Resource spotlight: interview with Cynthia Reifsnider and Patrick Kastian of Innovate Carolina

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May 26, 2020
By Hallie French, Innovate Carolina

Tell us about yourself, your background, how long you’ve been with the team.

Cynthia Reifsnider leads the Research & Impact Team for Innovate Carolina and for the UNC Office of Technology Commercialization. She oversees the patent landscaping, market and funding opportunities research service, for which she is the lead patent researcher, and assists researchers and entrepreneurs in technology and business development/roadmapping. Cindy also manages the Innovate Carolina impact/metrics platform of databases, analytics and visualization. Cindy has broad subject matter expertise across business and sciences. She is knowledgeable in multiple types of information research and analysis, including patents, scientific/technical literature, business and markets. Cindy holds a master’s degree in information science from UNC-Chapel Hill and a bachelor’s degree in meteorology from UNC-Asheville. Previously, Cindy worked at the Frank Hawkins Kenan Institute of Private Enterprise, Hewlett-Packard, and Virginia Tech University (working with Virginia’s Center for Innovative Technology).

Patrick Kastian joined the UNC and Innovate Carolina in 2017. As a research analyst on the Research & Impact team, he specializes in market and competitive research and analysis, consulting with startups, faculty, staff and students. He also leads grants/funding opportunities research. Prior to joining UNC-Chapel Hill, Patrick worked for the German American Chamber of Commerce in San Francisco for five years, where he performed market research, lead generation and related tasks. He worked closely with clients on projects in consumer products, renewable energy, software and aerospace. Patrick holds a Bachelor of Arts in marketing and business administration from the University of Applied Sciences in Bremen, Germany and a Bachelor of Science in International Business Administration from UNC-Wilmington.

Tell us more about the work you do and how it can be a resource to startups, provide an overview of the program.  

The Market Landscape Research Service, available to current UNC-Chapel Hill faculty, staff, and students at no cost, helps clients assess their technology, the marketplace as well as potential investment funding. The service offers custom analytical reports that provide a strategic view of the competitive landscape, current and projected market conditions, as well as opportunities for grants and funding to complete research, launch new products, services, and ventures, or expand into new markets. Projects can start at any time.

Why should startups seek out your program and how does it help grow their business?

Do you wonder if you have the next great invention? Is it novel? Who would buy it as a product or a service? What funding opportunities exist to help get your invention from lab to market?

We consult on projects in partnership with individuals, other UNC I&E programs and startup teams. We use research methods and tools such as:

  • Market & Industry Research
  • Competitive Landscaping, including identification of potential partners for research, funding, licensing
  • Patent Landscaping
  • Startup Methodologies and Tools (e.g. Lean Startup/Canvas, Business Model Canvas)
  • Grant/Funding Opportunities
  • Survey Consulting for Customer Insights/Discovery
  • Technical Roadmap Development Advising for Ideation and Translational Research

How should a startup contact you to engage your services?

Contact us at any time. We have broad expertise that to engage at any point in the idea-to-commercialization process and can connect you with other UNC and external support services as needed. Do you need to pivot based on emerging circumstances? We can help with that, too.

Any success stories you would like to share?

We recently collaborated with a startup that is commercializing a consumer product that is “more sustainable” and “greener” than current alternatives on the market. Our client was well versed in the technical and scientific benefits of their product but had not yet determined how to communicate those benefits effectively to consumers. We analyzed market and customer data to derive invaluable analysis about the attitudes, beliefs and purchasing behaviors of consumers in our client’s industry. The client now uses our report as a guide in the development of their overall marketing and pricing strategy.

Clients tell us that we’ve helped them make decisions about patent strategy and where to file, create technology development roadmaps aligned with available resources, identify new funding opportunities, connect with development partners and craft business development plans.

Any helpful tips for startups from your field of expertise?

Market research is an integral and continuous part of the startup process. Don’t just assume you chose the right market for your product/service or that you know who your ideal customer is. Be flexible and examine the customer and competitive environments to find your unique product/service niche. A small pivot can have a big positive impact on your startup’s success.

Anything else we should know about you or your team?

We look forward to collaborating with you.