Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Goal
OCTRI strives to cultivate innovation in research. Whether you have a burgeoning idea or a proof of concept that is ready for design, OCTRI has education opportunities to meet your needs.
Training and guidance programs
OCTRI’s innovation and entrepreneurship programs are designed to assist technology teams in advancing their ideas through critical stages of development, including systematically refining early-stage technology concepts, developing actionable next steps, and ensuring a clear pathway from idea development to market launch. Review the options below and check back regularly for updates on upcoming opportunities.
Biomedical Innovation Program Commercialization Readiness Program (BIP Corp)
This 6-week I-Corps short course provides biomedical scientists, clinician scientists, and engineers with a new approach to accelerate the translation of discoveries from lab to clinical practice. Based on the National Science Foundation's Innovation Corps (I-CorpsTM) program, the premiere federally-funded innovation and commercialization training in the U.S., BIP Corp is an evidence-based experience that will take you out of your comfort zone to connect with potential customers and provide you with a competitive business case for future funding, partnership and translational science opportunities.
BIP Corp fact sheet and course details
2026 course schedule
Expected Sept/Oct 2026 enrollment is currently closed.
Contact Melissa Mudd to be added to the announcements: muddm@ohsu.edu.
This course is offered in partnership between OCTRI and OHSU Innovates.
OHSU Student Innovator Challenge
The OHSU Student Innovator Challenge is a student pitch competition, intended for student-led concepts or technologies. Students will come away with the skills and resources to:
- Develop an effective pitch for a broad audience
- Understand the basics of bringing a concept from idea to market
- Gain practical experience developing an idea into a tangible outcome
- Connect with expert innovators and mentors from across the region
Winner of the Innovate Challenge receive a $2,000 prototyping grant and advance to compete for up to $30,000 in cash awards in the InventOR Finals.
Contact Melissa Mudd or Christopher Sagar with questions.
Past Invent Oregon competitors from OHSU
2024: PhD candidate, Joshua Vanderpool (left), competed with EaziStep, a medical mobility device, which won the $10,000 top prize. Right: PhD candidate, Chloé Le Moing (right), competed with Coré, a wellness system to address burnout and fatigue.
2021: Medical students, Stephanie MacDonald (left) and Ashraf Samhan (right), competed with an augmented reality technology designed to enhance student training on surgical rotations.
2019: PhD candidates, Geoffrey Schau (left) and Erik Burlingame (middle), competed with Shift.AI, an artificial intelligence-powered technology for detecting cancer, which won the $2,500 Impact Award. DMD candiate, Ryan Thrower (right), competed with Funject, a kid-friendly injection device.
Drug and Device Advisory Committee
The Drug and Device Advisory Committee (DDAC) provides no-cost consultation and advice to investigatory teams, focusing on tasks needed to efficiently move a new drug or device towards commercialization. The DDAC advisory panel is comprised of individuals with a broad scope of experience and expertise in life science technology development and entrepreneurship. They can advise in the areas of FDA regulatory affairs, IP development and protection, clinical protocol, engineering, and marketing.
Meetings are held on the 2nd Wednesday of every month from 2-3:30 pm.
Teams interested in receiving feedback on project development should email Claudia Nakama, OCTRI Innovation Alliance Manager, at nakama@ohsu.edu
Business development tools
Leverage OCTRI’s business development tools to overcome typical barriers to translational science and commercialization. Review options below.
AI-Driven Regulatory Intelligence for Innovators
We are excited to announce an upcoming pilot trial of Cedience, an AI-powered regulatory intelligence platform, available to faculty inventors and entrepreneurs at OHSU.
Cedience harnesses data from 44 global regulatory databases, including over 8 million regulatory pages, to provide quick, evidence-backed answers to detailed regulatory questions making it a valuable resource for those looking to streamline their regulatory pathways.
Contact Claudia Nakama (nakama@ohsu.edu) to see if your innovative project could benefit from this trial.
