Drexel's Innovation Ecosystem

When Applied Innovation, the University’s technology transfer office, receives a disclosure about a possible invention, we evaluate the innovation for patentability as well as commercialization and licensing potential before deciding on intellectual property protection... Drexel researchers may be surprised to know what’s involved in moving an invention through the US patent process.

Drexel University has selected Ultrafix, a Drexel-affiliated orthopedic medical device startup, to receive support from its Innovation Fund. The company, founded by Sorin Siegler, PhD, professor emeritus in Drexel’s College of Engineering, will receive an investment of $150,000 from the fund.

As the Manager of Entrepreneurial Community at Drexel Applied Innovation, I am always promoting the NSF I-Corps program to help researchers expand the impact of their research. The program enables participants to explore the question of, “who outside of academia cares the most about my innovation, why, and by how much?” To answer this question, NSF I-Corps participants connect with the unmet needs of industry to learn about what real world problem their innovation is solving, how intense that problem is, and who it affects.