Formal licensing of Brown’s intellectual property is not the only way in which Brown’s intellectual capital is invested in the creation of new products and services, new businesses and new jobs. Faculty members, staff, alumni and even students also use the knowledge and skills they have acquired at Brown (and elsewhere) to launch new ventures in a wide range of industries. For example:
- Shape Up RI, founded in 2006 by a student at the Alpert Medical School, promotes exercise and weight loss through team competitions and peer support.
- Truth Box Inc and Stack Design Build, founded by Brown alumni in 2001 and 2008 respectively, have developed a project in Providence called The Box Office — 12,000 square feet of attractive new office space for small companies that is constructed out of recycled shipping containers.
- NuLabel Technologies, started in 2009, has created an “eco-friendly” form of adhesive label that does not require a liner. The venture was started as a senior-year project by four students in Brown’s Business, Entrepreneurship and Education (BEO) program. As of the summer of 2011, the company had attracted $4 million in private investments.
- Accelereach, founded in 2009 by two graduates of Brown’s PRIME program, has developed web-based software that flexibly combines e-mail, voice-mail and text messaging functions to support communications between health professionals and their patients.
- CytoSolv Inc, founded in 2009 by two medical researchers at Brown, has developed a new treatment that accelerates healing of wounds.
- Axena Technologies was founded in 2010 by three graduates of the PRIME program. The company has developed an anti-microbial coating that can be applied to a wide range of medical and health care products to reduce health care-related infections.
- Tivorsan Pharmaceuticals, founded in 2010 by a Brown faculty member, is developing new protein-based treatments for serious neuromuscular disorders, including muscular dystrophy.
Table 8 lists selected examples of companies started by Brown faculty, staff, graduates or students that are currently doing business in Rhode Island — most of them in Providence. While not a complete inventory of all of the companies in Rhode Island with “Brown DNA,” it illustrates the wide range of companies that are connected to the University. Together these 25 companies employ more than 450 people.
Table 8: Selected Rhode Island companies started by Brown alumni,
faculty and staff or based on Brown technology
|
Company |
City |
Relationship to Brown |
Year founded |
Employees |
|
Bay Computer Assoc |
Cranston |
Brown alumnus CEO |
1981 |
24 |
|
Andera |
Providence |
Founded by Brown alumnus |
1996 |
85 |
|
EpiVax |
Providence |
Brown faculty founder, licensed Brown technology |
1998 |
15 |
|
Neurotech USA |
Lincoln |
Technology licensed from Brown |
2000 |
28 |
|
ProThera Biologics |
E. Providence |
Brown faculty founder |
2001 |
5 |
|
The Steel Yard |
Providence |
Founded by Brown and RISD students |
2001 |
6 |
|
Truth Box, Inc |
Providence |
Founded by Brown alumnus |
2002 |
1 |
|
NABsys |
Providence |
Brown faculty founder, licensed Brown technology |
2004 |
47 |
|
Bio-Tree Systems |
Providence |
Technology licensed from Brown |
2004 |
6 |
|
Tizra |
Providence |
Brown faculty founder |
2005 |
10 |
|
Narragansett Brewing Company |
Providence |
Founded by Brown alumnus |
2006 |
69 |
|
Shape Up RI |
Providence |
Founded by Brown student |
2006 |
41 |
|
Greenbytes, Inc |
Ashaway |
Founded by former Brown graduate student |
2007 |
30 |
|
Stack Design Build |
Providence |
Founded by Brown alumnus |
2008 |
14 |
|
NuLabel Technologies |
Providence |
Founded by Brown alumni |
2009 |
13 |
|
CytoSolv, Inc |
Providence |
Founded by Brown researchers |
2009 |
3 |
|
Accelereach Technologies |
Providence |
Founded by Brown alumni |
2009 |
3 |
|
Dynadec |
Providence |
Brown faculty founder, licensed Brown technology |
2009 |
5 |
|
Axena Technologies |
Providence |
Founded by Brown alumni |
2010 |
3 |
|
Bandit Consulting |
Providence |
Founded by Brown alumna |
2010 |
1 |
|
Tivorsan Pharmaceuticals |
Providence |
Brown faculty founder |
2010 |
6 |
|
G-Form |
Providence |
Founded by a Brown alumnus and adjunct faculty member |
2010 |
35 |
|
Care Thread |
Providence |
Founded by Brown alumnus |
2011 |
4 |
|
Fanium |
Providence |
Founded by Brown alumnus |
2011 |
3 |
|
Premama |
Providence |
Founded by Brown students |
2011 |
2 |