The Impact of Strong Researcher–Industry Engagement: One Lab’s Success with a Customized Version of Commercialization Catalyst [Case Study]
Featuring my conversation with Jennifer Caldwell and Susan Ochs on The Transfer Files hosted by Andrea Nelson.
Every research institution faces its own version of the commercialization challenge.
The technologies differ, the teams differ, and the organizational pressures differ.
But the underlying question is the same:
How do we prepare researchers to champion their work in a way that moves technologies from the lab into the world?
I built Commercialization Catalyst to answer that question.
For some organizations, the program works as delivered.
For others, a tailored version is the right fit.
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) chose the latter.
That is the story behind my recent conversation on The Transfer Files with host Andrea Nelson, along with Jennifer Caldwell, Director of Technology Transfer at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and Susan Ochs, Engagements Program Manager at ORNL.
In the episode, we walk through how ORNL recognized an engagement gap, why they invited me in, and how we collaboratively built a customized version of the Commercialization Catalyst program — now known locally as Catalyst.
You can listen to the full episode here:
Below is a deeper look behind the scenes of that collaboration.
The Turning Point: When the World Changed and the Strategy Had to Change With It
Before Catalyst existed, ORNL launched a commercialization engagement model called Safari—a program designed to bring entrepreneurs, investors, and industry partners into the lab to explore technologies.
The idea was straightforward: if people could see the science firsthand, they would better understand its potential.
It worked well until the world shifted.
As Jennifer shared on the podcast, the post-COVID environment fundamentally altered how external partners wanted to engage.
Travel slowed. Virtual interactions accelerated. Industry no longer needed or wanted lengthy onsite explorations when they could efficiently evaluate opportunities remotely.
In her words, “We found that the world had changed.”
And with that change came a new challenge.
If partners were not coming into the lab as frequently, the messages needed to go out — through virtual platforms, online meetings, national workshops, and conferences where researchers were speaking to rooms filled with non-experts.
Safari had been built for an “open the doors and let people explore” model.
Post-COVID, ORNL needed a “concise, clear, industry-ready outbound communication” model.
That shift exposed a core need:
Researchers needed to be able to explain their work quickly, clearly, and in the language industry speaks — without the benefit of a tour, a lab demo, or an hour-long conversation.
As Susan put it bluntly, their early attempts to address this transition “did not work.”
“Some of our initial engagements were a disaster. We weren’t speaking the right language. We needed help.”
The messaging was too technical, too detailed, and misaligned with what industry partners were scanning for in virtual or time-constrained settings.
This was the turning point — the moment ORNL recognized they needed more than logistics or formats. They needed a new capability altogether.
That recognition set the stage for developing Catalyst, the lab’s customized version of my Commercialization Catalyst program, purpose-built for this new era of communication, outreach, and external engagement.
Why ORNL Wanted a Customized Solution
The Commercialization Catalyst program has been delivered across corporate labs, universities, and startup accelerators. Its core structure works consistently.
But ORNL needed a version designed specifically for:
- their commercialization workflows
- their internal processes for handling external partners
- their entrepreneurial ecosystem
- their goal of linking Safari to other Department of Energy (DOE) commercialization pathways
This required more than a “copy and paste.”
My industry background — as a former Chief Innovation Officer, evaluator and investor of technologies, and leader of researchers — meant I understood both worlds: how technology is built and how industry makes decisions.
But the customization process was a collaboration.
As Jennifer noted on the podcast:
“She teaches researchers to focus on the elements that matter to industry. Without that, even strong communicators miss the sweet spot.”
Together we designed what became Catalyst — a program built on the structure of Commercialization Catalyst, but adapted for ORNL’s mission, researchers, and stakeholders.
This is exactly what my website describes:
Custom proposals developed based on team size and institutional goals.
Catalyst is the ORNL version of that system.
What We Built Together: A Tailored Version of the Commercialization Catalyst Program
Catalyst at ORNL includes the foundational pillars from my Commercialization Catalyst program, now formalized as the RAMP Method:
- Researcher Role — helping researchers understand their specific contribution to commercialization
- Audience Awareness — teaching them what industry, funders, and partners evaluate
- Messaging Mastery — transforming technical content into clear, relevant messaging
- Powerful Presentations — preparing them to deliver strong pitches and handle business questions
But ORNL’s version added several custom elements:
- Small, selective cohorts
- Group training and one-on-one coaching
- Customized tools aligned to ORNL’s commercialization pathways
- Participation from commercialization managers and other internal stakeholders
- A public capstone event to ensure accountability and visibility
As Susan shared in the episode:
“Excellence is idiosyncratic. Each researcher has a different voice, and Angelique helps bring that voice forward with clarity and passion.”
