The Business Acceleration and Technology Out-Licensing Network (BATON) program facilitates the creation of sustainable biotechnology companies emanating from North Carolina universities and research institutions.
Critical partners for the BATON program include:
- University technology transfer office and faculty inventor(s);
- Entrepreneur (interim CEO or Board of Entrepreneurial Advisors);
- Community stakeholders (e.g., corporate and intellectual property attorneys, banks, accountants, grants writers, regulatory and development professionals, contract research organizations, entrepreneurial mentoring programs);
- NCBC: TEAM loan and business library services
The BATON program works with university tech transfer professionals to identify unlicensed technologies that support commercialization via the formation of a startup company. An entrepreneur is identified who is willing to form the company; develop a viable business model and milestone-driven development plan; and strategically engage community stakeholders willing to contribute expertise and service to the opportunity. Funding through the Center’s TEAM loan may be used to leverage the in-kind or discounted services contributed by the stakeholders.
The goal of the program is to create investment-quality life sciences companies which have rational and clearly focused business and technology development plans for commercialization.