California State University Los Angeles As part of a larger initiative to grow the bioscience cluster in Los Angeles County, BCD conceptualized a bioscience incubator that engages both the Cal State LA campus and its East Los Angeles community through four principal activities: entrepreneurial support for startups; industry-university collaborative research projects; entrepreneurial education and experiential learning opportunities for students and faculty; and community outreach to local community college and high school students. BCD then developed a complete business plan to deploy these concepts, and provides ongoing advice to university leadership as it moves through the fundraising and building construction phase. The incubator opening is planned for September 2018. Yodlee BCD developed an approach and plan for a more robust accelerator program at Yodlee (now, Envestnet Yodlee), a fintech company in Silicon Valley, and then helped to launch the program. After identifying specific ways to deliver more value to entrepreneurs in the program and to Yodlee, BCD first designed an enhanced accelerator that features dedicated tech support for rapid development on the API, mentors to advise on business model and growth, connections within the fintech ecosystem and Yodlee’s partners and customers to provide market intelligence and partnering opportunities, investor engagement, and a bootcamp approach that facilitates peer-to-peer relationships. Next, BCD worked closely with the Yodlee team to launch the accelerator, including recruitment of the first cohort, development of the curriculum, creation of the mentor program, and hiring of the Director and staff. University of Central Florida (UCF) BCD prepared an operations plan for the first, life science incubator in the award-winning UCF incubator network in Metro Orlando. The incubator will play an important role in the privately developed Medical City complex, which includes several research institutes, hospitals and the new UCF Medical College, and in helping to diversify the regional economy by creating a life science cluster. BCD addressed organizational structure, facility design, operating budget, and financial sustainability model. The incubator is currently under development.   AARP Working with the Thought Leadership Group at AARP, BCD developed a strategy and business plan for an incubation program aimed at increasing the number of healthcare technology products designed and commercialized for consumers in the 50+ market. BCD’s approach leveraged the tremendous power of AARP’s membership as product reviewers and mentors to entrepreneurs; AARP’s connections into healthcare ecosystems across the U.S.; and the well-known AARP brand. The program launched in 2013.

Santa Clara University BCD provided guidance to the Provost, deans and key faculty at this private university in Santa Clara, California on determining the most appropriate model for supporting entrepreneurship among alumni, faculty and students, and then, once they agreed on the creation of an accelerator, helped them to identify the strategic opportunities for the program. BCD conducted a set of one-on-one meetings and facilitated a group session of key academic leaders. SCU later engaged BCD to develop the complete business plan for an accelerator focused information technology and social ventures.

West Texas A&M University Enterprise Center

After operating for 10 years, the WTAMU Enterprise Center in Amarillo, Texas sought to expand its incubation program and facility. BCD’s sustainability plan identified expansion opportunities that could be completed in a financially sustainable manner and generate new revenues. The opportunities, which have been realized, included the addition of two new cluster foci, clean technology and food; coworking space; and a facility to retain graduating companies in the community. In addition, the plan emphasized a new role for the Center: the entrepreneurial hub in the greater Panhandle region.

BioStart

BCD performed a best practices assessment for this 10-year old bioscience incubation program in Cincinnati, and then developed a sustainability plan designed to help achieve its vision for the future. Following an evaluation of the program against key best practice indicators, BCD recommended several approaches to better align the program, enhance commercialization and startup opportunities with BioStart’s university and hospital partners, and create strategic relationships with life science companies in the region. BioStart later sought and obtained Ohio Third Frontier funding to implement the recommendations.

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

BCD was engaged by Rutgers to develop a strategic plan for establishing a clean and renewable energy cluster in the State of New Jersey. Through an extensive, statewide interviewing process and review of legislation and regulations, BCD assessed the current state of the cluster, and the opportunities for and barriers to growth. BCD’s recommendations intentionally ranged from those that could be quickly and easily adopted, to those that would require greater commitment of resources and longer development timeframes. Rutgers has deployed several of the recommendations.