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IMPACT @ Georgetown Module I

Innovators Moving Projects to Application, Commercialization, and Translation

Apply: IMPACT @ Georgetown Module I

Applications are open for the first module of IMPACT @ Georgetown , a two-part program designed to help faculty, graduate students, and postdocs bridge the gap between their ideas, research and the market. Apply by the Sept. 14 deadline.

By the end of the four-session program, you will have:

  • A compelling research value proposition
  • A clear, accessible summary of your research
  • A concise, engaging pitch
  • Actionable next steps to move your innovation toward commercialization

Participation in IMPACT is a prerequisite for applications to the Evergreen Gap Fund and Seed Translational Research Projects administered by OTC, as well as for faculty presenting at the Research & Innovation Showcase. If you plan to submit for these opportunities, please apply to participate in IMPACT.

Join us to sharpen your message, expand your opportunities, and position your research for broader impact.

In addition to faculty, applications are open to graduate students, including MBA and PhD candidates, as well as post docs, and members of the regional innovation ecosystem as space allows.

This initiative, part of the Georgetown Tech Ventures program, was developed by the Office of Technology Commercialization in collaboration with Georgetown Entrepreneurship at the McDonough School of Business.

Past participants are encouraged to register again and build on their experience.

Once the application is received, selected applicants will be invited to register via Eventbrite.

Session Details 

📅 Dates:

  • Sept. 22, 2026 (in-person, Rafik B. Hariri Building, McDonough School of Business)
  • Sept. 29 and Oct. 6 (virtual)
  • Oct. 15 (in-person, 2115 Wisconsin Ave.)

⏰ Time: All sessions run from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

📍Location: Georgetown University on-site and virtual locations

Past participants recommend IMPACT @ Georgetown

“The program opened my eyes to how innovation connects with real-world impact and taught me to think through the pipeline and frame my scientific questions with that awareness.

The biggest takeaway for me was learning to pitch, clearly stating the problem, showing proof it works, conveying my science in under a minute, and becoming comfortable asking for money face-to-face rather than through grant writing.”

Marwa Afifi, PhD
Assistant Professor
Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center

Curriculum and Presenters for IMPACT @ Georgetown Module I 

Week 1: From Innovation to Impact

📅 Date: Tuesday, September 22, 2026

⏰ Time: 1:30 PM – 4:00 PM

📍Format: In-Person | Room 450, McDonough School of Business, Hariri Building

Objectives:

• Georgetown University Startup Guide as a reference resource
• The four primary university commercialization/translation pathways (license, option, spinout, strategic partnership), and intellectual property considerations that inform pathway selection
• Conflict of interest disclosure requirements for Georgetown faculty and staff pursuing commercialization
• Participant self-assessment of their technology’s commercialization/translation fit
• Common startup pitfalls and the Checklist for Inventors as a self-assessment framework.

Speakers:

  • Christon Hill
  • Tatiana Litvin-Vechnyak
  • Jeff Reid
  • Julia Zipper

Week 2: Customer Discovery & I-Corps 

📅 Date: Tuesday, September 29, 2026

⏰ Time: 1:30 PM – 4:00 PM

📍Format: Virtual (Zoom)

Objectives:

  • The customer discovery process and its role in validating market need and generating raw material for the value proposition 
  •  Effective interview design, including question framing, bias avoidance, and hypothesis testing 
  •  Introduce the UMD Mid-Atlantic I-Corps Regional Hub and the I-Corps Prep methodology  
  •  Provide hands-on practice with interview script development and peer review 

Speakers: 

  • Christon Hill 
  • Guest presenters from ICorps Hub 

Week 3: Communicating Value & Funding Landscape

📅 Date: Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026

⏰ Time: 1:30 PM – 4:00 PM

📍Format: Virtual (Zoom)

Objectives:
  • Formalize the raw material gathered in Weeks 1 and 2 into a clear, funder-friendly value proposition using a structured formula, and create pitch slides 
  • Introduce Georgetown’s Evergreen Gap Fund and Catalyst Fund and DOD funding mechanisms as near-term nondilutive funding pathways
  • Provide hands-on grant writing assistance through an expert-led workshop 
Speakers:  
  • Jen Butler 
  • Christon Hill 
  • Tatiana Litvin-Vechyak 
  • Guest speaker on grant writing 
  • Guest speaker on funding 

Week 4: Roundtables, Pitch Parade, & Networking

📅 Date: Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2026

⏰ Time: 1:30 PM – 4:00 PM, followed by a networking reception

📍Format: : In-Person | 2115 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Room 186 (Multipurpose Room, 1st Floor) 

Objectives:
  • Participants connect with technical founders through moderated roundtable conversations
  • Deliver 1-minute pitches to OTC leadership and ecosystem partners
  • Network with regional stakeholders at a reception
Speakers:
  • Tatiana Litvin-Vechnyak
  • Arthur “Skip” Lupia
  • Additional guest speakers will be announced
Apply today to IMPACT @ Georgetown