Embark on a transformative journey with our unique courses, ENG 273/274 and MBA 293/295, LAW 279 designed for ambitious graduate students from engineering, business, and law.
Students form cross-disciplinary teams to tackle the intricacies of deep technology commercialization in the real world.
Our program enables students to experience hands-on learning as they explore technology landscapes, analyze intellectual property, and develop comprehensive business models and market entry strategies. These collaborative projects stem from renowned research institutions and deep-tech startups, offering students opportunities to interact with world-class researchers and business professionals through our technology and customer discovery activities.
The deep tech commercialization courses transformed my career as a material scientist, bridging the gap between research and industry. The networking opportunities, essential business skills, and inspiring resume projects provided helped me land amazing opportunities in my specialization area and sparked my entrepreneurial ambitions.
I was in your Deep Tech Commercialization class last year and just wanted to give you a quick update–I recently started a company that is building AI in the regulatory space. We recently went through the YC Winter 2024 batch and raised our seed round. I wanted to reach out and thank you–a lot of what I learned has been especially relevant to navigating IP ownership with our early customers. You were definitely right that having some background on IP is crucial–even for a team of mostly engineers!
Thank you for your guidance and mentorship. You taught us the crucial role of IP in connecting innovation with market strategy and navigating the process of bringing ideas to life. Working with inventors, the tech transfer office, and researching on businesses has shown me the importance of IP, which can often be overlooked. My time in the course has been invaluable in shaping my career and for that I am grateful.
FAQ
What is the Deep Tech Innovation Lab?
The Deep Tech Innovation Lab combines research, education, and innovation to facilitate the translation of research into successful innovations. The goal is to develop new tools and capabilities to prepare future technology leaders for the challenge of commercializing deep technology innovations through collaboration among faculty, students, and R&D organizations, both private and public.
The program is run through the Tusher Strategic Initiative for Technology Leadership within the Institute for Business Innovation at the Berkeley Haas School of Business.
How does the program work?
Specific courses at UC Berkeley offered through Berkeley Engineering, Berkeley Law, and Haas School of Business are supported by the Lab. These courses include ENG 273/MBA 293.7/Law 279.31 offered in the fall semester, ENG274/MBA 295.T offered in the spring semester, ENG270I, a bootcamp offered through the Fung Institute of Engineering Leadership in early January, and ENG170B, a summer session offered to upper-level undergrads and international students.
Students are formed into interdisciplinary teams (when possible teams consist of students from business, law, engineering) and are matched with real-world projects from our partners, which include companies, research institutes, startups, and other innovation hubs. Students are introduced to a variety of frameworks focused on analyzing and commercializing deep tech projects, which they apply through their teams on real-world technologies. The faculty, together with project leaders from our partner organizations, oversee their work throughout the course. Finally, students present their findings to the faculty and project leaders at the end of the semester. As in real life, project outcomes vary. Some projects end up being licensed to third parties, some are forced to reconsider their direction and potentially pivot, while others turn into startups, or further accelerate toward commercial markets.
The Lab uses the project results academically to develop better innovation tools, curricula, and insights into transforming research into innovation for investors, firms, and policymakers.
What types of analysis are performed?
The Lab uses a unique and constantly improving, interdisciplinary model of analysis comprised of market analysis, technology assessment, intellectual property management, and regulatory compliance, combined with overall commercialization strategies focused on the unique challenges facing deep tech innovation. Below is a more comprehensive list of analyses:
1. Market Analysis and Entry Strategy:
- Analyzing market dynamics, segments, customers, geographies, and competitors.
- Conducting market research, surveys, and pilot programs to validate market interest.
- Developing strategies for customer acquisition, lead generation, and engagement.
- Evaluating potential risks, challenges, and risk mitigation strategies.
2. Value Chain and Supply Chain Optimization:
- Mapping and analyzing the value chain for market entry.
- Optimizing the supply chain for technology, including sourcing, manufacturing, and logistics.
- Conducting cost analysis for technology development, production, and market entry.
3. Business Model and Commercialization:
- Analyzing and recommending business models and commercialization opportunities.
