Course description

From Bench to Business is a practitioner-focused, modular online course that converts the textbook’s multifactorial commercialization framework into an applied learning experience. Designed for academics, Technology Transfer Office (TTO) staff, early-stage founders and innovation policymakers — especially those operating in Africa and other resource-constrained settings — the course teaches how to move ideas from lab to market through integrated action on IP, funding, market validation, product development, governance and impact measurement.

Structure & format

• 12 core modules (one per textbook unit) delivered as a mix of short video lessons, readings, templates, real-world case studies, and guided assignments.

• Weekly live workshops (or recorded alternatives) for instructor feedback, negotiation role-plays and investor pitch practice.

• Peer review, small group customer-discovery exercises, and a mentor-supported capstone: a complete commercialization plan (IP roadmap, go-to-market model, basic financials and term-sheet outline).

What you’ll get

• Practical toolkits: invention disclosure forms, IP decision checklists, lean canvas templates, funding application guides, sample term sheets and regulatory quick references.

• African and comparative global case studies that highlight cost-sensitive staging and locally adaptable strategies.

• A digital badge/certificate on successful completion and a shareable pitch deck for funding conversations.

Who should enroll

• University researchers and postgraduate students wanting to commercialize research.

• TTO managers and university leaders building operational capacity.

• Founders and early-stage entrepreneurs emerging from academic settings.

• Policymakers, funders and incubator staff working on technology translation ecosystems.

Time commitment & outcomes

• Recommended pace: 8–12 weeks (3–5 hours per week) with an additional 20–30 hours for the capstone. A short executive bootcamp version (4 weeks, intensive) is also available.

• By course end you will have a fundable commercialization plan, a tailored IP and filing roadmap, a customer-validated value proposition, a basic 3-year financial outlook and a draft term sheet for licensing or spinout.

What will i learn?

• Diagnose commercialization readiness: Evaluate a research output using a standardized readiness rubric and produce a prioritized go/no-go decision brief.
• Design an IP strategy: Create an IP protection roadmap (national/region/PCT staging) and apply the IP decision checklist to three invention scenarios.
• Conduct market discovery: Plan and execute customer discovery interviews and surveys, synthesize findings into a validated value proposition and compute TAM/SAM/SOM.
• Build a funding plan: Map staged funding needs to appropriate sources, prepare a funder/investor brief, and construct a sample budget with milestones.
• Develop basic financials: Produce a 3-year cash-flow projection, calculate burn rate and model cap-table impacts of a seed round.
• Assemble and govern teams: Propose a founding team structure with role definitions, equity allocation suggestions and an advisory/board plan.
• Navigate regulatory pathways: Identify key regulatory and quality requirements for a selected product type and draft a preliminary regulatory timeline.
• Negotiate deals: Draft core licensing clauses and a starter term sheet; demonstrate negotiation tactics in a role-play simulation.
• Design a go-to-market model: Select and justify business model choices (licensing, product, service), outline channels and draft a pilot distribution plan.
• Measure impact responsibly: Define social and health impact indicators, build a basic M&E dashboard and integrate ethical benefit-sharing elements into commercialization plans.
• Produce a capstone commercialization plan: Deliver a complete, investor-ready commercialization plan including IP roadmap, go-to-market strategy, basic financials and a draft term sheet, defended to peers and mentors.

Frequently asked question