FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The Office of Entrepreneurship at the University of Arkansas is co-sponsoring an inaugural research commercialization forum for graduate students and postdoctoral research associates.

Students, research associates and faculty are encouraged to register for the free event, scheduled for Aug. 13-14 in Room 144 of the J.B. Hunt Transport Services Inc. Center for Academic Excellence. To register, click here. Food will be provided.

The forum will foster collaboration among peers and help generate and validate ideas for future research and startups. Attendees will learn about approaches that will be helpful when writing federal grant proposals, as well as learn from former students who have successfully commercialized their research.

No previous commercialization or entrepreneurship knowledge is needed, but registrants are encouraged to include ideas for startups or specific types of research that can be commercialized. Selected ideas will be used during group work validation exercises and pitch practice.

The event will end with an idea pitch competition that is open to the attendees. Participants will have the chance to win a total of $2,000 in cash prizes.

Startup Junkie Consulting is co-sponsoring the event.

For more information, email Cynthia Sides, associate director in the Office for Entrepreneurship and director of the IGNITE program, at csides@uark.edu.