The IDEA Center at the University of Notre Dame

At the University of Notre Dame, community and global impact go hand in hand. 🌍 As President Rev. Robert A. Dowd, C.S.C said of the surrounding community, “We share a future.” Within the region — consisting of St. Joseph, Elkhart, and Marshall counties — Notre Dame’s annual economic impact is $3.3 billion. Key initiatives, from cutting-edge research and discovery to athletics visitor spending, contribute to outcomes like that. But at the center of the metric lies integral partnerships with community leaders who believe in the same unifying goal: a safer, healthier, more sustainable, and more equitable world. Learn more about research impacts, downtown transformation, educational opportunities, and more in Notre Dame's 2024 Economic Impact Report: https://lnkd.in/gmYxGTTQ

From ideas to innovation 💡 The TayCo Brace — an ankle brace that attaches to the outside of a cleat — is drawing customers and attention nationwide. ABC commentators even called out the gear during a recent broadcast, during which the Texas Longhorns quarterback donned one. He's in good company, as these braces are now used by twenty three NFL teams and over 80 college athletics programs. When longtime associate athletic trainer Mike Bean and collaborators brought this novel concept to The IDEA Center at the University of Notre Dame years ago, our team jumped into action — helping with the patent filing process, business structure, and more. A new clip from the ABC broadcast shows the outcomes that TayCo Brace makes possible for players: https://lnkd.in/es6jaB38

We're excited to share that the University of Notre Dame, and in particular the ESTEEM Graduate Program, has been ranked #14 on the Top 50 Graduate Entrepreneurship Programs list by The Princeton Review. This is the third year in a row that Notre Dame & the ESTEEM Program has been ranked among the Top 50. We would like to congratulate all our amazing students, faculty, staff, and alumni who continue to make our entrepreneurial ecosystem flourish. 📰 Read the Full Story Here: https://lnkd.in/gutzVA7y

Register for the IDEA Center's last Innovation Rally of the year. Keynote speaker Annie Voutsos will discuss her company, Iris Hall, which develops software that enhances event venues with photorealistic 3D visualizations. Register here: https://bit.ly/4fgtDXY 📆 Friday, November 8th 📍 IDEA Center, 1400 E. Angela Blvd, South Bend, IN 🕧 12:00 pm EST

Join us for the final Innovation Rally of the year at the IDEA Center on Friday, November 8th at 12:00 PM! We’ll hear from ND alumnae Annie Voutsos, who will present her company Iris Hall, a software that enhances event venues with photorealistic 3D visualizations. We'll also honor the first-ever Amy Hirsh Guarino Force for Good Award, celebrating someone who embodies the University’s values of hard work, innovation, and community service. Don't miss it and register today! Register here: https://bit.ly/4fgtDXY

When the Notre Dame football team takes the field, the famous gold helmets and pads aren’t the only protective gear players don. Mike Bean, a longtime associate athletic trainer for the football team, developed the TayCo athletic brace as an over-the-shoe ankle support that an be custom-fitted to the shape of an individual athlete’s cleat. The brace is now used by 23 NFL teams and more than 80 college athletics programs: https://go.nd.edu/fd656c

Each year, the The IDEA Center at the University of Notre Dame receives hundreds of pitches for new business concepts and works with these campus entrepreneurs to further explore, refine and launch their ideas. Years ago, Mike Bean, a longtime associate athletic trainer for the football team, shared a novel concept: an ankle brace that would attach to the outside of a cleat. After collaborating with South Bend-based companies on the design, Bean and others were ready to expand the commercial impact of this research idea. The IDEA Center saw the group through the patent filing process, and helped the founders to find investors, structure the business, and build a board of directors. Now, these TayCo braces are used by 23 NFL teams and more than 80 college athletics programs. Learn more about this journey to entrepreneurship, and the outcomes that have followed, in Notre Dame Magazine: https://lnkd.in/eAsDjuW5

Have you registered for tomorrow's Innovation Rally? Don’t miss out—secure your spot using the link below! We’re excited to welcome Kalli Devaraj as our keynote speaker. Register and learn more about the event here: https://bit.ly/3Nd3eym

This Friday, Abbio XR will pitch at Innovation Rally. Join us to hear Notre Dame alumnus Seth Flatt discuss Abbio XR, a startup focused on extended-release peptide therapeutics. With roots in Dr. Webber’s diabetes research, Abbio XR aims to enhance compliance and reduce side effects of GLP-1 receptor agonist therapies. Their platform technology will allow medications like semaglutide (Ozempic®) and tirzepatide to be administered every three months instead of weekly. Register here: https://bit.ly/3Nd3eym 📆 Friday, Oct. 11 🕛 12 - 1:30 pm 📍 Innovation Park (IDEA Center) 1400 E. Angela Blvd, South Bend, IN

Join us this Friday at Innovation Rally as we welcome Kalyani Devaraj, founder of Carex Ventures! Kalli will share her journey, covering her startup’s beginnings, growth, and successful exit, inspiring entrepreneurs ready to embark on their own paths. Mark your calendars and register here: https://bit.ly/3Nd3eym