Lens of the Market

From Research to Real-World Impact: Lens of the Market® at IU

Coming to IU August 2026, Lens of the Market® is a commercialization training program for STEM graduate student and postdoctoral researchers. Through a carefully structured curriculum created by industry experts, participants learn how to do their own market analysis to inform and strengthen scientific research and translate complex discoveries into scalable commercial solutions.

This program develops "T-shaped professionals"—researchers with deep technical expertise paired with the broader skills in commercialization which are highly sought after by employers and investors. Through a semester-long sequenced training program, researchers will:

  • Define real-world problems that lab-based research can address
  • Test competing market value propositions, learn how to conduct market research, and evaluate solutions
  • Gain applied experience that will stand out in job interviews

Bridge the gap between the lab and the market.

Program Timeline

Summer - Fall 2026
StageDateFormatOutcome(s)
Pre-ProgramMay 2026 - July 2026Individual OutreachFaculty are recruited to develop the research platforms that will guide student and postdoc research teams. Advanced graduate student and postdoctoral researchers are recruited to form teams of 3-5.
Stage 1August 13 - August 14IN-PERSON REQUIRED. Two half-day workshops.Research teams receive a rapid introduction to the vocabulary, skills, tools, and road map needed to successfully translate research into market aligned hard tech innovations.
Stage 2a - KickoffAugust 31 - September 2IN-PERSON REQUIRED. Two full-days (August 31-September 1) and one half-day (September 2).Research teams learn how to build a business case based on market validation for their innovation and define a minimum viable product.
Stage 2a - Work PeriodFall 2026Remote/HybridResearch teams receive additional facilitated, modular training and regular check-ins with conduct rigorous market segmentation, perform product-market gap analysis, and develop actional R&D plans that meet market requirements.

Contact

Questions? Reach out to Maria Aarstad (mlatham@iu.edu).

 

Grads/Postdocs:

Application coming soon!

Faculty:

Learn more