News

ITEC launches entrepreneurship podcast series

The new series is devoted to topics in entrepreneurship, such as social entrepreneurship, innovations in the health sector, family businesses, global entrepreneurs, and opportunities for finance professionals in the entrepreneurial sector. The series includes:

The Critical Role of Entrepreneurship in a Recession

Experience Based Learning for Entrepreneurs

Supporting the New Entrepreneur

Vinit Nijhawan tells Mass High Tech “Why a company needs to be based in Massachusetts”
May 8, 2009
"Massachusetts has the largest concentration of world-class secondary and post-secondary educational institutions in the world. We have approximately 460,000 post-secondary students enrolled in 117 colleges and universities across the state. Many of these students stay in Massachusetts after graduating. We are No. 1 nationally for residents with the highest college attainment. We are No. 1 nationally in the concentration of science and engineering graduates."  >>more


Slaying Superbugs: Novophage, ITEC $50K Finalist, in BU Today
March 23, 2009
The superbugs are coming — and not in the realm of Steven Spielberg. Bacterial infections are outrunning some of the antibiotics designed to kill them. For example, one infamous superbug, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, once found only in hospitals, has spread into schools and gyms. It infects about 100,000 people annually and contributes to almost 20,000 deaths in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control.  >>more


Kezia Koo MBA’09 cites Peter Russo and ITEC as influential in helping her do business development work in India, win award
December 1, 2008
Current Boston University School of Management student Kezia Koo (MBA '09) has been honored with the "What are you made of?" award, as well as a $13,000 scholarship, given jointly by Tag Heuer and Glamour magazine in recognition of women who use their lives to impact their community.

"I wouldn’t have been able to do any of the business development work that I completed this summer without doing my MBA degree. In particular, attending both the ITEC business plan and financial plan bootcamps were very helpful. I also used knowledge I gained in accounting, marketing, and economics on top of additional research from the World Bank," says Kezia. "In addition, Professor Peter Russo [Director of Entrepreneurial Programs at ITEC] made himself available by email throughout the summer, since I hadn’t taken the starting new ventures class yet, and he was a tremendous resource." >>more


Entrepreneur Magazine Recognizes BU Online Entrepreneurship Certificate
-Entrepreneur.com- October 2008
Get an entrepreneurial education without setting foot in a classroom. The distance-learning program at Boston University, for instance, provides a four-course certificate in entrepreneurship. The classes cover the same concepts taught at BU's School of Management, but on students' own timetables. Though work and family obligations can make it nearly impossible to enroll in full-time study, this is a flexible option for people who "can afford a couple hours to participate from their homes," says Jonathan Rosen, executive director of the Institute for Technology Entrepreneurship & Innovation.  >>more


National Business Incubation Association Awards Boston University Soft Landings Designation

The National Business Incubation Association has awarded the NBIA Soft Landings International Incubator designation to the Boston University International Incubator Program in Boston. Through its Soft Landings program, NBIA recognizes incubators that are especially capable at helping nondomestic companies enter the incubator's domestic market. Boston University’s incubator system was selected for the program because of its slate of business services for nondomestic firms and its demonstrated success at helping firms enter the U.S. market.>>more


A Red-Letter Day
-BU Today - April 18, 2008
Roberto Reif (ENG’08) had a busy day earlier this month. First, he defended his doctoral thesis, then he competed in the 2008 ITEC $50K Business Plan Competition – and won.>>more


Business Plans Battle for Big Bucks
-BU Today - April 9, 2008
Before the buzzer sounds tonight, the finalists in the 2008 ITEC $50K Business Plan Competition, which will choose one winner from four new business presentations, are hoping for a little extra "click" of support from audience members - a boost that may sway the judges when it comes time to deliberate. >>more


