Curious about how new ideas make it to the market? Are you interested in working on a team of students to analyze a new product, innovation, or idea in development in medicine or health care? Apply for Innovation Scholars! 

Innovation Scholars programming provides outstanding liberal arts students from Minnesota’s private colleges and universities the unique opportunity to engage in the business development processes of new medical innovations in real time. Programs broaden interdisciplinary learning opportunities by exploring innovations at the intersection of science, business, medicine and entrepreneurship. Multidisciplinary teams of four undergraduate students led by MBA student team leaders work in a hybrid format (mix of virtual and in-person) to complete team projects identified by Mayo Clinic and early-stage medical companies focusing on challenges associated with commercialization of innovations, products, and ideas. Teams present their findings in the form of business plans, presentations, or specific deliverables requested by participating start-up medical companies or Mayo Clinic.

Innovation Scholars will be comprised of teams of four students, working on projects originating from Mayo Clinic and early-stage medical companies. All participating students, faculty and staff will sign a common Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) to protect the intellectual property of their assigned medical company or Mayo Clinic.

Once our team is selected, students receive an overview of their assigned program, review roles, responsibilities, best practices, and meet with their team as well as their Mayo project manager or Company contact at Orientation in late October. Teamwork will occur between October and March with all projects to be completed by early March for formal presentations to Mayo project manager and inventors/company contacts and leadership.