- Developing investment pitch decks and attracting funding.
- Providing recommendations on licensing models, terms, and negotiation strategies.
4. Technology Assessment and Roadmap:
- Reviewing the technology landscape and identifying the current state of the art.
- Analyzing the competitive technology landscape and assessing unique technology performance attributes.
- Identifying key functions, competing solutions, and alternative technologies.
- Developing detailed technology roadmaps for bringing the technology to market.
5. Intellectual Property (IP) Analysis:
- Performing patent landscape analysis and identifying patent families.
- Assessing the legal status of patents and potential patent options.
- Identifying other forms of IP rights applicable to the technology.
- Evaluating the detectability and potential for designing around the technology.
6. Regulatory Compliance and Environmental Impact:
- Examining the regulatory environment and identifying key regulatory issues.
- Providing guidance on compliance, certifications, and approvals.
- Assessing the potential environmental impact and sustainable practices.
7. Innovation Ecosystem and Collaboration:
- Mapping the innovation ecosystem, including research institutions, collaborators, and funding sources.
- Identifying and interviewing key technical experts for insights.
- Researching patents and scientific literature to overcome technology challenges.
What are the types of projects?
Projects vary across a wide range of deep tech areas, including green energy, material science, biotechnology and health care, and digital technologies. Previously, the Lab has worked on projects including laser welding, rocket fuels, non-toxic sunscreens, mineral extraction, cancer detection, carbon measurement and capture, machine learning, blockchain, chemical monitoring, bio-engineered microbes and many more.
Who are the partners?
Deep Tech Innovation Lab partners with government labs, research organizations, universities, startups, incubators, corporations and other entities working on commercializing deep tech innovations. Our partners provide real-world technology for the Lab to assess and analyze for commercialization.
What is the timeline to enroll?
The following courses are available in the fall, spring, and summer terms: ENG 273/MBA 293.7/Law 279.31 offered in the fall semester, ENG274/MBA 295.T offered in the spring semester, ENG270I, a bootcamp offered through the Fung Institute of Engineering Leadership in early January, and ENG170B, a summer session offered to upper-level undergrads and international students. The enrollment timeline varies between Berkeley Engineering, Berkeley Law, and Haas School of Business. Contact your advisor, department head, or the registrar at whichever school you are affiliated with.
What do the students do?
Students learn frameworks, study cases, and learn techniques to analyze and commercialize real-world technology projects. They are exposed to the interdisciplinary roles of technology, intellectual property, commercialization, and regulatory issues related to real-world deep technology projects. Students review patents, assess technology landscapes, consider value chains, and contact industry thought leaders to gain insights into the technology, market, value chain and beyond. They go through all of the steps involved with determining whether a technology is ready for commercialization, and if so, what are the best pathways to get the technology into the market. Finally, students present their findings to project leaders from the Deep tech Innovation Labs partner organizations.
How many students per team?
Typically, there are between 3-6 students on each team.
How much time do students spend on projects?
Students should expect to spend between 2-3 hours outside of class per hour of class time.
What do students find valuable about the program?
Students find the program valuable for several reasons:
1. Gaining practical skills: The courses equip students with frameworks and methodologies for analyzing and commercializing technologies, regardless of their prior technical background. They learn essential skills such as customer discovery, collaboration with founders and experts, and project management.
2. Real-world experiences: Students work on actual technology commercialization projects in partnership with research institutions, startups, corporations, and innovation hubs. This hands-on experience allows them to investigate the commercial viability of real-world technologies and navigate the challenges of technology analysis and commercialization.
3. Collaboration and stakeholder management: Students learn to collaborate effectively with various stakeholders involved in technology analysis and commercialization, including researchers, inventors, entrepreneurs, and industry experts.
4. Career exploration: The program provides students with valuable insights and experiences that help them determine their future career paths, particularly in the field of technology leadership and deep-tech commercialization.
The overarching goal of the program is to prepare students to become future technology leaders capable of commercializing deep-technology innovations. By working on real-world projects with industry partners, students solve complex problems related to technology analysis, market assessment, and commercialization strategies.