About the instructor

Dr. Alan D. Lish is an Instructional Assistant Professor at the Bauer College of Business of the University of Houston in Houston, Texas. He has a Master’s of Science degree in Technology Commercialization from the University of Texas at Austin, and a Doctorate in Business Administration from Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale/Davie, FL. He is also a certified New Product Development Professional (NPDP) and an authorized Blue Ocean Strategy trainer.

He has been an entrepreneur all his life, and has started and run businesses in computer hardware, computer software, and Internet marketing services. He has experienced all aspects of technology commercialization, from technology assessments to startups to liquidity events and venture sales.

Dr. Lish has participated in technology assessments and commercialization strategies on a professional basis since 2003 for the Global Commercialization Group of the University of Texas, and for the Department of Research of the University of Houston.

About the Institute of Technology Commercialization

The Institute of Technology Commercialization was formed to foster standards in technology commercialization consulting, to promote best practices in the field, and to educate interested participants in the art and science of technology commercialization.

Course I—Technology Assessment

Now available as a stand-alone module!

This course provides the foundation of the technology commercialization process. The course links the activities of research and development, technology transfer, market research, technology entrepreneurship and situation analysis in order to determine a "go/no go" decision about the new technology. The course covers assessing the commercial potential of a new technology, how it is differentiated from the competition, how to determine its best potential markets and market segments, and how to determine the overall future value of the technology.

This course covers:

• How to assess the commercial viability of a new technology or idea
• The role of R&D in science and technology commercialization
• The support available for technology commercialization
• How to do early-stage market research to assess market opportunities for commercializing products, and assess the competitive landscape.

Course objectives:

• Understanding the benefits of a technology and to whom it is a benefit
• Evaluating the development status and intellectual property status
• Evaluating potential markets and the competition
• Understanding the technology commercialization process
• Determining a go/no-go decision on advancing a technology

Course II—Technology Marketing and Strategy

This course covers the unique marketing and strategic concepts related to commercializing new technologies, and the uncertainties that make marketing new technologies different from traditional product marketing. The course teaches participants to develop strategies necessary to gain market acceptance of hi-tech products, covers the technology product development process, and the product adoption life cycle. It also covers the promotional skills, the sales processes and tactics involved in marketing high-tech products and services.

This course covers:

• Marketing concepts central to science and technology commercialization
• Evaluating and identifying possible target market segments
• Analyzing the competition, alternatives and substitute products
• Determining effective product and pricing strategies
• Assessing the value of strategic alliances
• Determining effective promotional strategies for high-tech products

Course Objectives

• Understanding how high-tech marketing is different from traditional marketing
• Understanding the strategic implications of high-tech marketing
• Developing a marketing strategy
• Developing a marketing plan

Course III—Technology Venture Management

This course explores best practices in developing organizational skills to foster creative company cultures conducive to commercializing high-tech ventures. The course also covers operational issues in high-tech ventures, such as supply chain management, channel distribution, partnerships and alliances. Participants will learn why and how company structures can impact the performance of the company and how to identify and acquire necessary resources to commercialize high-tech ventures. The course also explores effective communication skills, types of leadership in entrepreneurial ventures, and human resource issues unique to high-tech ventures.

This course covers:

• Understanding how to acquire and deploy the resources necessary to commercialize a technology
• Understanding what it takes to lead a high-tech venture
• Influencing human behavior and managing teams in high technology products
• Issues in operations of high-tech ventures, such as outsourcing, strategic alliances, complementary assets and the acquisition of these assets
• Success factors in high-tech ventures, and failure factors

Course objectives:

• Creating the blueprint for success in new ventures
• Developing leadership that builds team synergy and symmetry
• Understanding how high-tech management differs from traditional management
• Understanding how strategic choices impact managing high-tech companies
• Analyzing and acquiring the resources necessary for high-tech companies

Course IV—Technology Venture Financing

This course covers the unique aspects of planning, presenting, valuing and financing high-tech ventures. It integrates the lessons learned in the first three courses so you can develop a comprehensive business plan and venture strategy. It addresses the legal, intellectual, financial and business issues that are unique to high-tech ventures. Participants learn how to develop and present a business presentation to potential investors, employees, strategic partners and others that might be necessary in commercializing new technology. Also covered are valuation of a business entity, stock allocation and employee options, term sheets and other financing and funding issues associated with high-tech ventures.

