Understanding Rowan’s Entrepreneurship and Innovation Ecosystem

At Rowan University, students, faculty, and staff are encouraged to develop ideas that lead to real-world impact. Whether your idea is sparked in a classroom, research lab, or community setting, Rowan offers several distinct pathways to help guide your next steps. This page outlines those pathways and introduces the university offices and resources that support each stage of the journey.

Your Path from Concept to Commercialization Starts Here

This is the central hub for understanding where your idea fits and how to move it forward.

Rowan Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship (RCIE)

For students, faculty, and staff with early-stage ideas or ventures

RCIE is the entry point for members of the Rowan community exploring innovation, launching ventures, or testing new ideas. RCIE supports students, faculty, and staff through programming (offering more than 125 opportunities annually), 1:1 mentorship, non-equity seed funding opportunities, access to RCIE's award-winning experiential learning labs, Studio 231 makerspace and Creatives 230, and more.

RCIE helps move ideas from concept to early-stage venture. If an idea includes patentable technology or other forms of protected intellectual property, RCIE coordinates with the Office of Technology Commercialization for appropriate next steps. RCIE also works closely with the Rowan Innovation Venture Fund (RIVF) when ideas are ready for the next stage of funding and formal investment.

Examples of RCIE-supported ideas:
Startups, service concepts, mobile apps, social ventures, creative products, or research-inspired business models.

Support includes:

• Early-stage idea testing and customer discovery

• Workshops, speaker series, and pitch coaching

• Non-equity seed funding and venture accelerator access (AccelerateRU)

• Mentorship from faculty, entrepreneurs-in-residence, and external advisors

• Hands-on support through Studio 231 and Creatives 230

• Integration into Rowan’s broader entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem

Contact: Jessica Vattima, Director | wolk@rowan.edu

Office of Technology Commercialization (Rowan Innovates)

Faculty and Research-Based Innovation

Faculty and staff whose work results in an invention or research-based discovery may work with Rowan Innovates to protect and evaluate the innovation and explore commercialization opportunities.

Examples of research-based ideas:
Patentable inventions, medical devices, novel software, biotechnology, engineering solutions.

Support includes:

• Invention disclosure and market assessment

• Intellectual property protection (including patents)

• Licensing and commercialization planning

• Support for startup creation based on university research

Contact: Neal Lemon, Associate Vice President | lemonna@rowan.edu

Rowan Innovation Venture Fund (RIVF)

Investment-Ready Ventures

For high-growth ventures with traction and potential for investment, the Rowan Innovation Venture Fund provides early-stage funding and strategic guidance. This fund is open to ventures affiliated with Rowan that are past the idea stage and prepared for growth.

Examples of investment-ready ventures:
Validated startups with early revenue, scalable business models, and clear go-to-market plans.

Support includes:

• Intake and venture screening process

• Due diligence and Board of Managers approval

• Direct investment and portfolio company onboarding

• Connection to follow-on capital and strategic resources

Contact: Ernest Holtzheimer, Managing Director | holtzheimer@rowan.edu

A Collaborative Ecosystem

All three entities - RCIE, Rowan Innovates, and RIVF - are part of a unified entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem at Rowan. As ideas move from concept to commercialization, collaboration among these offices ensures continuity of support across stages. Ventures may also receive additional support from partners such as Garden State Venture Partners, which offers access to capital, corporate connectivity, go-to-market expertise, and later-stage venture support.

Not Sure Where to Start?

If you are unsure which path applies to you, reach out to any of the contacts listed above. Our teams work closely together to ensure each idea receives the support it needs to move forward.