Business and product ideas will be accelerated to market through the new partnership.
Vanderbilt University and agricultural firm Bioworks are partnering on an educational entrepreneurship programme.
The partnership is looking to establish mentoring and a strategic networks accessible to faculty, staff and students. Bioworks will also guarantee dedicated spots to Vanderbilt in its applicant pool for Zero to 510, its medical device business accelerator. The nominees will be fast-tracked to the final round of the selection process for a chance to participate in the annual cohort.
On top of this, Innova, a pre-seed and early stage investor affiliated with Zero to 510, will support Vanderbilt’s tech transfer office in identifying and investing in promising research.
Alan Bentley, assistant vice-chancellor for technology transfer and intellectual property protection at Vanderbilt, said: “Memphis Bioworks has built a successful entrepreneurship pathway for startup companies, so working with them presents a unique opportunity for the Vanderbilt community to access a valuable platform for launching what has been created and developed here at Vanderbilt into viable businesses.”
