Incubating Entrepreneurial Engineers: The Rose Hulman Ventures Experience

Thomas W. Mason Professor of Economics & Director – M.S. in Engineering Management Program Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology Innovation Fellow Rose-Hulman Ventures Incubators’ popularity has waned somewhat since the fate of many, especially for-profit, incubators through the dot.com bust has not been good. However, the idea of affiliating an incubator with a university is still an intriguing one, and more are starting every year. Their appeal is natural. They appear to be a good way to channel university-based research results into commercialization, and they usually provide very public evidence that the institution is working to stimulate economic development. The advantages of incubators include such things as low cost space, internet connection, shared services, business advice and proximity to the technology, equipment and personnel of the university. At Rose-Hulman Ventures, two grants from Lilly Endowment for a total of $54.6 million have made it possible to provide all of these services and more and at the same time provide unique opportunities for faculty and students to work and learn.