NCET2 Academic Entrepreneurs Webinar Series Speaker: Matthew Bilsky, PhD, PE Post-Doc, Adjunct Professor, Innovator, and Entrepreneur Founder, Impossible Incorporated LLC

Interviewed by: Bob Hisrich, PhD Bridgestone Professor of International Marketing Associate Dean of Graduate and International Programs at College of Business Kent State University

Question 1:

What got you interested in being an academic and an entrepreneur?

T-Shaped People à Mindset + Skillset

(ValveSoftwareCorporation2012)

ClassicalDefinitionofaPhD

Entrepreneurial Mindset and Engineering Skillset

EntrepreneurialMindset EngineeringSkillset

(Ochs)

Mechatronics – The T-Shaped Engineering Skillset

Skillset

Mindset

S S

SectionS-S

(MachineDesign2017)

Systems Thinking is the thought process of a T-Shaped Engineer An understanding of:

Ø  The interdependencies of a project

Ø Context of work in the big picture

Ø Combining Mindset + Skillset to formulate value propositions

Ø Taking a contrarian point of view towards revolutionary new ideas and outcomes

DivergentThinking

ConvergentAction

Question 2:

What is the Entrepreneurially Minded Dissertation (EMD) and

why is this approach useful?

Traditional Research Model

FacultyExpertAdvisor

PhDStudent

s

Faculty-centric model: Ø  Projects are driven by faculty

•  Advisor writes grants through University to fund project

•  Hires students to work on research in exchange for graduate funding

Ø  Knowledge is passed from faculty down to students

EMD Model: Student Driven Research Student-centric model: Ø  Student proposes project

•  Writes their own grants to fund project

•  Working on real-world project towards commercialization

Ø  Driven entirely by student Ø  Faculty advisor is a

mentor who provides guidance on the process

Ø  Bridging the gap between traditional research and entrepreneurship

FacultyAdvisor PhDStudent

KnowledgeFlowsinBothDirections

Follows the Integrated Product Development (IPD) Process

ParallelDevelopmentofProduct,ProductionSystemandMarketingMaterials

ManufacturingRampup

ProjectandProcessManagement

DocumentationandDataManagement

Sales,Service&Support

ConceptualDesign&ProductPlanning

OpportunityScanning

12

34

5Market

Introduction

(NeelandPatterson)

Lehigh & Impossible Incorporated LLC University and Startup Collaboration

Ø  Enrolled as full-time Mechanical Engineering PhD Student

•  Receive full tuition and stipend for working as a Teaching Assistant (TA)

Ø  Access to University resources •  Machine shop •  Multi-disciplinary expertise

Ø  Founded in late 2013 within South Bethlehem Keystone Innovation Zone (KIZ)

Ø  Apply for startup grants through company to fund research

Ø  Enter business plan and pitch competitions

Ø  Entity for commercialization of research

Intellectual Property (IP)

Ø  EMD research is funded by the student not the university

•  Student is only paid for teaching not researching •  Using resources available to all students at the university

Ø  By university policy this means the student retains ownership of all IP generated throughout the EMD

Ø  All patents on the snake-like robot (to be discussed next) are owned solely by Matthew Bilsky

This is almost never the case with traditional research!

Question 3:

What is the robotic product you have developed, its uses, and the critical next steps in bringing it to market?

Initial Goal: Develop a snake-like robot that can drive, drill, and see within walls to run wires without the mess

Ended up with an IP Portfolio of intelligent mechanisms that are also the world’s smallest and strongest

1.  First joint that can extend, rotate, and lock (also in a miniature form-factor)

2.  Smallest, strongest gear boxes in 2D and 3D arrangements

3.  Long distance flexible drive shaft power transmission

4.  Radar based obstacle mapping system

Our Patent-Pending Improved, Intelligent Mechanisms

(1)

(2) (3)

Ø  4 provisional patents and a PCT application – Over 600 pages of IP disclosed! •  Provisionals: 62/237,987, 62/278,487, 62/527,597, and 62/692,680 •  PCT/US2016/55791

§  Nationalizing in 7 countries: US, Canada, EU, Israel, Japan, Korea, and China §  International patent search authority returned 4 “A” references

Example Applications

Ø  Robotics •  Running wires through walls without the mess •  Rescuing trapped victims

Ø  Fluid control: Automating and miniaturizing valves Ø  Prosthetics: Smaller, stronger, and more agile limbs Ø  Automotive: Adaptable suspensions Ø  Consumer products: Smaller and stronger tools Ø  Defense

•  Inspection of tight spaces such as aircraft wings •  Combat exoskeletons

Critical Next Steps

Ø  Partner with companies who want to utilize these technologies in new and existing products

•  Provide integration and engineering design services •  License and/or sell the technologies

§  Application specific licensing §  Sale of one or more technologies §  Work with partners to develop further intellectual property

Ø  Raise ~$500K per year to support ongoing development and build out my team

Ø  Generate ongoing revenue for investors, stakeholders, and partners within 3 years

Question 4:

How did the university help you in becoming an entrepreneur and

creating a company?

