Candace Wang | Business Analytics and ACMS '25

Why did you apply for the Commercialization Engine Internship? I heard about the internship from a friend who previously worked at the IDEA Center. Working with new inventions/technologies, especially witnessing and taking part in their development towards commercialization, felt very meaningful to me.

What team are you working on? The Derisking Team.

What project are you working on? (22-045) Self-Propelled Soft Everting Toroidal Robot for Navigation and Climbing in Confined Spaces.

Describe your overall internship experience: I learned a lot about conducting market research and interviews, specifically in determining the market of a new product. The work led me to talk to many professionals in the medical field that I would otherwise not have interacted with as a business student. Furthermore, I enjoyed working with fellow interns and managers over the ten weeks.

What has been your biggest takeaway from the internship? I now have a stronger background in understanding intellectual property (IP), the stages of a startup, and market research. These skills will likely be useful in many fields.