Proposal deck

Make ASU’s IP inventory feel like a modern marketplace — and convert it into buildable ventures.

This is not “another portal.” Arns is a conversion + orchestration layer that sits on top of any existing IP database and turns each record into a governance-aware execution object: disclosure-safe, persona-framed, and action-routable. Most commercialization fails because translation is treated as ad hoc writing, not a repeatable system. Arns treats translation as infrastructure: standardized inputs, consistent outputs, pathway routing, stakeholder-specific framing, and measurable outcomes.

Five-step activation sequence

SmartCards are the portfolio’s “front door.” Blueprints are derived from the highest-signal SmartCards. The Path Navigator organizes the modular stack without crowding the story.

Step 0: Today’s reality
Step 1: Produce SmartCards
Step 2: Generate Blueprints
Step 3: Pick pathways
Open: OS Map
Open: Framing Thesis

What’s different about Arns

Category
  • Not a database: an engineered conversion layer on top of any portal (Tech Publisher, Inpart, Wellspring, Flintbox, etc.).
  • Not a chatbot: structured modules that output proof objects and next steps without “knowing what to ask.”
  • Not isolated listings: system-level bundling and orchestration that expands deal size and venture readiness.

How this stays disclosure-safe

Governance
  • Public preview vs. NDA depth: the interface is designed to withhold sensitive detail by default.
  • Versioning + approvals: TTO guardrails can gate modules, audiences, and CTA pathways.
  • Visual translation: “cinematic” clarity without revealing the secret sauce.

Core thesis (one sentence)

Most IP stays trapped because it’s presented as static records. Arns converts each record into a decision-ready, governed asset by combining: semantic indexing (match + bundle discovery), persona framing (stakeholder lenses), and routing logic (license / sponsor / build). Blueprints are then assembled from the measurable signal SmartCards produce.

  • Time-to-understanding: minutes, not weeks.
  • Routing: license / sponsor / build pathways by persona.
  • SmartCards recruit: the card “searches for its partners,” not the other way around.
  • Compounding: each card improves bundling, governance, and throughput portfolio-wide.
Today’s reality

Why current portals don’t convert (even the “best” ones)

Whether the interface is Tech Publisher, Inpart, AUTM catalogs, Flintbox, Wellspring, or a generic “AI search” layer, the underlying model is the same: static listings + contact links. That creates discovery, not action. Arns is the missing layer: translation as infrastructure — engineered conversion that routes stakeholders into motion.

What breaks in the status quo

Mechanics
  • Discovery ≠ comprehension: stakeholders find records but can’t simulate the system fast enough to commit.
  • Comprehension ≠ diligence: no structured proof objects, no agreed success criteria, no next-step artifacts.
  • Diligence ≠ motion: unclear routing (license vs sponsor vs spinout) and no persona-specific CTA.
  • Isolated assets: no bundling → no system-level offer → perceived deal size stays small.

What Arns changes

Outcome
  • SmartCards: each listing becomes a modern “front door” with narrative + routing + governance.
  • Execution interfaces: persona modules that produce next steps without “knowing what to ask.”
  • Blueprints: system-level venture packages derived from measurable SmartCard signal.
  • Modular pathways: TTO can adopt what it needs à la carte without changing the core engine.
SmartCards

Step 1: Produce SmartCards — crafted conversion assets for every ASU listing.

SmartCards are the portfolio’s new “front door” — but more importantly, they are portable artifacts. Each one is standardized, disclosure-safe, and instrumented to route stakeholders into the correct next step. Blueprints (Step 2) are produced only after SmartCards generate measurable signal (intent, routing outcomes, and bundling viability).

What a SmartCard contains

Core
  • Plain-language translation: what it is, why it matters, what it replaces.
  • Persona overlays: student builder, inventor/PI, venture studio, corporate sponsor, TTO operator.
  • Multi-path router: license / sponsor / build with the right artifact + CTA.
  • Bundling signal: what complements it to become a system-level play.
  • Disclosure controls: public preview vs NDA depth with governance rails.

