Helping campus research become companies and partnerships
We help universities strengthen tech-transfer practices, build faculty entrepreneurship programs, and connect campus research strengths to commercial opportunities, with close attention to emerging research campuses. Our founder, a Ph.D. physicist, has helped build three science-based companies and brings that experience to faculty founders and the offices that support them.
Who we work with
University research and tech-transfer offices
Offices that want faculty expertise and shared instruments to be easy for outside companies and collaborators to find.
Faculty founders and spinouts
Researchers testing whether a discovery can support a company, and teams preparing for SBIR/STTR funding.
Emerging research campuses
R2, HBCU, and EPSCoR institutions building commercialization practices and multi-campus collaborations.
State agencies and regional organizations
Programs designing incubators, venture studios, challenge competitions, and mentorship pipelines.
Challenges we address
- Outside companies and founders often struggle to find the right faculty collaborator or shared lab instrument.
- Promising lab discoveries need help bridging the gap between academic papers and SBIR/STTR readiness.
- Multi-campus grant teams need practical coordination across R1, R2, HBCU, and undergraduate institutions.
What we deliver
- Technology landscaping and commercial readiness feedback
- Faculty I-Corps customer discovery and spinout coaching
- Incubator, venture studio, and mentorship program design
- Stakeholder interviews and regional ecosystem assessments
- Searchable directories of university research expertise and shared equipment
- Support for multi-institution EPSCoR and EDA collaboration networks
How an engagement works
- STEP 01
Start with the science
We examine the technical data and intellectual property position before planning a commercial path.
- STEP 02
Assess commercial readiness
Technology landscaping and commercial readiness feedback show where a discovery stands.
- STEP 03
Coach the team
Faculty I-Corps customer discovery and spinout coaching help researchers test the business case.
- STEP 04
Connect and fund
We connect campus labs with startups and industry partners, and plan SBIR/STTR or EDA proposals when funding is the next step.
Relevant experience
Founder experience
Doug has helped build three companies. One won an Edison Award and Department of Energy funding before falling short of its Series B, one merged with an optical coatings firm, and one is bootstrapped and profitable.
ARA's research directories
Working with the Arkansas Research Alliance, we built ARA's Arkansas Research Expertise Database, which covers faculty at 19 Arkansas institutions, and ARA's Arkansas Core Facilities Exchange, which lists 544 instruments in 55 shared facilities at 11 institutions.
AR-NETWORK, with ARA
We work with the Arkansas Research Alliance to support AR-NETWORK, an EPSCoR-funded network building research collaboration across Arkansas campuses and industry partners, and we built its website.
Ways to work together
Start with a 30-minute scoping call: a short conversation about your goals, timeline, and whether our background is a good fit.
Faculty and spinout coaching
Coaching for faculty founders and spinout teams, including I-Corps customer discovery.
Innovation program design
Incubator, venture studio, challenge competition, and mentorship programs built around real stakeholder needs.
Research discovery tools
Searchable directories that help companies find faculty expertise and shared lab equipment.
Get in Touch
We work with university research offices, state agencies and boards, and science-based startups. Tell us about your goal, funding deadline, or program.
Send a Message
requiredWhat to Expect
Quick response
We reply within one to two business days.
30-minute scoping call
A short call to understand your goals, timeline, and whether our background is a good fit.
Confidentiality
We treat unpublished university research, grant drafts, and technical data with strict confidentiality.
Fayetteville, Arkansas & National
Headquartered in Northwest Arkansas, serving universities, boards, and ventures across the U.S. and EPSCoR states.
Based in Fayetteville, Arkansas. We work with clients across the state and nationwide on research commercialization, grant strategy, and public impact data.