New Ventures Advisory Council and Mentor Network The New Ventures Team will facilitate introductions to its advisory council and mentor network. These groups will support new company management and will typically be subject matter experts having startup experience. Key objectives for advisory council members and mentors who work with the companies include: • To add immediate validation and credibility to the venture at a stage when it is needed. • Opening doors, making introductions and assisting with strategy and business planning. • Making introductions to potential investors or serving as a due diligence reference during fundraising. Advisors know people and people know advisors. It’s that simple. The more third parties talking about your venture the better.
Licensing of Intellectual Property (IP) Licensing ensures that the intellectual property (IP) developed by the Vanderbilt inventor is transferred to the new entity. This transfer of technology gives the newly formed entity a legal right to use the IP for commercial purposes. Issues addressed during the license negotiations include: field of use, royalty and other payments, ownership rights, due diligence, milestones, and others. Every licensing agreement is unique and crafted to the needs of the transaction by an experienced licensing officer. The New Ventures Team will work with the licensing officer at Vanderbilt to ensure this process is completed in a timely and efficient manner. For additional details on the licensing process, visit www.vanderbilt.edu/cttc.
The New Ventures Team works closely with the Nashville Entrepreneur Center (EC), JumpStart Foundry, Launch Tennessee, Life Sciences Tennessee, Cumberland Emerging Technologies, the Cool Springs Life Sciences Center, the Nashville Technology Council, the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce, and other regional partners to provide many Vanderbilt community members, as well as Vanderbilt-related new ventures, with access to mentors, programs, and other opportunities that will increase the likelihood of success. Pictured is the newly opened Nashville Entrepreneur Center accelerator facility in downtown Nashville.
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