Business, tech. meet in BU pilot program
-The Daily Free Press- January 22, 2008
Jonathan Scherer, a School of Management student, worked on the entrepreneurial side of cutting-edge technology developed by BU researchers in the inaugural semester of eSPRIT -- the Entrepreneurial Students Participating in Innovative Technologies. Unlike other business simulations, eSPRIT students and professors said the program gives them the chance to evaluate real-world biomedical technologies and decide where they fit into the economy and how to effectively incorporate them. >>more


Nijhawan to teach VC course at BU
-Mass High Tech- January 8, 2008
Vinit Nijhawan, formerly of Key Venture Partners, has joined BU’s Institute for Technology Entrepreneurship and Commercialization as lecturer–; and executive–;in–residence. >>more


Spinoff machines rev up
-Boston Globe-
BU and other universities, as well as teaching hospitals, are stepping up their efforts to hatch new businesses, MIT–style 

Brandon T. Johnson was a biomedical engineering undergraduate at Boston University in 2004 when he stumbled upon an idea for a device that could reduce the time it takes to process tests for sexually transmitted diseases from days to minutes. >>more


Entrepreneurs rent space by offering their 2 cents
-Boston Business Journal- July 6, 2007
BU says its new incubator is different from others at area schools because entrepreneurs will be tapped for their knowledge by being asked to give guest lectures and run workshops for students.  >>more


A Start–Up’s Launch
-BU Today- August 6, 2007
Alum’s high–tech business gets a boost from BU’s Entrepreneurial Research Lab

A joint effort of the School of Management's Institute of Technology Entrepreneurship and Commercialization (ITEC) and the University's Office of Technology and Development (OTD), the ERL provides individual fellowships to recent BU alumni who have started technology companies and are interested in helping to design new entrepreneurship education and training programs.  >>more

ITEC Receives Grant from NCIIA for Kindle Program
November 5, 2009
Boston University’s Institute for Technology Entrepreneurship and Commercialization (ITEC) today announced the creation of the Kindle Student Mentoring Program at Boston University, which is funded by a $33,000 Course and Program grant from the National Collegiate Inventors & Innovators Alliance (NCIIA).

“Thanks to this catalytic grant from the NCIIA, we will now be able to support teams of management, engineering, social science and fine arts students working with mentors to create sustainable enterprises that solve our most pressing challenges.” >>more


ITEC Gains Funding in Support of Early Stage Translational Research
August 4, 2009
ITEC announced the creation of the Boston University Clinical Innovation Awards Program (CIAP) supported by a grant from the Johnson & Johnson Corporate Office of Science and Technology (COSAT). This COSAT funding of $150,000 will provide initial support for researchers involved in identifying and solving unmet clinical challenges by developing innovative new medical technologies. >>more


ITEC $50K winner Novophage is the Life Sciences Runner-Up at the MIT $100K and won the Moot Corp at UT Austin
May 15, 2009
Novophage, winner of the ITEC 2009 $50K Business Plan Competition, has gone on to earn recogntition at other national competitions. On May 13 the team earned a place as Life Sciences Runner-Up at the MIT $100K Business Plan Competition. The team also won the prestigious Moot Corp Competition at the University of Texas at Austin.


CNN asks Mark Williams for his "90 Second RX" on economy and job crisis
March 13, 2009
Today’s CNN segment "90 Second RX” featured Mark Williams, Boston University School of Management alumnus (MBA ’93) and current executive-in-residence in the School’s Finance and Economics department.  >>more


ITEC Wins Award for Outstanding Contribution to Advance the Discipline of Entrepreneurship
October 31, 2008
For the second time, Boston University has been recognized by the Global Consortium of Entrepreneurship Centers (GCEC) for its exceptional approach to teaching entrepreneurship with an award for "Outstanding Contribution to Advance the Discipline of Entrepreneurship.” ITEC was recognized for its set of programs and initiatives that promote entrepreneurial success, both within Boston University and in the community at large.  >>more