Why SmartCards unlock everything

Impact
  • Speed: stakeholders interpret in minutes.
  • Conversion: “contact us” becomes structured next steps.
  • Scale: 1:1 mapping across the full inventory.
  • Signal: view → intent → action instrumentation creates blueprint triggers.
  • Recruiting: the SmartCard “searches for” partners, builders, and sponsors.

Multi-Pathway Router inside every SmartCard

Built-in

Same underlying IP. Different stakeholder lenses. Correct pathway. Correct proof object.

License & Integrate

Fast

Make licensing and integration feel obvious: use cases, requirements, and a diligence packet.

Sponsored R&D

Partner

Translate into sponsor-ready workstreams: pilot outline, budget ranges, and success criteria.

Build a Venture

Spinout

Give builders a venture map: roles, risks, bundling logic, and first customers.

Problem / Case Study
Proof Objects

Show the problem — then prove the transformation on one ASU asset.

First we mirror reality (why portals stall). Then we show the same asset across four disclosure-safe states: PDF/Portal → SmartCard → Blueprint → IPgram.

Problem

Why today’s portals don’t convert

A fast, disclosure-safe diagnosis: listings create discovery, but lack routing + proof objects.

Case Study

One ASU asset, four states

Same underlying invention. Four “truth windows” for different stakeholders — without oversharing.

Open Listing
Core

1) The SmartCard (Front Door)

The click-worthy, disclosure-safe entry point for every listing — built to route into the right next step.

Modules (optional, modular — adopt what ASU needs)
These are the execution surfaces that make SmartCards routable into teams, diligence, sponsors, courses, and pilots — without changing the core engine.
Modular
Translation

SmartCard Microsite + Persona Interface

Turns the front door into an execution layer: persona framing, routing, disclosure tiers.

Translation

Inventor / PI SmartCard (CXO augmentation)

A PI-facing cockpit: diligence, validation plan, buyer-specific framing, role routing.

Translation

Persona → Role Matching Score (team formation)

Routes students/faculty/builders into venture roles based on capability + journey, not only domain.

Post-SmartCard Orchestration

2) Signal + Semantic Orchestration Layer

After a SmartCard exists, Arns runs semantic indexing + signal scoring (IP + market + corporate + campus) to surface bundle candidates, white-space, and Blueprint triggers — with governance controls on every output.

Creation

3) Blueprint Creation (translation → venture packaging)

Produces stakeholder-ready packages for commercialization, corporate partnerships, pilots, grants, curriculum activation, and venture formation.

Visualization

4) Cinematic Architecture (systems → venture design)

A storyboard proof object that lets stakeholders simulate the system quickly — clear enough to commit, abstracted enough to stay disclosure-safe. (“See it” before you diligence it.)

What happens after a SmartCard is created (the invisible engine)
Behind the UI, Arns runs a multi-layer pipeline: semantic indexing → signal scoring → bundle graph synthesis → campus-fit mapping → governance gates. This determines what becomes Blueprint-worthy and where it should be deployed.
Semantic Indexing
Normalize
Standardizes every listing into one schema so cross-domain matching is possible.
Controlled vocabulary Comparable fields Disclosure-safe summaries
Market Signals
Demand
Aligns each asset to real pull: adoption patterns, pain points, and buyer readiness — beyond keywords.
Use-case clusters Adoption proxies Pilot wedges
Corporate Signals
Fit
Matches assets to corporate priorities (public strategy, ESG, capex cycles, partnerships) to increase sponsor velocity.
ESG alignment Business unit fit Sponsor targets
Bundle Graph
System
Identifies complementary IP and builds system-level offers that expand deal size and venture defensibility.
Complement matching White-space gaps Defensible bundles
Campus Fit Mapping
Deploy
Routes Blueprint candidates to ASU strengths: labs, programs, facilities, courses, partners, and pilots.
Facilities Programs Local partners
Governance Gates
Safe
Applies permissions, disclosure tiers, approvals, attribution, and audit logs to every output and pathway.
Role-based access Approvals Audit trail
Distribution + Activation Channels

Step 2: Once SmartCards exist, they can be deployed anywhere

Once SmartCards exist, the portfolio becomes deployable infrastructure. Arns unlocks two rails: 2a) Global Syndication (translated, governed distribution to builders worldwide) and 2b) Private Campus Execution (a configured .EDU marketplace + studio operating layer tied to campus strengths).

