Discover how FirstIgnite’s AI Agents are transforming university research partnerships. Traditionally, finding industry collaborators is a slow, manual process. Our AI Agents automate this entire workflow, identifying potential companies, contacts, and crafting personalized outreach in hours, not weeks.

Tested by over 20 universities, these digital employees handle the heavy lifting of industry engagement, enabling your team to focus on building relationships. This post reveals three university case studies from our pilot program, showcasing how AI Agents instantly scale outreach and secure valuable partnerships, making groundbreaking research accessible to the market faster.

How FirstIgnite AI Agents Work

Before exploring the case studies, it’s important to understand the daily workflow of an AI Agent. Think of them as a dedicated junior employee focused entirely on business development.

With zero manual effort from your team, the AI Agent:

• Selects new university technologies ready for partnership.
• Identifies matching companies and key decision-makers.
• Writes and sends personalized outreach emails.
• Schedules meetings directly into your team’s calendars.

This automated process allows universities to connect with industry leaders efficiently, turning groundbreaking research into tangible partnership opportunities.

University of Arizona: New Patent Outreach

The University of Arizona wanted to accelerate the commercialization of a new patent by connecting with relevant industry players. Instead of tasking staff with manual prospecting, they deployed a FirstIgnite AI Agent.

Results

The impact was immediate and required zero manual effort from the university’s staff.

• 4 Industry Meetings Scheduled: Within just 48 hours, the AI Agent had secured four meetings with interested companies.
• Instant Scalability: The pilot demonstrated that AI can instantly scale industry engagement, achieving in two days what would typically take weeks of manual work.

This case shows the power of AI Agents to rapidly generate qualified leads for new technologies, providing an immediate return on investment.

Auburn University: Aerospace Partnerships

Auburn University aimed to build strategic partnerships with leaders in the aerospace sector. Their objective was to connect with innovative companies to explore collaboration opportunities.

Results

The AI Agent launched a targeted campaign, contacting over 75 companies across the aerospace, aviation, and defense industries.

• Multiple Engagements: The outreach successfully engaged four companies, with several moving into active partnership discussions.
• Expanded Pipeline: The campaign significantly expanded Auburn’s pipeline of potential industry partners, laying the groundwork for future collaborations.

This case illustrates how AI Agents can effectively penetrate niche industries and create a steady stream of partnership opportunities.

Georgia Tech: Corporate Sponsorship

Georgia Tech’s H3 CTF program needed to secure corporate sponsorships and increase engagement with leading tech firms. They used an AI Agent to conduct widespread outreach to relevant companies.

Results

The agent contacted more than 90 cybersecurity and technology companies, generating significant interest in the program.

• 6 Companies Engaged: The campaign resulted in six companies entering into active sponsorship discussions.
• Expanded Awareness: The outreach successfully raised the program’s profile among top global technology and cybersecurity firms.

This example highlights how AI Agents can be used not only for technology transfer but also for securing crucial funding and corporate support for university programs.

Scale Your Industry Engagement Today

These case studies from the University of Arizona, Auburn University, and Georgia Tech provide a clear picture of the transformative potential of FirstIgnite AI Agents. By automating the entire outreach process, universities can save time, reduce manual effort, and significantly increase their industry engagement.

Ready to see how AI Agents can revolutionize your university’s business development? Connect with our team to learn how you can start scaling your partnership opportunities instantly.