Resources For URI Entrepreneurs
Use these tools, tips and resources to learn more about on-going developments in high-tech entrepreneurship - within the URI community and beyond. Following is a list of some services and resources for entrepreneurs.
The University of Rhode Island Division of Research and Economic Development, see http://www.uri.edu/research/tro/. The Division handles Research Development, Sponsored Projects Review, Compliance in Research, Intellectual Property Management and Commercialization and University Research External Relations. See URI Research Policies at http://www.uri.edu/research/tro/policies/
Make Proper use of URI Intellectual Property (IP) & facilities: Make sure you are not making unauthorized use of anyone else's IP. A license should be obtained to use URI Intellectual Property. Also, you may want to have a search of patents (i.e. a freedom to use search) performed to assess if your business might infringe a patent. Use of URI facilities, equipment, services or other physical resources must be reimbursed or a waiver of reimbursement obtained (Procedures for Public Private Partnerships Appendix A (1)(2)(a)).
Conflict of Interest considerations: See The Division conflict of interest page at http://uri.edu/research/tro/about/conflict/index.html. Note especially at this website, under "Public/Private Partnership Appendix A" the document entitled "Procedures for Public Private Partnerships."
Resources
In Rhode Island: You may want to look for folks here at URI that have started a business, and that would be helpful in advising you.
The Brown University Brown Forum For Enterprise: fosters a culture of innovation & enterprise within Rhode Island and is a focus for entrepreneurship activity within the state & region. Periodically there are local meetings; see web: http://www.brownenterpriseforum.org or email: bfe@brown.edu
The Rhode Island Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship (RI-CIE): is a collaborative, statewide venture to help RI-based entrepreneurs, researchers, & existing companies advance information & the commercialization of ideas. RI-CIE launched in April 2009 to answer calls for more collaborative efforts to boost business growth in Rhode Island. RI-CIE is meant to dovetail with city & state efforts already underway to strengthen entrepreneurial connectivity & enhance services which spur innovation & new venture creation in Rhode Island, see http://www.ri-cie.org/ and the resources listed at http://www.ri-cie.org/content/resources.html
The Slater Technology Fund: focuses on supporting entrepreneurs who have the vision, leadership & commitment to build substantial business enterprises, providing seed stage capital to companies committed to basing & building technology-based businesses in Rhode Island - see http://www.slaterfund.com/cms/index_new.asp?page=home_new.asp
The Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation (RIEDC) has a program entitled "Every Company Counts", which is a public/private partnership of more than 150 business development organizations that connects small businesses to the tools they need to succeed, see http://www.riedc.com/business-services/small-business-services/ and more specifically http://www.everycompanycounts.com/
Federal
Small Business Administration (SBA): The U.S. SBA has very extensive information regarding e.g. planning, starting, managing & exiting a business at: http://www.sba.gov/smallbusinessplanner/index.html
SBIR & STTR: The SBA Office of Technology administers the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program and the Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Program. Through these two competitive programs, SBA ensures that the nation's small, high-tech, innovative businesses are a significant part of the federal government's research & development efforts. Eleven federal departments participate in the SBIR program; five departments participate in the STTR program awarding $2 billion to small high-tech businesses. See http://www.sbir.gov/index.html
Non-Profits
The Service Corp of Retired Executives (SCORE): is a nonprofit association dedicated to educating entrepreneurs & the formation, growth and success of small businesses nationwide. SCORE can help with: Mentoring advice 24/7, in-person mentoring in 370 offices, low-cost workshops nationwide, "How to" articles and templates, and online workshops and learning - see http://www.score.org/index.html
Seed Money: see for example, the National Association of Seed and Venture Funds http://www.nasvf.org/
The Entrepreneur Network: The Entrepreneur Network provides information, contacts, and counsel to inventors and entrepreneurs (pre-startup through early stage). http://tenonline.org/index.html
The Foundation for Enterprise Development: The Foundation for Enterprise Development/Beyster Institute is a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing the use of entrepreneurial employee ownership nationally and internationally, in both the public and private sectors, as a way to build high-performing enterprises and improve corporate performance. http://www.fed.org/index.asp
Entrepreneur America: Provides mentoring for start-up companies, see http://www.entrepreneur-america.com/
Women's Resources
Center for Women in Enterprise: The mission of the CWE is to empower women to become economically self-sufficient and prosperous through entrepreneurships, see http://cweonline.org/content/section/5/6/
Springboard Enterprises: Springboard Enterprises is a national, not-for-profit venture dedicated to increasing women's participation in the equity capital markets as both entrepreneurs and investors, see https://www.springboardenterprises.org/
Women Entrepreneurs in Science and Technology: An organization that helps women trained in science and technology to explore their strengths and passions using an entrepreneurial mindset, see http://www.westorg.org/
Websites That May Be Useful
Business.com Resources for small businesses: http://www.business.com/directory/small_business/index.aspEntreWorld Resources for Entrepreneurs: http://www.entrepreneurship.org
Yahoo's Small Business Information: http://smallbusiness.yahoo.com
SOHO America (small office home office): http://www.soho.org
For more information, please contact:
Office of Research and Intellectual Property Management and Commercialization
75 Lower College Road, Suite 001
Kingston, RI 02881
phone: (401) 874-5507
fax: (401) 874-7832
This is intended as only general information (not a substitute for obtaining professional advice) and is not an endorsement of any specific business or service. 10/09
