About Us

In order to fulfill its educational, research and community objectives, Florida International University (FIU) is currently undertaking a lead position among universities in the region to teach and practice Entrepreneurship and Innovation.  The College of Arts & Sciences at FIU is uniquely positioned to be a lead contributor in this effort.
	Background According to national statistics, less than 30% of patented university developed technologies[1] are licensed by industry.  This of course does not mean that scientific discoveries and emerging technologies, created in and around core science laboratories, never reach commercialization. However, the direct connection or even compensation that can come from a licensed university technology is often lost due to the fact that there is no efficient vehicle that can help faculty and students make all the networking stops between industry, the Business School and the university’s technology transfer office. Mission Statement The Office of Entrepreneurial Science will serve the College of Arts & Science by engaging students, faculty and local entrepreneurs in finding commercial applications for the College’s ongoing research.  The Office of Entrepreneurial Science is dedicated to technology creation and transfer by leveraging existing resources at the university such as academic-research centers, research laboratories, the Business School and, most importantly, faculty expertise from their respective disciplines. Specifically, the Office of Entrepreneurial Science will help create the foundation for entrepreneurship at the College by: Establishing Entrepreneurial Science Track Programs (starting with Entrepreneurial Physics) Aid faculty with the commercialization of their Intellectual Property by tapping into existing university resources (e.g. student-based business planning teams) Act as a liaison for local investors, industry and other colleges at FIU Benefits: The potential benefits associated with the Office of Entrepreneurial Science are: Creation of Spin-Off Companies Increased student enrollment and retention in core sciences[2] Increase in Technology Transfer Increased Revenue streams from university generated intellectual property Increase in Industry Funded Research

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[1] Consider that with less than 30% of patented university technologies being licensed, over 40 billion dollars have been added to the economy per year and a total of 270,000 jobs created.

[2] Curiously, due to the Physics Department initiative in implementing this Entrepreneurial Physics Track, a local entrepreneur has decided to return to the Physics program after a five-year hiatus.  It will be the department’s privilege this upcoming year to recommend him for graduation after he completes his undergraduate humanities and writing core requirements.

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