket, and will be using available laboratory space in Cambridge to advance their preclinical drug development.
Pedialydx
A team of researchers out of Brown University and Women & Infants Hospital, led by Dr. Barry Lester, has developed a new computer-based tool to perform finely tuned acoustic analyses of babies’ cries. The team hopes their baby cry analyzer will lead to new ways for researchers and clinicians to use cry in identifying children with neurological problems or developmental disorders. The current focus is identification of babies exposed to opioids. The team is currently working with an outside entrepreneur to explore start-up formation.
Techstyle Materials
Techstyle Materials was founded in 2018 by Dr. Derek Stein, and aims to develop smart building products for the construction industry. Their technology is a low-cost solution that can be applied to existing building materials to significantly improve moisture regulation, comfort, and energy efficiency.
Cardiac TEEM
Researchers at Brown University and Rhode Island Hospital, including Dr. Kareen Coulombe, have developed technology to advance pre-clinical drug screening with a cardiac tissue-engineered model to reduce drug development costs and protect the safety of patients.
STUDENT ELIGIBILITY AND HOW TO APPLY
The role of a Nelson Technology Fellow is educational and is not compensated, nor is there any expectation of a formal arrangement between the researcher and fellow for the duration of the fellowship. Both new and ongoing projects are evaluated on a semesterly basis.
Eligibility:
• Fellows may be undergraduate or graduate students
• Fellows should have an interest in technology development
• Fellows may not necessarily have prior entrepreneurship experience but prior coursework demonstrating an understanding of business fundamentals is necessary
• Fellows must be able to budget 2-3 hours per week to work on project
Application must be submitted through the Google Form below. If you have any questions please contact Brian Demers (brian_demers@brown.edu) or Melissa Simon (melissa_j_simon@brown.edu).
FACULTY PROJECT ELIGIBILITY
Interested in having a Nelson Tech Fellow work on a project from your lab or research? Let us know via the form below and we will evaluate your project and our roster of fellows to see if we have a good match. Both new and ongoing projects are evaluated on a semesterly basis.
Projects must be submitted through the Google Form below. If you have any questions please contact Brian Demers (brian_demers@brown.edu) or Melissa Simon (melissa_j_simon@brown.edu).