• Available Technologies
• Resources
  • Our Process
  • Inventors
  • Industry
  • Entrepreneurs
  • Students
  • Policies
  • Forms & Documents
  • Agreement Types
  • Glossary
  • Links
• News and Events
  • News
  • Events
  • Press Releases
  • Success Stories
  • TECHcast
  • Drug Pipeline
  • Medical Device Pipeline
• About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Staff Directory
  • Facts & Figures
  • Annual Reports

• Our Process
• Inventors
• Industry
• Entrepreneurs
• Students
• Policies
• Forms & Documents
• Agreement Types
• Glossary
• Links

Home > Resources > Students > 2004 Interns

2004 Interns

Please review current and previous internship projects and look at what past interns have to say about their experience:

Mike Crowley, MBA

One of the primary reasons I chose to attend Michigan Business School was the opportunity to network across campus with many of the world's leading researchers in their field to identify my next startup opportunity. The Techstart program offered the perfect opportunity to spend an entire summer building that network and it did not disappoint.

I entered the summer with a project I had helped incubate from earlier in the year while working closely with Tech Transfer business development staff and several researchers. The microfluidics technology platform, which consisted of novel pumping, valving and microfluidic chip design, has significant potential to improve many cell culture and analysis techniques. While the platform was originally designed to address many of the problems surrounding human assisted reproduction technologies, our team quickly recognized its utility to many applications such as stem cell research, toxicity testing, and high throughput drug screening. We spent the summer analyzing the potential and needs for these various markets, validating market pains, and building a strategy around what we learned.

As the summer progressed, the technology caught the interest of the local VC community and we had to accelerate our plan to address their questions. The interest led to four VC pitches and the development of a comprehensive business plan. For those on our team that had not yet experienced this process, to a person they will communicate that it was incredibly valuable. For my own situation, it helped to surface many of the issues and proof points necessary to justify funding the project in the future, and to help decide whether I would help found the company at the end of the summer.

Outside of the outstanding opportunities to network with researchers, local VC's, and the Michigan Tech Transfer Office personnel, one of the most fulfilling aspects of the internship was working closely within a team of high caliber people from across campus. For example, the microfluidics project had significant contributions from a law student with a Ph.D in microbiology, an MBA with a Masters in molecular genetics, and a Masters candidate from aerospace engineering with a focus on turbulent flow dynamics. All of us were able to draw from past experience and knowledge to help produce outstanding results for technology, marketing, business planning, presentation, and IP analysis.

I'd highly recommend this experience to anyone who is truly interested in improving their network and who wants to experience the life of an entrepreneur. The knowledge and contacts gained from developing a tangible plan out of early stage spinouts will be invaluable wherever your career leads you.

Jenny Carter, Ph.D.

As a law student interested in practicing intellectual property law for clients in the biotechnology space, the TechStart program has been an invaluable addition to my education. The program has given me experience with the challenges new and existing companies confront that I did not have before. During the summer, I worked on two projects, a microfluidics company that had not yet formed and a biomaterials company that was being launched by a previous University of Michigan spinoff.

The microfluidics project gave me an overview of almost everything that goes into starting a biotech company. Our team conducted market and competitive analyses for several applications of the technology, constructed an initial valuation of the company, wrote a business plan and presented to local venture capital groups. In addition, we also conducted initial intellectual property due diligence/freedom-to-operate studies and discussed them with patent attorneys. Finally, we analyzed FDA requirements for medical devices.

For the biomaterials company, I performed an in-depth analysis of the patent landscape surrounding the company's technologies. I determined which applications were covered by competing patents and from whom the company should license technology. I researched the various types of licenses available from the NIH and began to analyze which patent licenses would be needed.

The people that I worked with over the summer were also amazing. I worked with an entrepreneur who has started two other companies, an MBA student with a Masters in molecular biology, an MD/MBA student and an aerospace engineering grad student. The mixture of talent and experience blended perfectly to balance the business and scientific perspectives necessary to form a new biotechnology company.

