Turn Your Ideas Into Reality
The EWU Tech Commercialization Academy (TCA) is a hands-on program that can help you launch a business. Whether you have a business idea of your own or want to contribute your valuable talents and abilities in other ways, we have a place for you.
In the TCA, you’ll form a team, develop your skills, and access funding opportunities. In addition to a one-week immersive experience, you’ll participate in events and have guided mentorship throughout the academic year. And when you’re done? You’ll receive a $1,000 stipend.
What Happens in the TCA?
In the TCA, you’ll grow a business idea from the ground up through the process of technology commercialization, going through several stages:
- Stage 1: Idea Generation
- Stage 2: Idea Screening
- Stage 3: Concept Development & Testing
- Stage 4: Marketing Strategy
- Stage 5: Business Analysis
- Stage 6: Product Development
- Stage 7: Test Marketing
- Stage 8: Commercialization
Traditionally, getting an innovative idea from the research lab to market consumes time, money, and effort. TCA is a way to overcome these obstacles in a forum of foreshortened fun. It involves brainstorming a patented research project by small student teams in a relatively short amount of time.
What Else Do We Do?
In addition to the TCA, we work with entrepreneurial clubs and activities on campus including:
- $4,000 EWU Black Entrepreneur Opportunity Fellowships
- An annual Women in Entrepreneurship Event
- The Collegiate Entrepreneurs Organization (CEO) Club
- This year’s $70k Eagles Startup Challenge; all of last year’s 7 finalists are still in business!
Learn More
Curious to know more about the TCA? Join our upcoming information sessions!
Join us for our informational session in the Fall of 2024. Dates TBD. All events occurring at CEB 125
We’d love to stay connected! Email us at entp-center@ewu.edu if you have any questions.
Important Dates
Deadline for $500 stipend – May 31st 2024
Applications due – TBD
TCA Kickoff – Second
All events occurring at CEB 125
Fellowships
Herbert B. Jones Foundation Fellowship Grant
Thanks to a 3-year, $124,000 grant from the Herbert B. Jones Foundation Fellowship Grant, we are able to offer $1,000 stipends to fellowship students who complete the program. Each year’s group of fellows is drawn from a diverse pool of many majors ranging across the breadth of academic studies, so as to not concentrate too heavily in one area. After completing the TCA, students are eligible to compete in business plan competitions on college/university campuses across the country. Students benefit from being able to network with others with similar interests, obtain licensing through Washington State University (WSU), obtain seed money for new ventures without any equity exchange, and launch their ideas for potential innovations and/or startup companies.
Prototype Funding
Thanks to a generous grant from Wells Fargo, TCA participants have access to funds for prototype development. These crucial funds give TCA participants the opportunity to build, test, iterate and improve upon their ideas.
