BMES Conference: Student Technology Transfer

Brian Mullen, Ph.D

Confidential

OverviewIntroduction to Therapeutic Systems– Why we started– Pain & Solution– Where we are now

Starting up as a Student:– Navigating the “Bermuda Triangle”• Timeline and development overview• mentors & entrepreneurship programs

Lessons Learned

Confidential

Compelled to Act

Confidential

Autism Spectrum Disorders

1 in 110 people

10-17% annual growth

$35 billion societal cost annually

‒ 27 States have Mandated Autism coverage

Confidential

Personal, Portable, Deep Pressure

– Provides personalized deep touch pressure to anyone, anywhere, at any time.

– Marketing Campaign: Brand, Social Networking, Website

– Launched: 4/1/11

Confidential

Accomplishments to Date Licensed & Filed Patents

Board of Directors

Scientific Advisory Board

World class Manufacturing Partner

FDA Registered Class 1 Exempted Device

Brand & Identity

Raised Capital

April Launch– Initial Sales

KOL’s Including– Autism Speaks– Easter Seals– Dr. Temple Grandin

Support

Confidential

CVIP, COI, CEO, Ph.D

7

University

Business

Student

Tech Transfe

r

Confidential

Timeline2004– Fall: started grad school & research project

2006 – Fall: started exploring commercialization

2008 – Spring: won BP competition & NCIIA grant– Fall: Conflict of Interest process

2009– Summer: Defended

2010 – Winter: Obtained License

8

Confidential

Integrated Design & Development

Customers

Driven by Clinical Data & Research

Foundations

Design

GMP & Quality

Regulatory

Reimbursement

Manufacturing

Marketing & Brand

KOLs

Clinical Data

Confidential

Mentors & Relationships

• PhD & Master’s committee/ mentors for the academics

• “Business committee”/ mentors for the company

• Relationships are your the most important & most valuable asset.

• Student/ committee chair relationship is the most important

10

Confidential 11

Entrepreneurship programs

• Encouragement

• Knowledge

• Critical Validation

• Resources & Support– Mentors – Capital

• Capital: ~$80k– Grants, Awards,

Fellowships

• Mentors– Chair of our

board, lead investor

• Seed Round Investors

Confidential

Programs

• NCIIA

• Grinspoon Foundation

• Entrepreneurship Club

• UMass Business Plan Competition

• Isenberg Fellow

• Business Classes

• Amherst Center for Entrepreneurship Accelerator

• MassChallenge

12

Confidential

Lessons Learned & Suggestions

• IT IS A LONG TERM RELATIONSHIP…a Marriage– pick your battles

• Understand the other person’s side– Ie Laws that have to be followed by the

university. – Room for flexibility & opportunity– Understand the impact to the facility

/students

• MOST IMPORTANT: the student is not a faculty member.

Confidential

Lessons Learned & Suggestions

• Student should always be evaluating what they want and letting people know. – Student has to be made aware of the

decisions and implications

• Do your homework– Read and know the university policies. – ask a lot of questions.– Get good mentors.

14