LEHIGH’SEntrepreneurship

Ecosystem

Infrastructure&OtherRelated

Courses

IntegratedBusiness&Engineering

TECapstone(formerlyIPD)

CommunityConsultingPracticum

MicrofinanceProgram

EUREKA!ThalheimerStudentEntrepreneursCompetition

KEEN:KernEntrepreneurial

EngineeringNetwork

CommunityFellows

OpportunitiesforStudentInnovation

EUREKA!AdvancedTechnologyEntrepreneurshipCompetition

EntrepreneurialInternsProgram

CenterforAdvancedMaterials&Nanotech

SBDC

KeystoneInnovation

ZoneManufacturersResourceCenter

EnterpriseSystemsCenter

L.PoolMemorialScholarshipsforEntrepreneurship

PASchoolforGlobalEntrepreneurshipSmallBusinessCounseling

MBACorporateEntrepreneurship

VENTURESeriesExecutiveCertificate EducationalPrograms

RelatedOrganizations

BenFranklinTechnologyPartners

WilburPowerhouse

LifeSciencesGreenhouse

“Garage”StudentIncubator

OfficeofTechnologyTransfer(OTT)

LehighEntrepreneursNetwork

IntegratedRealEstate

LaunchBayC

EntrepreneurshipMinor ComputerScience&Business

CenterforPhotonics&Nanoelectronics

TheBusinessofLifeScience

GlobalVillageLeadership

Lehigh

OfficeofStudentLeadership

Development

IDEAS

MartindaleCenterfortheStudyofPrivateEnterprise

Innovation&Entrep.LeadershipResidency

InternationalSocialEntrepreneurship

EUREKA!SocialVenturesCompetition

LehighSilconValley

EntrepreneursinResidence

LiveLehighCreativeCommons

PITA

PADCED

USEDA

LVEDC

Project Funding Sources

AllGrantsareNon-Dilutive!

Date Award/Grant Source Cash Labor Capstone2014 BethlehemStartupGrant USEDA $-$2500$50002014 Eureka!LevinAdvancedTechnologyCompetition Baker $3000$-$75002015 TechnologyTransferGrant KIZ $15000$-$-2015 UndergraduateInternshipGrant KIZ $-$2500$-2015 UndergraduateInternshipGrant LVEDC $-$2500$-2015 GraduateStudentInternshipGrant KIZ $-$5000$-2015 StartupInternshipGrant Baker $-$2100$-2016 Eureka!LegacyPrize Baker $-$-$50002017 PennsylvaniaInfrastructureTechnologyAlliance PITA $20000$29940$-2017 UndergraduateInternshipGrant KIZ $-$2500$-2017 LehighValleyLaunchBoxStart-upGrant PSU-LV $5000$-$-2018 PennsylvaniaInfrastructureTechnologyAlliance PITA $900 $391002018 TechnologyTransferGrant KIZ $15000$-$- Overall

Totals:$58900$86140$17500$162540Baker-BakerInstituteatLehighUniversity

KIZ-SouthBethlehemKeystoneInnovationZone

LVEDC-LehighValleyEconomicDevelopmentCorporation

PITA-PennsylvaniaTechnologyInfrastructureAlliance

PSU-LV-PennsylvaniaStateUniversity,LehighValleyCampus

USEDA-UnitedStatesEconomicDevelopmentAuthority

EMDissertation Program Timeline

2013 20162013 2014 2015 2016

StartofProjectMay2013

GeneralExamApr2014

Eureka!CompetitionLevinPrizeNov2014

KIZTechnology

TransferGrantMar2015

Lemelson-MITCompetition

Apr2016

PhDProposalNov2014

Eureka!CompetitionLegacyAward

Nov2015

May2013-Sep2013Step1:OpportunityScanning

Sep2013-Apr2015Step2:ConceptualDesign&ProductPlanning

Apr2015-Aug2016Step3:DetailedDesign

Aug2016-Nov2016DissertationWriting

1stProvisionalPatentOct2015

InternationalPatentPCTOct2016

DissertationDefense

RequirementsforallPhDStudents

Steps4&5:Post-DocandBeyond

Where am I now? The “Lehigh Incubator” Ø  Post-doc Research Associate

•  Funded indirectly through KEEN to teach TE Capstone course •  Adjunct Professor for additional courses

Ø  Provides 12-month salary and benefits solving the innovator’s dilemma

•  How do I pay rent, insurance, and put food on the table? Ø  This allows me to continue working on the snake-like robot

when I’m not teaching •  Retain access to facilities •  Continue collaborating with other faculty and students •  Write further grants such as SBIR/STTR

Ø  Exiting into the company full time at the end of 2018 •  Continue to maintain relationship with the university through

visiting researcher status

Management and Team (enabled by the university relationship)

Ø  Matt Bilsky, PhD, PE •  Founder and Managing Partner •  Mechanical Engineering PhD focused in: Smart product development,

mechatronics, engineering education, and technical entrepreneurship •  Licensed Professional Engineer (PE)

Ø  Ad Hoc/Pro Bono business advisors •  PhD committee and colleagues •  Local and national business leaders •  Economic development officials (local, state, and national)

Ø  53 Student interns and researchers •  33 Capstone students (5 teams over 3 years) •  5 MBA capstone students •  5 Undergraduate student researchers •  4 Graduate student researchers •  6 Graduate/undergraduate interns

Question 5:

What problems did you experience in the process of becoming an

academic entrepreneur

Intellectual Property

Ø Lehigh lacked the ability to assist me in filing patents on my intellectual property I developed as a student

•  This is likely not a Lehigh-only issue

Ø What would have been nice? •  A mechanism to license IP back to the

university in exchange for services •  Pro-bono legal services

What’s Next?

TheMissingStep

SelfEmployment

LehighEmployee