The Lyles Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship announced Innovate Fresno State, a new program focused on finding, developing and funding community ventures. The initiative launched on June 1.

In its first year, Innovate Fresno State will coach three prototype teams with the goal of bringing their creations to market and being profitable. Innovate Fresno State is currently looking for one more team to participate in this program.

Working with Fresno State’s Small Business Development Center, the Lyles Center created a commercialization ecosystem of academic, government and private-industry stakeholders to work with the three teams on developing their venture.

“Innovate Fresno State is designed to provide ventures that have a product, legal business structure and intellectual property, with a team of coaches and project specialists to increase their opportunity to be successful in the marketplace,” said Jeff Macon, technology commercialization program manager at the Lyles Center and director of the development center. “Innovate Fresno State will achieve that by helping qualified ventures with product, marketing, financial and leadership components.”

The Lyles Center will provide participants with program leadership, as well as a connection to private industry and the University. By linking ventures with potential funding, the program will benefit startups and help grow existing businesses.

Innovate Fresno State will also create a commercialization certification program for coaches and project specialists.

For more information, or to find out how to participate, contact Jeff Macon 559.278.3763 or jeffmacon@csufresno.edu.