MBHB Sponsors “Demo Day” Presentation for Arizona State University Venture Catalyst’s New Furnace Accelerator Program Competition

McDonnell Boehnen Hulbert & Berghoff LLP is proud to sponsor the Demo Day presentation in conjunction with the launch of a new startup Furnace Accelerator program competition in 2012 by Arizona State University’s (ASU) Venture Catalyst. Aimed at individuals starting companies based on ASU’s intellectual property, the plan for the Furnace Accelerator program entails showcasing the many discoveries that ASU has developed in its research laboratories, with the intent that these technologies will form the basis for new high-potential startups. In partnership with ASU’s Technology Transfer Office, Arizona Technology Enterprises (AzTE), the Furnace Accelerator program will offer an intensive six month incubator program set to provide startup funding, space in the ASU SkySong facility and access to top mentors.

In particular, the Furnace Accelerator program competition will target ASU students, staff, and faculty, with a heavy focus on alumni. Open to anyone in the world, the competition will officially launch in the second quarter of 2012 and will also be open to external parties with no university connection. The competition rules require that the new venture must be all or partly based on intellectual property from ASU, and must be based in Arizona. Participants invited into the Furnace Accelerator program must incubate their new companies in the co-working space available to them at Scottsdale-based ASU SkySong. The six months of intensive acceleration, with a group of over 100 mentors on hand, will end in a Demo Day presentation to potential investors.

ASU Venture Catalyst is the ASU unit that works with high-potential startup companies, both inside and outside the university, including managing the Edson program, ASU’s student startup accelerator. Venture Catalyst and ASU SkySong are both strategic units of ASU’s Office of Knowledge Enterprise Development.

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