College of Engineering announces plans for new Deep Technology Entrepreneurship Initiative
Anita Jesionowski, a senior director of research partnerships and entrepreneurship in the College of Engineering, explained the new initiative’s goal is to create infrastructure and resources within the College of Engineering for students, faculty, and staff to obtain guidance, facilitation, information, and advice on entrepreneurship.
The Carnegie Mellon College of Engineering is launching the Deep Technology Entrepreneurship Initiative in fall 2024. Anita Jesionowski, a senior director of research partnerships and entrepreneurship in the College of Engineering, explained the new initiative’s goal is to create infrastructure and resources within the College of Engineering for students, faculty, and staff to obtain guidance, facilitation, information, and advice on entrepreneurship. It is specifically tailored toward engineering deep technology research.
“Our strategic plan for the College of Engineering, when it came out last year, identified that our faculty, staff, and students wanted to see more resources within the College of Engineering that were dedicated to entrepreneurship, and specifically to engineering-related startups,” said Jesionowski.
The program includes weekly office hours for students, faculty, and staff, monthly seminars on engineering-focused entrepreneurship, and monthly newsletters containing engineering opportunities and programs. It also seeks to develop a network of deep technology resources, including C-level executives, advisors, venture capitalists, and legal counsel for deep technology entrepreneurs.
The Deep Tech Entrepreneurship Initiative will actively meet with other entrepreneurial leadership at CMU, including the Center for Technology Transfer and Enterprise Creation (CTTEC), Swartz Center, and Project Olympus, as well as external local groups like Innovation Works, Pittsburgh Life Sciences Alliances and InnovatePGH to discuss synergies and collaboration opportunities. The Deep Tech Entrepreneurship Initiative will also collaborate with Scott Energy Institute and CyLab Venture Network on funding opportunities for startups.
Jesionowski explained how the program can help startups that are more resource-intensive.
“Say it’s a biomedical startup and they need FDA clearances, are looking for clinical trials, or if it’s more manufacturing intensive. They wanted to see more resources within the College of Engineering and to be able to guide them more and point them more to other resources on campus,” said Jesionowski
The Deep Tech Entrepreneurship Initiative is led by Jesionowski and the College of Engineering Entrepreneurship Faculty Advisory Committee, which is made up of CMU faculty who have entrepreneurial experience.
Jesionowski was joined at the panel by Dave Mawhinney, Meredith Meyer Grelli, and Cindy Chepanoske, who discussed the Swartz Center for Entrepreneurship, Project Olympus, and CTTEC.