On February 3rd, STC.UNM’s Internship Academy hosted a group of graduate students from Osaka Prefecture University and Osaka City University located in Osaka, Japan, and the Director of MPO, Inc., the technology transfer office of St. Marianna University School of Medicine in Kawasaki, Japan.
The six graduate students participated in STC’s five-day internship program designed to help students foster an entrepreneurial mindset and for those interested in learning about the role of a technology transfer office. The group received pitch coaching by STC Director of Economic Development, Cara Michaliszyn, attended various lectures by STC staff members, a seminar by John Rizzo on Go-to Market Strategies for Entrepreneurs, a class on entrepreneurial selling by Stacy Sacco, and an event on starting an e-commerce business called Show Up & Sell by Innovation Academy. The students also attended the 1 million cups pitch session at local business incubator FatPipe.
The week-long trip wrapped up with a pitch competition where students presented their technologies to a panel of judges consisting of Lisa Kuuttila, STC CEO & Chief Economic Development Officer, Cara Michaliszyn, STC Director of Economic Development, and Robert G. Frank, former UNM President & Director, Center for Innovation Health & Education, UNM Health Sciences.
Below is a list of the students and their pitch presentations:
| Student | Pitch Presentation |
| Tu Dang, Environmental System Sciences, Graduate School of Humanities and Sustainable System Sciences, Osaka Prefecture University | Colore’z – a chemical coloring system used as experimental tools |
| Taegi Lee, Department of Applied Physics, Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka City University | Sunsence – a data consultation of solar cells for zero energy builders |
| Tomoka Hosokawa, Advanced Organic Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, Osaka Prefecture University | CxP Company – a special coating to remove pollens for car manufacturers |
| Hiroto Kawagishi, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science & Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka Prefecture University | GCGR, Inc. – a kind of glove used to record guitar cords |
| Hisaaki Nishimura, Department of Applied Physics, Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka City University | PhotoAgri – a new method of making delicious fruits |
| Akiso Inoue, Electronics, Mathematics & Physics, Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka Prefecture University | CCM Diagnosis System – a brain sensing device X AI to suggest the best outcome program for occupational therapists |
During this week, STC also welcomed Masanori Inoue, the Director of MPO, Inc. This technology transfer office supports the St. Marianna University School of Medicine, located in Kawasaki, Japan. Mr. Inoue participated in STC’s professional internship program, which is catered more towards professionals of new or young technology transfer offices who wish to grow their own programs. Mr. Inoue’s week-long stay consisted of the same seminars and events as the graduate students, but his curriculum also focused on comprehensive instruction in the administration and operations of a tech transfer office and the commercialization and management of technologies.
STC will host another group of students and faculty from TLO Kyoto and the University of Yamanashi in June 2020 for the technology transfer operations program and the City of Sanda sponsored students in the end of August 2020 for the entrepreneurship program.