2a) SmartCard Distribution (Global Syndication)

Rail

Publishes every SmartCard as a portable, multi-language, governance-aware asset that can be placed in front of builders worldwide — without forcing users to “know what to search for.”

  • Where it goes: partner universities, NSF hubs, studios, accelerators, classrooms, corporates, grants, labs.
  • What ships: translated SmartCards + disclosure-safe summaries + routing CTAs (license / sponsor / spinout).
  • Governance: visibility tiers, attribution, audit logs, licensing flags, NDA-gated variants when needed.
  • Distribution model: hub-and-spoke syndication — publish once, deploy everywhere (with policy + attribution intact).

2b) Campus Execution Interface + Blueprint Marketplace

Rail

A private, configured marketplace (e.g., .edu-gated) where Venture Blueprints become an execution system: studios, builders, sponsors, pilots, and funding pathways tied to campus strengths.

  • Configured to the campus: programs, facilities, labs, TTO workflows, local partners, economic development goals.
  • Studio cadence: agreed Blueprint production rhythm + review gates + sponsor-ready proof objects.
  • Deal flow layer: builder matching, sponsor rooms, pilot packets, and governance across participation + licensing.
  • Private-by-design: .edu gating, role-based access, sponsor rooms, and approval workflows — configured to ASU’s policies.

Blueprint views (toggle)

Same Blueprint. Re-framed for the target stakeholder — studio, builder, or sponsor — without changing the underlying rigor.

Venture Studio Blueprint

A studio-grade operating package: system bundle logic, execution plan, roles, and first customer wedge — designed for action.

Purpose
Buildable venture definition
Output
Operating package + pilot
Trigger
High-signal SmartCard

System-level bundle

Defensible

    Go-to-market wedge

    Practical

      Founding roles

      Team

      Pilot package

      Action

      Commercial readiness

      Signal

      Activation Charter

      Approve an in-residence monthly activation partnership (not a one-off project).

      This charter embeds Arns as the SmartCard + Blueprint Architect-in-Residence — a standing operating function that converts inventory into governed execution assets, instruments signal, and compounds outcomes across the portfolio. Step 1 establishes the artifact standard (SmartCards). Step 2 produces Blueprint-ready systems from measurable signal.

      Charter scope

      Decision
      • SmartCard production cadence (monthly throughput agreed upfront).
      • Persona overlays for student builder, inventor/PI, venture studio, corporate sponsor, TTO operator.
      • Routing + proof objects for license / sponsor / build pathways.
      • Disclosure + brand governance baked into every output.
      • Blueprint Studio outputs triggered by measurable SmartCard signal.
      • Optional pathway stack selected by ASU leadership without rework.

      Signal + reporting

      Measured
      • Time-to-understanding (stakeholder comprehension in minutes)
      • Conversion (view → intent → action, by persona)
      • Partner velocity (faster diligence, fewer loops)
      • Blueprint qualification (which SmartCards earn Step 2 output)
      • Module ROI (which pathways increase deals, sponsors, founders, or funding wins)

      Operating cadence

      Monthly
      • Weekly: queue + governance check-in
      • Monthly: SmartCard releases + analytics report
      • Quarterly: Blueprint Studio round (top-signal set)

      What ASU provides

      Inputs
      • Portfolio prioritization queue (what matters most now)
      • Disclosure guardrails + brand constraints
      • Single point of coordination (keeps velocity high)
      • Optional: ecosystem context (studios, courses, sponsors, pilot infra)

      What Arns delivers

      Outputs
      • SmartCards + routing artifacts (production cadence)
      • Analytics & KPI reporting (signal instrumentation)
      • Blueprint candidates + Blueprint Studio outputs
      • Configured pathway stack + deployment roadmap
      FAQ

      Common questions

      Clear answers to the questions university leadership, TTO teams, faculty, students, and sponsors ask as SmartCards move from “translation” into signal orchestration and Venture Blueprint activation.

