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Pathways to Impact

Sep 30–Dec 9 2026

Research commercialization is not a departure from science and engineering – it is a path to create impact. Pathways to Impact (P2I) is an 11 week non-credit, co-curricular pilot program for NYU PhD students and postdoctoral researchers in STEM who want to understand how discoveries move from lab to the public. Participants will:

  • Explore: Enter with a research question, curiosity, or interest in non-academic impact.
  • Build evidence: Map stakeholders, test assumptions, and refine the research’s value proposition.
  • Showcase: Communicate a credible translation pathway and receive constructive feedback.
  • Discover next steps: Learn about the Leslie Institute’s venture coaching team, Technology Opportunities & Ventures office (TOV), the Tech Venture Program, or other relevant resources.

Overall P2I helps PhD students and postdocs build practical skills, confidence, and a network for translating discovery into meaningful impact.

Apply Here
Faculty Entrepreneurs

Dates & Application Deadline

  • Learn More: Attend the info session on Sep 8 from 4-5pm (via Zoom)
  • Application Deadline: Sep 16, 2026 at 6pm
  • Dates/Times: From Sep 30–Dec 9 2026, weekly on Wednesdays from 5:00–7:00 PM (final session is 5-8pm)
  • Location: In person – at the Leslie eLab, 16 Washington Place, NY, NY 10003

Who Can Apply?

  • STEM PhD students, especially in years 3–6, from any NYU school
  • Postdoctoral researchers across NYU
  • Interested in learning how to commercialize your research (though not committed to doing so)

Benefits

  • Learn how research becomes real-world impact
  • Build skills: customer discovery, IP, legal, funding
  • Explore non-academic career paths
  • Earn a credential + priority access to support

Success Stories

Pathways to Impact
View All Participants

Vital Audio makes quality healthcare more efficient, affordable, and universally accessible through voice-based cardiac monitoring.

Nyamitse-Calvin Mahinda

Co-Founder & CEO

(Tandon '23)
Pathways to Impact
View All Participants

Provides a cost effective chemical path to manufacture sustainable nylon.

Daniela Blanco, PhD

Co-Founder

(Tandon '21)
Pathways to Impact
View All Participants

Portable Diagnostic Systems's Integrity-1 Analysis System was designed to detect over 100 different substances simultaneously, allowing practitioners to build comprehensive test menus.

Glennon Simmons

Co-Founder

(Dentistry)
Pathways to Impact
View All Participants

CARA Systems is dedicated to pioneering a transformative innovation in the field of medical science and engineering. Its dynamic risk assessment tool for intracranial aneurysms is guided by a well-structured three-year plan.

Srushti Katore

Co-Founder

(Tandon '23)
Meet the Founder
Pathways to Impact
View All Participants

Flection.ai is a digital platform featuring AI-powered therapeutic games. It’s an affordable and accessible solution for stroke patients to regain lost motor function and speech from the comfort of their homes.

Alexandr Pak

Co-Founder

Vital Audio makes quality healthcare more efficient, affordable, and universally accessible through voice-based cardiac monitoring.

Founder(s)

  • Nyamitse-Calvin Mahinda (Tandon '23) |
  • Harsh Sonthalia (Tandon '23) |

Website

vitalaudio.io

Social

Participated in

Provides a cost effective chemical path to manufacture sustainable nylon.

Founder(s)

  • Daniela Blanco, PhD (Tandon '21) |
  • Myriam Sbeiti (Tandon '18) |
  • César Urbina-Blanco |

Website

sunthetics.org

Social

Participated in

Portable Diagnostic Systems's Integrity-1 Analysis System was designed to detect over 100 different substances simultaneously, allowing practitioners to build comprehensive test menus.

Founder(s)

  • Glennon Simmons (Dentistry) |
  • Michael McRae, PhD (Dentistry) |
  • Igor Muravchik (Stern '10) |

Website

portabledx.com

Participated in

CARA Systems is dedicated to pioneering a transformative innovation in the field of medical science and engineering. Its dynamic risk assessment tool for intracranial aneurysms is guided by a well-structured three-year plan.

Founder(s)

  • Srushti Katore (Tandon '23)
  • Prithvinath Reddy Garigapuram (Tandon '23)

Website

carasystems.co

Social

Flection.ai is a digital platform featuring AI-powered therapeutic games. It’s an affordable and accessible solution for stroke patients to regain lost motor function and speech from the comfort of their homes.

