The role of an NNCI EiR is to help mentor NNCI users, faculty, students, and staff about topics related to entrepreneurship and commercialization, such as starting (or not starting) a new venture, where to find start-up capital, what local innovation and entrepreneurship resources (e.g., business accelerators) are available, how to navigate the university intellectual property process, and what common pitfalls to avoid. Developing entrepreneurs can benefit greatly from this mentorship and many established entrepreneurs are more than willing to provide it. The NNCI Nanotechnology Entrepreneurship Challenge (NTEC) offers a great way for prospective EiRs to engage with the NNCI and outstanding entrepreneurship teams located at sites across the NNCI.  

A good candidate for an NNCI EiR role will have a “mentor mentality” and a strong existing connection with a particular NNCI site or group of sites. In many cases, an ideal NNCI EiR may be a faculty or staff member who already plays a role at an NNCI site but who also has prior or ongoing entrepreneurship experience and is willing to share that experience with others. The EiR may serve voluntarily, as part of assigned duties, or, if resources allow at a particular site, they can be additionally compensated. 

Those interested in considering an EiR role with the NNCI can contact Matthew Hull. Current NNCI EiRs are identified in the Table below.  

2021-2022 NNCI Site Entrepreneurs-in-Residence