The document discusses commercializing research from MIT. It describes the Deshpande Center's mission to use MIT technologies to solve real-world problems by moving innovations from the lab to the marketplace. It outlines the innovation pathway from research to commercialization and discusses how the Center provides funding and mentoring to help faculty and students advance their technologies into startup companies. It also describes assessing and reducing technical and market risks before commercializing a product. The Center has supported over 100 projects in its 15 years of operation, resulting in 33 startups that have raised $700 million and hundreds of employees. Successful spinouts include companies in areas like batteries, medical devices, and water treatment.

1. Commercializing Research
Why it matters. The impact and MIT experience?
Leon Sandler
MIT Deshpande Center for
Technological Innovation
November 28, 2017

2. • Create impact through technological innovation
o Use MIT technologies to solve real world problems
o Move the technologies from the lab to the marketplace
o Stimulate innovation
3
Deshpande Center Mission
Copyright 2017 Leon Sandler, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

3. 5
Design
Based
Research
Based
(Science)Use existing technologies
with new combinations
Develop new
technologies
Technological Innovation
Engineering
Based
• Difficult - Long Time to Market
• Big Impact on Society
Copyright 2017 Leon Sandler, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

4. 7
Innovation Pathway
Research ProductInvention
- Validate
- Mature
- Reduce risk
Commercialize
Real Word Problems
Market
INNOVATION
Copyright 2017 Leon Sandler, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

5. 8
• Grant funds and mentoring to faculty and students
• Advance their technologies so they can leave MIT into
startup companies
What we do
Copyright 2017 Leon Sandler, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

6. 9
Deshpande
Grant
program
Industry Events /
Awareness
Investors
Market
discovery
Direct
Select
Connect
Entrepreneurs
Mentors
Copyright 2017 Leon Sandler, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

7. » Technology risk
» Market risk
Commercial
Enterprise
10
The Innovation Gap
Product
$ $$$$$
Copyright 2017 Leon Sandler, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
» Technology risk
» Market risk

8. 11
• What is the market problem to be solved?
• What is important to the market/customers?
• Will the product be competitive, so people will buy it?
• Technical performance requirements?
Market Risk
Copyright 2017 Leon Sandler, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

9. 12
• Is this technically feasible?
o Can you prove the key technologies work?
o Need data from experiments
• What is the likely performance range?
o Is it within the range required by the market?
Technical Risk
Copyright 2017 Leon Sandler, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

10. Invention
Proof of
concept
Proof of Product
& Market
Spinout
company
Large
company
13
MIT
Technical & Market
Validation
Commercial World
Produce and Sell
1-4 years
Industry
2-8 years
Copyright 2017 Leon Sandler, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

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13. After the innovation
17Copyright 2017 Leon Sandler, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

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15. 19
2006 IDEA
Energy created when sun shines
and wind blows
Store energy to use later
Copyright 2017 Leon Sandler, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

16. 20
2006 IDEA
Aluminum Smelter ->
Molten Metal Battery

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Molten Metal Battery
Mg
Salt
SaltMg-Sb Alloy
Mg-Sb Alloy
Discharged Charged

18. 22
2006-2010
EXPERIMENTS

19. 23
2010 SPINOUT  2015 PRODUCT

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• Insert in doctors office
• Delivers medication for 3 weeks
• Easy to remove
Device for Delivery of Drugs to Bladder

21. 26

22. 27

23. 28
Eyenetra photos

24. 30
ETA

25. • 15 years
• 500 proposals
• 133 projects supported
• $17 million of grants funded
Results
• 400+ faculty/students and 100+ volunteers
• 33 start-ups
• $700 million capital raised, hundreds of employees
31
History
Copyright 2017 Leon Sandler, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

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• batteries, cancer therapy, database software, dental
imaging, drug delivery, eye testing,
• food ripeness sensors, medical devices, membranes,
molecular diagnostics, power electronics,
• quantum dots, simulation software, surface coatings,
water treatment
Spinout products and markets

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• People who want to solve problems and bring products
to market
• Interactions with market & customers
• Ecosystem to support innovation and entrepreneurship
• Guidance & mentoring
Lessons learned – keys to success

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