PURDUE INNOVATES COMMERCIALIZATION FELLOWSHIP
Research into real world impact
Led by Purdue Innovates with support from Purdue University colleges, the Commercialization Fellowship provides recent PhD graduates and postdoctoral researchers an opportunity to advance commercialization of Purdue-owned intellectual property through startups or licensing to industry.
2026 commercialization fellows
Saloni Darji
College of Science
Darji is conducting research about layer-by-layer elastin-like polypeptide nucleic acid nanoparticle (LENN) for targeted delivery of genetic material to cancer cells.
Sunandita Ghosh
College of Agriculture
Ghosh is developing clear, high-protein beverages through protein modification which doesn’t rely on adding stabilizers or other ingredients.
Teodora Kljaic
College of Pharmacy
Kljaic is developing a fast screening technology that helps identify the most promising drug candidates early in discovery.
Pranshul Sardana
College of Engineering
Sardana’s technology accelerates data annotation, making it easier to prepare large, complex image and video datasets for machine learning models.
I’m a food scientist, so I always kept in mind that my research will have a potential application, so I’m excited to join this program and learn more about what it really requires to bring a technology out of the lab and convert it into a real-world product.
Sunandita Ghosh
College of Agriculture
My motivation to pursue higher education has not been academia focused, but more driven towards translational science. I have always loved the idea of making an impact with whatever knowledge I acquire and to do the work that within my lifetime could truly help people.
Teodora Kljaic
College of Pharmacy
about the commercialization fellowship
Led by Purdue Innovates with support from Purdue University colleges, the Commercialization Fellowship provides recent PhD graduates and postdoctoral researchers an opportunity to advance commercialization of Purdue-owned intellectual property through startups or licensing to industry.
Alongside faculty inventors, each fellow will work towards a ready-to-license technology or a defined pathway to a startup company. Their work is based on intellectual property already disclosed to the Purdue Innovates Office of Technology Commercialization, which operates one of the most comprehensive technology transfer programs among leading research universities in the U.S.
Please reach out to MRDressler@prf.org with any additional questions about the Commercialization Fellowship program.
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The Commercialization Fellowship funds a full-time position within the student’s college as a Postdoctoral Entrepreneur plus fringe benefits for one year to explore commercialization of intellectual property that has been disclosed to Purdue Innovates Office of Technology Commercialization.
Entrepreneurial training will be provided by Purdue Innovates using existing programs as well as bespoke mentoring from EIRs, Purdue Innovates staff, and the broader Purdue ecosystem. The expected output is a ready-to-license technology or a defined pathway to a startup company.
Fellows must be graduating PhD students or postdoctoral researchers advancing a technology that has been disclosed to OTC. Candidates must also have a demonstrated engagement in commercialization activities related to their research.
Proposals will be selected based on the technology value proposition and commercial potential as well as the candidate’s technical capabilities, leadership behaviors, and commitment to commercialization.
Please reach out to MRDressler@prf.org with any additional questions about the Commercialization Fellowship program.