IP & Commercialization Faculty Guide
Starting Your Own Business
The University of Kentucky encourages not only the commercialization of its intellectual property, but will also assist faculty, staff and students who may want to start a business using the intellectual property. Contact Len Heller, Vice President for Commercialization and Economic Development, A254 ASTeCC Building, 0286, 859.218.6512, or
Dean Harvey, 859.257.1930.
They are available for:
- Consultation on relevant UK Administrative Regulations and other policies that apply to someone starting a for-profit enterprise, such as:
- UK Intellectual Property regulations AR II-1.1-3 (pdf)
- UK Consulting and Other Overload Employment regulations AR II-1.1-1 (pdf)
- UK Conflict of Interest/Financial Disclosure Policy–Research AR II-4.0-4 (pdf)
- Referrals to local sources of assistance for:
- Accounting services
- Business planning assistance
- Investment capital
- Financial assistance
- Legal services
- Access to the ASTeCC library collection of practical books on entrepreneurship and issues facing start-up businesses
- Referrals to others who have been successful in a start-up venture
- E-mail notices regarding funding opportunities; local, regional, and national conferences and seminars of interest; and opportunities to showcase the start-up business for potential investors
The SBIR (Small Business Innovation Research) and STTR (Small Business Technology Transfer) competitively awarded federal programs can provide financing for research. Ten federal agencies participate in the SBIR program; five agencies make STTR awards to small business/nonprofit research institution partnerships.
The Kentucky Science & Engineering Foundation, managed by the Kentucky Science & Technology Corporation, also provides R&D funding through the competitive process. To receive information on the next round of funding, contact ksef@kstc.com.
The Kentucky Small Business Development Centers, administered by the University of Kentucky and Gatton College of Business & Economics, provides entrepreneurs and small businesses with a variety of services such as one-on-one management consulting, environmental consulting, and educational training.
Von Allmen Center for Entrepreneurship
As you think about launching your business, the two most important items to you are:
- Your idea (which you already have), and
- Your business plan (which you may not have). The business plan is the key document used to communicate your business opportunity to investors.
The Von Allmen Center for Entrepreneurship–an initiative of the Gatton School of Business and Economics–is a new resource at UK to help you develop your business plan, prepare your "elevator pitch," and prepare to seek funding to help launch and grow your business. The Von Allmen Center is part of a statewide program and is one of six Innovation and Commercialization Centers being established in Kentucky.
The Center's mission is to help create more knowledge-based industries in the Lexington area. We use a proven, structured approach in working with our clients, approaching every opportunity from an investor's point-of-view. Working with the Kentucky Science and Technology Corporation, we manage a series of Kentucky commercialization funds designed to provide seed funds for technology based startups. More information is available at http://tig.kstc.com. We have also developed close working relationships with local angel investors, venture capital firms, and local service providers.
The Center supports a range of networking events of interest to entrepreneurs. These networking events are designed to provide formal and informal opportunities for entrepreneurs to learn from each other and to meet potential investors and service providers.