Faculty/Staff Startup Guide for technology-based businesses: Making the transition from research to a commercial enterprise.

Main Overview
Business Development
Technology Development
Intellectual Property
ISU Administrative Responsibilities
Startup Guide (PDF)

ISU Administrative Responsibilities

Overview

As an ISU employee starting a new business, you are obligated to inform the administration of this intent and to describe how your ISU responsibilities will, or will not, be impacted by the new company you are starting. If the company’s focus is related to your academic work at the university, a company disclosure meeting will be held. If you plan to sell your products or services to the University, the Purchasing Department must also be contacted.

Facilitators

Sonja Klocker
Office of the Vice Provost for Research
2610 Beardshear Hall
Phone: 515-294-6344
Email: skklock@iastate.edu

Lisa Lorenzen
Office of the Vice Provost for Research / Office of Biotechnology
2810 Beardshear Hall
Phone: 515-294-0926
Email: llorenze@iastate.edu

Company Disclosure Meeting

Very early in the process of starting a new company, you should notify your department chair or supervisor, the associate dean of your college or the director of your center/institute, and the Office of the Vice Provost for Research. This will trigger a company disclosure meeting. The purpose of the company disclosure meeting is to inform all relevant parties what your plans are and how they will impact your activities as an ISU employee. At this meeting, resources will be discussed that can assist you in the process of starting a new business. A discussion of the various conflict-of-interest issues will take place, and an oversight committee will be set up to manage any identified conflict-of-interest.

It is important to remember that the purpose of this meeting is to be informational and supportive. The more up-front and forthcoming you are about your plans for starting a company, the more assistance you are likely to receive, and it will be easier to resolve concerns before they become problems. In addition, this meeting is about the business of the new company, not about the science.

Conflict of Interest

The three most common types of conflict-of-interest are:

• You intend to conduct your company research in your academic laboratory;
• Your company would like to employ graduate students; and/or
• Your company would like to sell products and/or services to the university.

You are not allowed to act on behalf of the company and university at the same time or to provide your company inappropriate access to university resources.