Founder(s)

  • Alexandr Pak
  • Mukhtar Sadykov

Website

flection.ai

Participated in

Tell Me More

What You Can Expect

Learn by doing—without business-school pressure. Each session blends practical instruction, expert perspectives, hands-on application, and community-building. Throughout the 11 weeks, you can expect:

  • 01 Weekly Interactive learning: Sixty to seventy-five minutes of practical content, demonstrations, panels, and guided exercises.
  • 02 Translation Lab: Apply each week’s concepts directly to your research and build a recommended translation pathway.
  • 03 Community & networking: Each week you’ll spend 45 minutes networking with peers and alumni across campus, over food and refreshments.
  • 04 Minimal “homework”: Short readings or videos, plus focused customer-discovery interviews during the challenge phase.
  • 05 No idea required: Enter with curiosity. Research pathways and interdisciplinary project teams can form during the program.
  • 06 Impact Showcase: Conclude with a friendly presentation to mentors and PIs, followed by feedback and next-step referrals.

This is a non-curricular program (no academic credit will be awarded) but each participant who completes the 11 week program will receive an official certificate of completion. 

Curriculum

Explore the P2I (tentative) curriculum to learn more about how you’ll spend your time in the program. Each session will encompass a ~75min workshop/panel + ~45min of socializing over food and drinks. 

  • Week 1: Sep. 30 Orientation & Mixer: Program roadmap, “Plan A” expectations, cohort connection, and the research-to-impact framing
  • Week 2: Oct. 7 The Impact Mindset: Shift from “basic scientist” to impact-driven researcher and explore commercialization pathways and timelines.
  • Week 3: Oct. 14 Business Models for Research Translation & Sustainability: Connect discovery data to a value proposition and understand how a research insight can become a sustainable solution.
  • Week 4: Oct. 21 Customer Discovery 101 & Challenge Launch: Apply the scientific method to market needs through stakeholder interviews, market dynamics, and competitive context.
  • Week 5: Oct. 28 NYU Success Panel: Hear real-world case studies from NYU PhDs and postdocs who translated their research.
  • Week 6: Nov. 4 Intellectual Property (IP): Understand patents, invention disclosure, ownership, NYU’s Technology Opportunities & Ventures office, and how IP can create value.
  • Week 7: Nov. 11 Legal 101: Demystify entity formation, contracts, conflicts of interest, and foundational regulatory considerations.
  • Week 8: Nov. 18 Project Workshop & Review: Use discovery evidence to refine the problem statement, solution, and value proposition.
  • Week 9: Nov. 25 Funding Landscape [Either via Zoom or May be rescheduled due to Thanksgiving]: Understand SBIR/STTR, venture capital, angel investment, and how funding choices align with a translation pathway.
  • Week 10: Dec. 2 The Narrative: Pitching Impact: Translate technical complexity into a compelling, accessible story and prepare the final pitch.
  • Week 11: Dec. 9 Impact Showcase, Finale & Next Steps: Present a final poster and presentation to a friendly panel of mentors and your PIs, and learn about next steps after P2I.
Who is P2I For?

NYU researchers who are curious about impact beyond publications. This includes those based in NYC including:

  • STEM PhD students, especially in years 3–6, from any NYU school
  • Postdoctoral researchers across NYU
  • PhD students in quantitative social sciences or digital humanities
Selection Criteria
  • Must be interested in learning how to commercialize your research (though not committed to doing so)
  • Must be willing to commit the time to attend all weekly sessions on Wednesdays from 5-7pm between Sep 30–Dec 9 2026; Must have your PI’s approval to participate if this conflicts with research activities
  • No business or commercialization experience required
  • No specific invention you’re seeking to commercialize required
  • Space for this pilot program is limited; In the event this program is oversubscribed, applicants meeting the criteria will be selected on a first come, first served basis
Benefits

Build practical skills, confidence, and connections.

  • Understand how discoveries move from research to real-world use
  • Identify and articulate a value proposition and stakeholder need for a new technology/innovation
  • Learn key translational skills including customer discovery, IP management, legal and regulatory rules, business model and funding fundamentals
  • Connect with NYU alumni, founders, commercialization experts, and peers
  • Create a Translation Pathway presentation for an innovation you’re working on in the lab
  • Explore non-academic career pathways, especially those surrounding research commercialization
  • Receive a completion credential and a priority pathway to further NYU commercialization support
How to Apply
  • Apply here by September 16, at 6pm
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