Welcome to Ask Yale Ventures, our new series designed to demystify the innovation and commercialization journey at Yale. Each session features members of our team sharing insights, tools, and pathways to help Yale innovators transform their research and ideas into real-world impact. In our inaugural event, Susan Carr, Director of Faculty Engagement, highlighted the many resources available to academic founders navigating Yale’s innovation ecosystem.

It’s never too early to do customer discovery — the sooner you understand your customer’s needs, the better positioned you’ll be to bring your innovation to market.—Susan Carr, Yale Ventures

Session Highlights

Dedicated support for faculty innovators: Yale Ventures staff, graduate student associates, and a network of over 200 Entrepreneurs-in-Residence provide tailored guidance and expertise.

Venture Lab: The platform supporting faculty-led innovation, with specialized programming that addresses common barriers such as limited time, business knowledge gaps, and commercialization pathways.

Innovation Library & Venture Lab Canvas (launching soon): Curated and Yale-specific educational resources that make commercialization knowledge accessible through searchable content, modules, templates, and guides.

Customer Discovery with NSF I-Corps: A structured program to validate ideas by engaging directly with potential customers, saving innovators time and helping to ensure a clear path to market.

Accelerator Fund opportunities: Programs like the Blavatnik Fund, Colton Center, and others provide funding, mentorship, and access to networks for Yale-affiliated founders.

Links & Resources

Curious about how Yale Ventures can support your innovation journey? 

1. Explore our Innovation Library
2. Sign up for an upcoming event
3. Connect directly with our team