The Innovation Accelerator provides an opportunity for industry to partner with the FFHI through multiple mechanisms including philanthropy. For example, the philanthropic funds donated to the FFHI will provide support for activities related to promoting entrepreneurship among the FFHI faculty and students. This activity is essential in the process of helping relevant technologies out of the lab and into the market. This special program as currently envisioned is described below. However, in the spirit of partnership, we would like to finalize this program at a later date with active input from industry partners in the Corporate Affiliate and Research Consortia Programs.

• Establish incentives for industry partnerships with UC Davis, to provide a centralized, efficient, effective network for innovation access and learnings from:
  • Technology transfer
  • Business services
  • Industry alliances and partnerships
• Increase the knowledge and skill set of faculty, post-docs and graduate students in the area of technology commercialization, technology management and business development. Partnering with the Center for Entrepreneurship to provide:
  • FFHI Business Development Intensive
  • FFHI Business Development fellowships (1yr) at the UC Davis Graduate School of Management
• In conjunction with The Center for Entrepreneurship, provide FFHI-associated faculty with the necessary resources, network support and expertise to assist in every step of the technology commercialization or new business venture process.
  • SBIR/STTR proposal assistance
  • FFHI specific Emerging Venture Analyst (EVA) position, held at the Center for Entrepreneurship
  • FFHI specific market research
• FFHI Translational Technology Grant Program
  • To promote the commercialization of new technologies developed by FFHI-associated faculty. This grant will provide support and funding for research that has strong, well-identified commercial potential which is no longer clearly eligible for funding from traditional sources (NIH, NSF, etc.). Ideally this will include:
    • Initial Phase I funding of $100,000
    • Competitive Renewal for increased Phase 2 funding
    • Milestones and goals
• FFHI Discovery Grant Program
  • Continued participation in the UC Discovery Program to promote and facilitate commercialization of new technologies developed in partnership with industry
• Provide expertise & resources to facilitate:
  • Faculty research
  • Sponsored grants (Discovery Grants, Translational Grants and others)
  • Science and industry advisors and advisor networks
  • Patent strategies, protection, licensing and commercialization
  • Industry advisors (volunteers/industry networks)
  • Business experts (legal, financial, research, etc.)
  • Market drivers (research, trends, value creation, validation, scenario planning)
  • Graduate students (as interns or employees)
  • Communications & PR
  • Proprietary access through technology hub (intranet)
  • In-kind services
  • Seed capital
  • Events & Conferences