YOUR RESEARCH CAN HAVE MASSIVE IMPACT BEYOND A TRADITIONAL ACADEMIC PATH. IN THE RESEARCHER TO INNOVATOR PROGRAM, YOU'LL LEARN HOW TO GET YOUR BIG IDEAS OUT INTO THE WORLD.

PROGRAM BENEFITS

MEET THE EXPERTS

Jordan Thurgood - New Ventures Lead at Monash Innovation. Founder of two startups

Callum Benson - New Ventures Manager at Monash Innovation. Early employee of Cambridge University startup

Helena Fern - Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Lead at Monash University

Ben Ting - Advisor on technology development strategies

Peter Laurie - Entrepreneur in Residence at Monash Generator

Maria Harrison Smith - Senior Manager of Intellectual Property at Monash University

...plus many more

IS RESEARCHER TO INNOVATOR RIGHT FOR YOU?

This is the right fit if you...

• Are a PhD, Post-Doc or Researcher currently at Monash University
• Have a genuine interest in taking your idea or research down a commercial pathway
• Have already taken steps to exploring this, from googling how to start a company, speaking with potential partners or customers or developing prototypes of your idea (napkin sketch through to functional prototype or event a patent pending)
• Have been struggling to find a community that supports entrepreneurial ventures in research
• Are motivated to work on your idea, make progress and build your unique commercialisation plan during the eight weeks

THE COMMITMENT

Think this is a program you can pop in and out of? Think again.

We commit to…

Delivering the most relevant content and exercises to you week in, week out to help you be in a much stronger position on your commercial pathway at the end of the eight weeks. We will bring in the best people, we will make sure this is an open and inclusive forum to ask any questions and most importantly, will be relentlessly focussed on your journey as a researcher to becoming an innovator.

You commit to…

• Turning up every week with an open mindset accepting that there’s a lot to learn about how to commercialise your research and we’re here to help.
• Spending time between each masterclass putting the lessons into practice on your idea, even if that means you have to make a few sacrifices like skipping that useless meeting in your diary that never results in anything.
• Turning up on time, every week and put your work and research aside for 90 minutes to fully focus on this.
• Meeting 1:1 with your program mentor at least twice during the program to not only get tailored expert advice, but to be eligible to pitch at the Investor Pitch Event.
• Most importantly, you commit to exploring the commercial pathway of your research with great intent, even if the answer at the end of the eight weeks is that it’s maybe not the right path for you… knowing that you gave it your all.

Time commitment

Every Thursday for 90 minutes from 11am to 12:30, in person (Covid restrictions permitting, or else it take place online) at the Monash Generator Co-Working Space - Clayton Campus. You will also need to commit to meeting with a program mentor for 45 minutes at least twice (either online or in-person) during the eight weeks to be eligible to pitch at the Investor Pitch.

Bonus Investor Pitch

Projects will be invited in the investor pitch held on Thursday 12 November from 10am to 12 noon based on their desire to pitch, their progress and attendance throughout the eight weeks. That means you must attend at least two mentor sessions, you cannot skip masterclasses, fail to make progress on your project or ignore the advice of the experts and expect a place to pitch to the investors.

KEY DATES

FAQS