Established in 2014, the Ratcliffe Environment Entrepreneur Fellow (REEF) program is part of the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (UMCES) Institute of Marine & Environmental Technology (IMET).
IMET’s Ratcliffe Environmental Entrepreneur Fellow (REEF) Program is a seven-month entrepreneurial training program for IMET graduate students. We function as an entrepreneurship “bootcamp” designed to bridge the gap between scientific research and commercial innovation. Through monthly sessions, participants learn foundational business skills such as intellectual property management, market analysis, financing, and effective communication, often bringing in co-instructors with expertise in law, finance, and market research. Students build business plans around their scientific ideas, apply their research and find solutions to real-world problems.
REEF alumni have used their skills to start businesses, lead within established companies, develop environmental policy in federal agencies, and advance research in an academic setting.
Program Elements:
Intellectual Property and Idea Protection
Market Analysis and Customer Understanding
Funding and Financing
Pitching and Communication
Business Planning
