No turning back

It would seem my course is set. I met this morning for over an hour with the director of a center for technology and innovation, sponsored as a regional hub by one of the local colleges. He invited to join us a professor of science and technology entrepreneurship from another local college.

It was freeing to spout off (assured of confidentiality) about my research, and its applications. We set out a plan of action for moving forward. They've projected confidence in my work, and a commitment to helping me make it successful. As the professor put it this afternoon:

Your work sounds really interesting....We'll just have to see how to make it commercially successful! I'm sure we'll be talking more.

Yesterday, I spoke with the regional coordinator for the statewide entrepreneurs' network. He was encouraging and supportive. Among other things, he mentioned a state grant program to assist with a substantial portion of expenses involved in preparing the federal grant proposals, urging me to apply. This morning, there was an email from him saying:

...I passed your name on to a person at [corporation] who may need your expertise as a consultant for some product development they are doing...

Um, yeah, sure, great. I called up that referral this afternoon, and spent more than a half hour with him talking about research and applications. I sent him my CV, and he promised to send it around, and talk up possibilities with others there.

I'm on a path to file some provisional patents, and prepare some federal grant applications, in the next couple weeks. This afternoon, I filed paperwork with the state creating a limited liability corporation for this venture.

This is the world that has been waiting for me outside that door. It looks pretty good from here.