Mark Gjolaj

As a part of my medical training I came across technologies which had been developed through university technology transfer. Yet, although I had seen the research side and used the final products, I had never had any insight into the process of technology commercialization. In the business school, I was able to take a course which focused on technology commercialization. As a part of that course we utilized actual Office of Technology Transfer disclosures to undertake a market/technology assessment project. During the course, Robin Rasor (Director of Licensing) mentioned that if we wished to pursue these types of projects further, the Office of Technology Transfer had a summer program which enabled this.

I applied to the program with the desire to continue the type of work I had done during the course, but with greater depth. In addition, I looked forward to working with graduate students from other disciplines and learning more about their perspectives.

During the TechStart program, I worked with a company developing an early stage technology which aimed to enhance the biocompatibility of medical devices. I used my business skills to assess the market for one of the possible applications of the biocompatibilty-enhancing material. In addition, I used my medical background to research the competing technologies. The possible application I studied was initially thought to be a far in the future, fringe use for the technology, but based on my market and technology assessment, this technology may address a pressing need in a market that is poised to expand greatly. Consequently, the company has decided to focus more resources on this application.

I believe that I have obtained valuable skills by working as part of a team of both inventors and entrepreneurs in terms of better understanding the points of view and the language of both groups. I see this knowledge as a part of my development toward becoming an entrepreneur in the medical field. I believe that the TechStart program has been a crucial experience in this development.

Anish Parikh

I completed my undergraduate degree at MIT, a place well known for its entrepreneur-friendly climate. While earning my B.S. in Aeronautics and Astronautics there, I was attracted by the many local entrepreneurship activities, like the MIT $50K competition, the Global Startup Workshop, e-MIT, the entrepreneurs club. When I came here to University of Michigan in May of 2003 to pursue my M.S. in Aerospace Engineering, I sought similar activities to foster my interest in entrepreneurship. While scouring the Umich website, I came across the OTT's TechStart program, and I knew I had found the perfect activity. Although I was too late for 2003, I kept TechStart in the back of my mind until 2004, when I applied and was offered a position.

My main goal in taking the position was to observe and become familiar with the technology commercialization process. My motivations were two-fold: 1) I had some interest in venture capital as a possible career path, and I knew that this experience could give me the exposure and circumstances necessary to make that happen. 2) I also saw a career in academia as a possibility, and knew that this experience would offer me a unique perspective through which I could view my future research and startup opportunities, namely the market's perspective. Having spent three months in the TechStart program, I can honestly say I have achieved my goal, and served my motivations.

One lesson I learned this summer I believe will remain with me for the rest of my life: Thousands of well-designed technological innovations never reach the market for lack of proper early-stage marketing and organization. In other words, great research does not always lead to great products. In addition to this lesson, I learned that rational consumers buy new technology to solve their problems, not simply because the new technology is “way better” than the old, being cheaper, smaller, or more efficient. I guess the old adage “if it ain’t broke, don't fix it” applies to consumers of new technology as well. Though it may seem trivial, most of us in university research are painfully unaware of these truths. I am fortunate to have had this eye-opening experience this early in life.

In conclusion, I believe that anyone who is interested in any stage of technology commercialization, be it development of the technology, marketing, or new-venture formation and development, must possess a sound market-based perspective. The TechStart program offered me the opportunity to gain this perspective, and I enjoyed giving back to my university and to the state of Michigan in the process.

Tieh Ling Koh

It was a great learning experience for me personally as I had a chance to lead a software commercialization project even though I have a life science background. It was an eye-opener to learn about the intricacies in software marketing, e.g., licensing and pricing models. In addition, I had a chance to get familiarized with the healthcare industry, specifically, the electronic medical records market.

I also enjoyed the involvement in the Michigan Growth Capital Symposium. It is a great way to get exposure to the world of start-ups and venture capital. With my participation in the secondary project, I was able to attend business pitches to local venture capitalists (VCs). Through a direct interaction with VCs, I learned more about the spectrum of VC's perspectives and investment strategies.

Most importantly, I really appreciate the flexibility in the work schedule. It is not a strict “nine to five” working hours and we are able to do work off-site (e.g. at the libraries, etc).