About CAI

We are a catalyst to maximize the potential of publicly-funded breakthrough technologies that benefit society.

Our Company

The Center for Advancing Innovation

The Center for Advancing Innovation (CAI) is a 501c3 non-profit with a mission to:

 

● Accelerate and increase the volume of technology commercialization to make valuable research assets available for the world

● Create new companies, generate knowledge-based jobs​​ and boost underserved ecosystems to make positive economic impact

● Find and nurture entrepreneurs through “business of science” training from subject matter experts to ignite entrepreneurship

Meet Our Team

Our core team includes nationally-recognized innovation strategy consultants, scientific consultants, market strategy consultants, technology transfer experts and a general counsel.

We also have an extraordinary team of global advisors from leading organizations. A key differentiator in our approach is that we nurture local talent by leveraging the talent pool of university students and those currently under-employed in need of additional training.

Rosemarie Truman

Founder and CEO

Rosemarie Truman is an entrepreneur, growth strategist, distinguished corporate executive, angel investor and prolific startup catalyst. Currently, Rosemarie is the Founder and CEO of the Center for Advancing Innovation (CAI), a 501c3 non-profit which has been coined “Tinder for Startups” and “Shark Tank on Steroids.” CAI’s mission is to identify breakthrough inventions and maximize their commercial potential.

Under Rosemarie’s leadership, CAI has earned numerous awards and recognition from Health and Human Services, the White House, the Federal Laboratory Consortium and more. CAI has also been featured in the Washington Post, Wired, Huffington Post, Nature, and several other publications.

Rosemarie’s specialty is growth and investment strategy, having led growth strategies for 50 of the global Fortune 100 companies in over 15 countries. The strategies that Rosemarie led have resulted in $300+ billion in “net new” top line yearly revenue and 190+ new products on the market.

At 19 years old, Rosemarie started her career as the first analyst hired by Goldman Sachs on the listed stock desk. Prior to launching her own firm, Rosemarie launched and led IBM’s Innovation strategy practice globally. At IBM, she was awarded IBM’s most laudable honor, the Golden Circle Award. In addition, she has also held notable leadership roles at Booz Allen Hamilton, Oracle, PRTM, and Marsh & McLennan, where she served as VP of global strategy for the largest brokerage firm in the world. Rosemarie’s core competencies are in leadership, strategy consulting, investment banking and entrepreneurship.

In her spare time, Rosemarie writes for Forbes and sits on company boards.

Education:
  • Triple Major: Mathematics + Industrial Engineering Operations Research + Economics
  • Double Minor: French + Comparative Literature
  • Theses: Econometrics + Software Engineering – Cloud Computing
  • Mini MBA: Harvard and INSEAD

 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/rosemarietruman/

Chief Innovation Officer

Cody J. Locke

PhD, Chief Innovation Officer

Board

Nick Donofrio

Former EVP of Innovation and Technology, IBM

Reginald Seeto

MD, Former President & CEO, CareDx, Inc.

Gil Price

MD, Former President & CEO, NeuroBo Pharmaceuticals

Advisors

Aenor Sawyer

MD, Director, University of California (UC) Space Health Program

Leonard Braverman

Vice Chairman, Army Science Board, US Army

Thomas H. Brown

Former National Deputy Program Director, Federal Laboratory Consortium

Differentiators

CAI’s Differentiators

  1. FLEXIBLE, CONFIGURABLE IMPACT ARCHITECTURE: Startups can be created in and/or sourced from ANY geographic region; around ANY topic; can be financed in ANY manner (grants, social impact investments, etc.)
  2. RELATIONSHIPS: CAI is the only organization that has the relationships allowing unique access to 170,000+ inventions across 150+ organizations with startup-friendly terms. Other organizations have tried and failed. CAI has also built an Ambassador program in 55 different ecosystems to gain access to strong entrepreneurial talent, accelerators, capital, etc. CAI also built relationships with 700+ world-class mentors and advisors. Rosemarie Truman, CEO of CAI, and Nick Donofrio, CAI’s Chairman, have enormous networks of companies, investors, accelerators, etc. to gain access to leadership teams, capital and other resources teams need. Examples include: IBM, VW, BP, GM, Ford, etc. Rosemarie ran growth strategies for 50 of the top 100 companies in the world
  3. PROVEN, SCALABLE, TURNKEY APPROACH: CAI has more than doubled the number of startups launched each year from its inception. 30%+ of CAI’s startups are high-quality and best-in-class, having the world’s best accolades in fundraising, leadership, startup competitions and accelerator attendance
  4. EVERGREEN: With a long-term strategic plan and dedicated fund over 7 years, funding is provided one time and would run CAI in perpetuity given outsized returns
  5. DUE DILIGENCE: CAI identifies the best, most commercially viable inventions through rigorous trade-secret due diligence models cultivated by Rosemarie Truman over the last 26 years; final due diligence is performed by CAI’s selection committee which is formed from super angels, head of venture in large companies, leaders of the top VC firms in the world and more
  6. STRONG STARTUP TEAMS: CAI is the world’s largest platform for sourcing and training entrepreneurs. It is the only platform that BUILDs multidisciplinary, diverse, inclusive startups and connects them with world-class mentors. CAI’s startups consistently win 25-70% of the world’s largest startup competitions
  7. REDUCED RISK: CAI radically lowers investor risk by creating startups from seasoned teams and mentors as well as providing them WORKING inventions with startup friendly terms, resulting in a high probability of success
  8. MULTIPLIER EFFECT: With the equivalent funding traditionally allocated to one inventor with one plan to advance one invention, CAI advances 10-20X inventions with 50+ entrepreneurs for each invention. CAI and judges get to select the best team(s) and business plans to launch startups around an invention
  9. EDUCATION AND MENTORSHIP: CAI provides the most rigorous accelerator program, 8 months of 40 classes versus the norm of 14 classes; training is hands-on with company building exercises. CAI is a life-changing experience for challenge-accelerator participants
  10. LOWER BARRIERS TO PARTICIPATION IN EDUCATION AND LAUNCHING A STARTUP: CAI’s challenge-accelerator program is virtual, which allows startup teams to be formed from underserved ecosystems. CAI lowers the barriers to enter win given flexible hours of providing training, mentoring and participating in “hot seats” (pitch practice). As a result, CAI’s startup founders include 500% more minorities than the national average; they are on track to create 3500+ jobs

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