This course answers questions such as:

• How do entrepreneurs and investors create and build value for themselves and for others?
• What critical tasks need to be accomplished and what hurdles must be overcome during start-up and early growth of a new venture?
• What financing options are available to technology startups?
• How do entrepreneurs and investors locate each other?
• What are strategies for expanding a new venture through alliances and partnerships?
• How do you value the technology startup?
• Understanding funding issues in high-tech ventures
• Creating the business plan and business presentations
• Finding and acquiring funding sources or licensing partners
• Understanding the details of liquidity events, terms sheets and stock allocations

Course objectives

Certification

At the completion each of the four courses participants take an assessment evaluating their assimilation of the materials in the courses. Upon passing the assessment participants will be granted a Certificate in Technology Commercialization.

Assessments

Assessments are conducted online for one week after the completion of the four courses. Participants must pass each of the four courses to gain the certificate. If they do not pass a particular course, they are allowed a second attempt at that module. A grade of 70% is passing on any one module.

Course Details

Course Delivery

All course are delivered online on a self-paced basis. All lectures are in .mp4 format, and delivered through the participant's browser. Each lecture is about 20 minutes long, with typically two to three lectures per lesson. There are four lessons per course, and four courses in the complete program.

Participants have 60-days from when the "Invitation to enroll" is sent to complete a course. This is to keep participants on a reasonable pace to complete the program. We encourage a lesson a week, but realize that time is a scarce commodity for working professionals and sometimes it takes around two weeks per lesson. At a lesson a week, the entire four-course program will take four months; at a lesson every two weeks, the program could take up to eight months to complete. This is why we encourage a lesson a week. If a participant does not complete the course within the 60-day period of access, there is a $300 fee to re-open access to the course. In all circumstances, participants are given whatever they need in terms of time in order to complete each course.

Course materials

The course includes text books, lectures, readings and assignments. All materials are included in the price of the course. This program consists of 48 contact hours in four courses.

Course offerings

The courses are now offered on a self-paced basis, with rolling admissions and rolling start and completion dates. 

Course pricing

$750 per module on an individual basis

Special pricing is available for multiple participants from the same entity.
Special pricing is available for SBDC consultants and other government agencies.

Classes limited to 20 participants.

Register Now

Classes now forming! All courses are now self-paced! 

Idea to Market™: A course in Technology Commercialization is a certification course in technology commercialization. It is designed for individual or corporate entrepreneurs, technology transfer consultants, scientists and engineers who want to learn how to take disruptive or innovative ideas from the lab to market, and in the process create new wealth and value by filling a perceived need. This course consists of 48 contact hours in four modules.

The course provides a solid foundation in the key elements of technology commercialization from idea to market. Concepts covered include

• Evaluating commercial potential
• Identifying desirable target markets and segments
• Managing high-tech ventures
• Leading new ventures towards licensing, startups or spin-outs.

The program covers the key aspects of commercializing technologies, and provides the strategic foundation for planning the best route to commercialization—whether it is the market for ideas (licensing), the market for products (start-ups), or a combination of strategies—in order to achieve the best return on your investment in research, intellectual property, and effort in developing that new technology.

The program is composed of four courses:

Course I. Technology Assessment
Course II. Technology Marketing and Strategy
Course III. Technology Venture Management
Course IV. Technology Venture Finance and Business Development

Each module addresses the unique aspects of creating a successful venture based on either disruptive or continuous technology-based innovations, including how to select the best strategies to get the most value for these technologies.

At the completion of the course, there is an optional assessment which can earn you a Certificate from the Institute of Technology Commercialization. In some cases, depending on where the course is taken, a sponsoring SBDC or university will offer a certificate, as well.

Individual courses now available! 

Course I--Technology Assessment, is available as a stand-alone class. As the cornerstone of the course, Technology Assessment allows you learn all about evaluating the commercial and market potential of an idea, and determining the "go/no-go" decision.

We realize that the time commitment for the entire course can be daunting for some people, so we've made Module I available as a standalone course for those that just need or want the evaluation component. Once Course I is completed, you can take any of the other three courses whenever they are offered, and still earn The Certificate in Technology Commercialization. Plus, you get the other three courses at a discounted rate. You still have to take the courses in order, but they are offered throughout a year for maximum flexibility. Doing individual modules means that entire certificate would take two years to complete, as opposed to the four months of the single course.