Market Research Lab - Intelligence Research
Need assistance with market research for your technology or idea? Schedule an appointment with OHSU's Market Research Lab by emailing Claudia Nakama (nakama@ohsu.edu).
Seminars and workshops
OCTRI's innovation and entrepreneurship team works with experts across the country to provide seminars and workshops on timely topics for technology development. Review current offerings below.
OHSU Innovates Speaker Series
The OHSU Innovates Seminar Series goes beyond traditional innovation discussions, exploring how breadth of experience leads to more robust and creative solutions. Join us as we delve into inspiring stories, share valuable insights, and engage in thought-provoking conversations that not only drive innovation but also ensure that the benefits are accessible to all.
Through interactive sessions, expert panels, and collaborative workshops, we aim to empower individuals to break down barriers and catalyze a more innovative future. Whether you're an academic scientist, clinician, professional, student, or simply passionate about driving positive change, this series offers a platform to learn and connect.
Open to the OHSU and greater entrepreneurial community.
Upcoming OHSU Innovates Seminars
Check back for more seminars throughout the year.
Recordings of past seminars
Click on images to view past recordings.
Making it to Market: Strategies that Work
Presenters: Rachel Dreilinger, Luiz Bertassoni, Philippe Marchand, and Melissa Mudd (moderator)
October 3, 2025
Women in Life Science and Healthcare Entrepreneurship
Presenters: Ruchi Thanawala, Cathy Robinson, Ashley Whitley, and Melissa Mudd
January 16, 2025
Advancing Care: Non-Profits Driving Rare Disease Innovation
Presenters: Tommy Pham and Penny Hogarth
October 30, 2024
Placing Regulatory Strategy at the Core of MedTech Innovation
Presenter: Timothy Bubb
February 7, 2024
Securing Non-Dilutive Funding for Innovative Businesses
Presenter: Nyah Zarate, Ph.D.
January 24, 2024
Navigating FDA Interactions for Early-Stage Biotechs: A Guide to Successful Regulatory Engagements
Presenters: Zeb Younes and Dan Cafaro
December 6, 2023
Demystifying the Regulatory Landscape: A Roadmap for Healthcare Technologies
Presenter: Brie Stoianoff
October 28, 2021
Invent and SoPE Alternative Funding Panel
March 18, 2020
Leveraging Market Research and Customer Outreach to Successfully Launch your Idea
June 25, 2020
Market Research Deep Dive
In Partnership with OTRADI/OBI
November 10, 2020
Commercialization resources
OCTRI's innovation and entrepreneurship team gathers and vets commercialization resources. We store those that pass our vetting process here.
SBIR/STTR grants
The federal government provides early-stage capital for startups through the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer Research (STTR) grant programs.
NSF Webinar
Start Your Project Pitch. Peter Atherton, an SBIR/STTR Program Director, discusses the first step: the Project Pitch.
Entrepreneur-in-Residence
OHSU's Entrepreneur-In-Residence (EIR) program supports clinicians and researchers as they develop innovations for commercialization. Learn more about the EIR program.
Entrepreneur-in-Residence podcast
Listen to Steve Runnels, one of OHSU's EIRs, discuss his role in an interview by EIR Podcast.
ScienceDocs
ScienceDocs provides writing support services for research and startup funding, publication, and technical communications. Review additional ScienceDocs resources here.
Questions? Reach out!
Melissa Mudd, MPH
Innovation Alliance Manager
muddm@ohsu.edu
Claudia Nakama, MS
Innovation Alliance Manager
nakama@ohsu.edu
Join OHSU's Innovation and Commercialization Mailing List
Receive news, events, and updates involving OHSU innovations.
OCTRI Innovation Programs & Awards Report
Check out our achievements and outcomes from the last 5 years!
Biomedical Innovation Program
Apply for funding for your collaborative translational research.
Quick list of OCTRI grant numbers
CTSA award: UL1TR002369
TL1 program: TL1TR002371
KL2 program: KL2TR002370