The WBT Marketplace
The WBT Marketplace is the event that brings together venture capital, angel investment, Fortune 1000 licensing scouts, federal agencies, universities, companies and innovators all under one roof for a few days each Spring. Over the years the WBT has developed into a community of individuals, regardless of industry sector, geography, and funding source with one goal - bringing emerging companies and technologies to market.
The WBT Marketplace represents a collaborative, year-long effort of investors, licensees, and tech commercialization professionals. The WBT Marketplace serves as an efficient and effective way for emerging companies and technology innovators to build their network, develop relationships, connect with industry experts, and launch world-class technologies from leading companies, research institutions, laboratories, and universities into the marketplace.
The WBT has connected innovators with partners for over 8 years through targeted deal sourcing, extensive screening, and mentoring the technologies of tomorrow for today's market. The opportunities presented at the WBT represent technologies and intellectual property, developed by companies, universities, federal labs, research organizations, incubators, and innovators from around the globe. Technologies are often supported by federal R&D funding, Fortune 1000 companies, venture capital, angels, and the entrepreneurs themselves. Each deal is past proof of concept and ready for the next step whether that be seed funding, venture capital, licensing, CRADAs, or IP sales.
The Showcase@WBT
World class mentoring for emerging technologies...by investors and licensees, for investors and licensees
The Showcase@WBT represents up to 100 companies and technologies selected to present products or technologies that are market-ready and seeking startup, seed stage/first round capital, or corporate licensing partners.
For the Showcase the WBT sources, screens, and mentors companies and technologies emerging from universities, federal labs, and the private sector. These companies and technologies, which vary by industry sector, geography, funding source, and type of research institution, are vetted by a national screening panel of over 80 venture investors and Fortune 1000 licensees. All selected presenters are matched with a two person mentor team in preparation for a concise, 6-minute investor/licensee-oriented presentation.
The Deadline to submit a technology or company to be a part of the Showcase is in December, and the 100 technologies are announced in late January. Over the past 8 years the WBT has worked with over 500 companies and technologies preparing them for venture capital and licensing partners.
FedMarketPlace@WBT
The FedMarketPlace@WBT connects federal labs and agencies within the WBT Markeptlace, facilitating the transition of promising technologies developed at federal agencies and federal labs available for purchase, licensing to industry, and strategic partnerships. Federal labs and agencies are invited to work with the WBT team to help source technologies believed to be the most attractive to potential investors or corporate strategic partners. WBT staff will provide support throughout the process, from assistance in completing an online application (a summary description of the technology and how it addresses a specific market need) to preparing tech transfer professionals or researchers to present the opportunity to an audience of investors and corporate strategic partners.
The FedMarketPlace@WBT will also serve as a focal point for lab, agency leaders, lab researchers and tech transfer professionals, to discuss the variety of technology opportunities available for investment and licensing specific to their lab or agency. Our goal is to narrow the enormous set of opportunities currently available at a given lab or agency, and vet these opportunities to a workable group where all may benefit from participation in the WBT in a methodical, supportive manner.
University Square@WBT
WBT is committed to serving and integrating the talent and technology of the academic community into the WBT Marketplace. University Square@WBT incorporates:
- For the 5th year, a research Poster Session will provide the opportunity for pre-proof-of-concept [pre-prototype] researchers to discuss their discoveries with the WBT community.
- Beginning in 2011, a section of the WBT Marketplace exhibit hall will be reserved to host some of the nation’s premier research universities. University Square will be a place where VPR’s, TTDs, and researchers alike can gather to promote their university’s research, share best practices, collaborate, and learn from one another as well as the entire WBT community.
If you are affiliated with a University and would like more information on University Square activities visit, The Showcase, Student Venture Open, and University Poster Session
Open Innovation Network@WBT
The WBT OIN promotes Open Innovation practices and embraces public and private companies seeking to:
- license or acquire technologies from universities, federal labs, and other private companies
- collaborate with the federal government to jointly develop new products and technologies, and
- outlicense technologies no longer being pursued
Become an OIN member and let the WBT help source new technologies on your behalf as part of our annual outreach to universities, federal labs and the private sector. As well, WBT OIN members can expose their technologies available for license or sale.