About Us
MedBlue Incubator was founded by the departments of Surgery, Pathology, Anesthesiology, Medicine, Neurosurgery and Orthopedics in 2013 to identify promising new science and technology from the Duke University Medical Center and Duke University. We are a for-profit C corporation operating as a business incubator.
As a university-focused incubator, our goal is to identify and assist in the development of promising ideas, discoveries, innovations and technologies from the faculty that have commercial potential. We know that obtaining research & development funding is challenging, so we offer an innovative approach to recognizing, prioritizing and advancing those opportunities with the potential to reach a liquidity event.
MedBlue works seamlessly with Duke University and the Duke University Office of Translation & Commercialization (OTC) to identify promising ideas and intellectual property coupled with advice and counsel on company formation. Upon company formation, MedBlue can invest and provide guidance on company development to advance toward potential partnerships and/or commercialization. While focused on the affiliated departments, MedBlue will evaluate science and technology that impacts human health originating across Duke University, Duke University Medical Center, and Pratt School of Engineering.
Our advice and expertise can assist with answering the questions all entrepreneurs face, such as:
What is the optimal strategy for protecting the intellectual property?
What technical work should be considered to advance and complete the current research & development to progress to a stage where additional funding or a liquidity event is feasible?
What are the potential sources of funding to advance the research & development and company development, such as additional university-related funding sources, governmental funding, contributions from related foundations, or investment funding from the private sector?
Our Services for Duke University
The morning sun glows on the Duke Cancer Center and Duke Medicine Pavilion campus.
MedBlue Incubator provides professional services to the entrepreneurs and companies, assisting with:
Initial seed funding
Early-stage business planning
Negotiation of IP licenses from OTC
Strategies for IP protection
Deal negotiations with other companies
Opportunities for corporate partnerships
Regulatory pathway strategies
General business management guidance & mentoring
We also have a strategic partnership with Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. to provide our participating companies with affordable office space and lab facilities at the Alexandria Center for Science, Technology and Agriculture, which is located at 6 Davis Drive in Research Triangle Park. This office space provides an entrepreneurial environment designed for accelerated business growth and development.