That individual coaching is where much of the transformation happens.
National Recognition: Multiple Awards Confirm the Impact of Catalyst
Catalyst’s design and impact did not go unnoticed.
In 2025, the Federal Laboratory Consortium — the national organization that supports tech transfer across all U.S. federal labs and the hosts of The Transfer Files podcast — awarded our collaboration with a Technology Transfer Innovation Award for developing this customized program.
The award recognized three key elements:
- The collaboration between ORNL and my firm to redesign the communication and engagement approach
- The program’s alignment with DOE commercialization priorities
- The measurable improvements in industry engagement, clarity, and confidence among participating researchers
That recognition was followed by two additional honors for ORNL collaborator Susan Ochs, who played a central role in the design and implementation of Catalyst.
At the 2025 Technology Transfer Working Group meeting in Washington, D.C., Susan received the Innovative Lab Technology Transfer Award for her leadership in developing and advancing the Catalyst Coaching Program.
Susan was also recognized with the Office of Technology Commercialization’s Director’s Choice Award, underscoring the strategic importance of early-stage commercialization support.
As Anthony Pugliese, Chief Commercialization Officer and Director of the Office of Technology Commercialization, noted:
“Commercialization is one of the most important ways we turn federal research into real-world impact. It’s how we strengthen our economy, support American industry, and ensure the Department’s work delivers for the American people. This kind of early-stage support—helping researchers build the skills, confidence, and connections to engage with the market—is essential to that mission. This award recognizes Susan’s leadership in making that happen through creativity, collaboration, and a deep commitment to public service.”
For ORNL, these awards affirmed that investing in a customized communication and engagement solution was not just timely — it was innovative.
For me, it underscored a belief I’ve held for years: when researchers learn to communicate value instead of just data, everything downstream accelerates.
What Changed: Three Cohorts, Three Clear Signals
Across three cohorts, the outcomes speak for themselves.
Cohort 1: A Researcher Who Turned Clarity into Real Impact
Clear communication and an industry focus led to a license, maturation funding, and technology in the marketplace.
“It put the train on the track.”
Cohort 2: A Team That Took Their Message to a National Audience
Once the radiopharmaceutical team galvanized their pitch, they hosted a major workshop that attracted big pharma and venture capital.
“That never would have happened before.”
Cohort 3: Quantum Researchers Who Sparked Broader Interest
By week eight, their message was crisp enough to present at a statewide quantum networking event — helping trigger serious consideration of future investment.
“It was crystal clear.”
These are not isolated wins. They represent what happens when communication becomes strategic rather than reactive.
Why This Story Matters Beyond ORNL
Every institution has its own culture, incentives, processes, and communication patterns. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to researcher engagement.
But the principles behind Commercialization Catalyst — and the customized version ORNL now calls Catalyst — are widely applicable:
- Researchers need clarity on their role.
- Industry needs messages that are aligned with how they make decisions.
- Tech transfer teams need support, not bottlenecks.
- Communication is not optional; it determines momentum.
This episode shines a light on all of that.
It shows what happens when a national lab invests in the engagement capabilities of its researchers.
It shows how a tailored program can bridge the gap between intention and impact.
And it shows what is possible when leaders are willing to be reflective, honest, and strategic.
Listen to the Episode
You can hear the full discussion here:
When ORNL recognized that the world had changed and their researchers needed new industry engagement capabilities, the first step was clarity — a clear understanding of their pain points, opportunities, and institutional goals.
If you’re seeing similar gaps in how your researchers engage with industry or in how your partners prefer to connect, the Commercialization Catalyst Assessment can help you pinpoint where the opportunities are and what support would make the biggest difference.
It’s a short, structured conversation designed to help you evaluate whether an off-the-shelf or a customized version of the program could fit your environment.
In this 30-minute session, we will:
- Map your Researcher Activation levels across all four RAMP pillars.
- Identify your strengths and opportunities.
- Generate a tailored action plan.
Because Great Research Deserves Greater Impact.