      Model Intake Disclosure Pricing Blueprints IP & Rights
      Are SmartCards disclosure-safe?
      Yes. SmartCards are designed with a public-safe front door and optional gated layers. The public view explains value without revealing enabling details. Sensitive documents and specifics live behind permission controls and NDAs.
      How many SmartCard versions are there—and how do the different configurations work?
      SmartCards are a versioned interface system, not a single page. Every campus gets a consistent core schema (so everything scales), then SmartCards render into different views depending on the stakeholder, disclosure tier, and the action pathway.
      1) Front Door (Public-safe): the click-worthy entry that explains value without enabling detail, and routes to next steps.
      2) Microsite / Execution Surface: deeper narrative + module layout, with persona framing and pathway routing (license / sponsor / spinout).
      3) Inventor / PI SmartCard: a PI-facing cockpit for diligence, milestone planning, risk flags, TRL lift, and task routing.
      4) Student / Fellow / Postdoc View: “what to build next” view—roles, tasks, experiments, and proof objects aligned to the PI plan.
      5) Sponsor / Corporate View: buyer-aligned framing (problem wedge, deployment fit, ROI logic), with gated attachments and pilot hooks.
      6) TTO / Skysong View: deal-readiness layer—ownership posture, bundle candidates, constraints, recommended deal structures.
      7) Campus Living Lab View: deployment + MRV + repeatability—sites, facilities, operators, and instrumentation requirements.
      How it works under the hood: one normalized record becomes many interfaces. The core schema stays stable; the system applies render rules based on permissions, persona intent, campus strategy weights, and measured signal.
      Why “Architect-in-Residence” instead of a pure SaaS SmartCards product?
      Because SmartCards aren’t a template—they’re translation infrastructure. The backend can be standardized, but the framing layer must be configured to your campus: priorities, stakeholder incentives, disclosure boundaries, workflows, and existing systems.
      What still scales: the engine scales. Inputs, governance rules, and the interaction layer are configurable without rewriting the core.
      How do we intake our context without changing your backend engine?
      We use a multi-step intake that configures the SmartCard experience while keeping the underlying data schema and engine stable.
      Campus goals: licensing vs sponsored research vs spinouts
      Existing assets: CRM/TTO systems, disclosure workflow, web inventory
      Disclosure posture: public-only vs NDA-enabled layers
      Priority domains & strategic partners
      Talent pathways: student teams, faculty champions, external EIRs
      Success definition: outcomes that matter (licenses, pilots, revenue, TRL lift)
      Result: the same infrastructure, a campus-specific experience.
      Who hosts SmartCards—us or Arns?
      Either. Three common models:
      Arns-hosted: fastest deployment; Arns manages hosting, uptime, upgrades.
      University-hosted: Arns delivers a deployable package; university controls infrastructure.
      Hybrid: public pages university-hosted, with NDA-gated layers Arns-hosted.
      What percent of SmartCards become Venture Blueprints?
      The system is designed for selectivity. SmartCards cover 100% of assets; Blueprints are produced for the top X% by signal strength and strategic fit.
      Is there a metric for signals/orchestration? How do we know it’s accurate?
      Yes—signals are scored using a mix of structured fields, campus strategic weights, external alignment indicators, and human review loops.
      Accuracy stance: the score is decision-support; it improves through feedback (what stakeholders click, pursue, sponsor, license, or decline).
      Can we include non-public disclosures under NDA?
      Yes. SmartCards can operate in layers:
      Public-safe front door
      Internal university layer
      NDA partner layer (select fields + attachments + notes)
      Restricted “deal room” for specific licensing conversations
      Explain “translation as infrastructure.”
      Translation isn’t ad hoc writing. It’s a repeatable system: standardized inputs, consistent outputs, pathway routing, stakeholder-specific framing, governance gates, and measurable outcomes.