Boston Business Journal Asks Peter Russo About Building a Winning Business Plan
October, 17 2008
For the Boston Business Journal article "Beyond the binding: Biz plans need room to evolve," journalist Keith Regan seeks commentary from Peter Russo, Executive-in-Residence and Sr. Lecturer in Boston University School of Management's Strategy & Innovation Department, and Faculty Director of Entrepreneurship Programs for ITEC.  >>more


ITEC and the College of Engineering Receive Grant to Teach Entrepreneurship to Engineering Undergraduates
October 1, 2008
Boston University is increasing collaboration across two of its 17 schools and colleges with a $50,000 grant from the Kern Family Foundation to teach entrepreneurship to all engineering undergraduates.

The grant, part of the Kern Entrepreneurship Education Network (KEEN), will enable the extension of an existing program that teaches entrepreneurship principles to seniors in the Department of Biomedical Engineering. >>more

Boston Business Journal reports BU’s New Venture group “made the most difference” in entrepreneur’s success
-Spring 2008
In their article “Schools boost tech-transfer efforts, and VCs take note,” by Jesse Noyes, Boston Business Journal notes the crucial role in entrepreneur Raj Mohanty’s success played by Boston University’s New Ventures group.

The group is affiliated with ITEC through ITEC’s eSPRIT student intern program, entrepreneurship education program, and collaborative efforts with Boston University International Incubator Program.

Noyes reports:

Initially, Raj Mohanty was concerned about attracting investors to his Boston University spinout company.

But when it came to raising the company’s first $8 million in funding, Mohanty, the founder and chief technology officer of Boston-based startup Sand9 Inc., said ultimately the university’s new ventures group made the most difference.

“Overall the local (venture capital industry) is positive about technology companies coming out of places like Boston University,” he said.

Started only two years ago, the new ventures group was formed within the university’s office of technology department in an effort to spur a greater number of spinouts into the marketplace.

Access the article online (print subscription required).



School of Management magazine Builders & Leaders publishes feature story on ITEC
-Spring 2008
Read about the latest ITEC projects, student experiences, faculty innovations, and entrepreneurial alumni. Download Article   

Essense Medical wins BU $50K biz plan contest
-Mass High Tech- April 14, 2008
The company develops disposable medical tools intended to both diagnose and treat cancer in real–time, reducing the need for biopsies. The tools use a patented optical biopsy sensor that can identify cancerous tissues noninvasively by using light. >>more


Putting the Venture Back in Venture Capital
-Private Equity HUB- April 30, 2008
I attended the “Exploring Regional Venture Capital Business Models” yesterday at Boston University, the inaugural event created by Vinit Nijhawan, an entrepreneur-in-residence at BU and chairman of TiE-Boston. As first time events go, this was a winner. Next year will be even bigger I predict. The premise was to showcase/discuss the differences between venture capital in Boston and Silicon Valley. >>more


Boston University School of Management Hires Renowned Venture Capitalist
-Reuters- January 8, 2008
Through Boston University's Institute for Technology Entrepreneurship and Commercialization (ITEC), Mr. Nijhawan will focus his research and teaching on innovating new business models in the private equity and venture capital markets. He will teach a graduate course, Starting New Ventures, during the spring 2008 semester. >>more



Business Incubator brings an entrepreneurial culture to campus
-BU Today- August 17, 2007
BU's Office of Technology Department (OTD) is partnering with ITEC, which teaches entrepreneurial management to undergraduate and graduate students.

“As part of their course work, the ITEC students can now get an internship with our start-up companies, instead of learning entrepreneurship just from case studies,” says Robinson. >>more


Smart Moves for Entrepreneurs
-BU Today- March 29, 2007
At a university as diverse as BU, some professors hope to transform their research into a product, and students often have an idea for the next big Web site. But they all need a plan before venturing into the business world. Now they can get entrepreneurial advice and mentoring at the School of Management’s new Institute for Technology Entrepreneurship and Commercialization (ITEC).  >>more