Notre Dame to Launch IDEA Center

(photo courtesy University of Notre Dame)

The University of Notre Dame is developing a facility designed to create innovation and commercialization initiatives. The IDEA Center, which will be located in Innovation Park, will provide services to aid with the development and commercialization of ideas and formation of businesses.

The IDEA Center, which stands for Innovation, Discovery and Enterprise Acceleration, will include staff from Innovation Park and the Office of Technology Transfer. Notre Dame says the IDEA Center will feature several interrelated functions, including services for technology licensing, venture acceleration, funding coordination and commercialization facilities

"Notre Dame is committed to growing its community of innovators and entrepreneurs through our new IDEA Center," said Provost Thomas Burish. "With the University’s mission in mind — that of being a powerful means for doing good in the world — this bold initiative will enable Notre Dame’s entrepreneurial environment to be best in class for our entire community, from undergraduates to postdoctoral scholars, faculty members to local business collaborators."

Notre Dame says one of the main elements of the IDEA Center will be the Idea Champions. The champions will include current and new staff members who will work directly with researchers, students and inventors to guide them through the commercialization process.

The university has also begun a search for a new vice president and associate provost for innovation with the hopes of having that person in place in the coming months. 

You can learn more about the IDEA Center by clicking here.