International engineering firm leads new wave of corporate innovation to spin-out technologies
Thornton Tomasetti, the international engineering firm responsible for some of world’s most prominent construction projects, has partnered with The Combine to commercialize technologies under its internal innovation engine, TTWiiN. TTWiiN is a first-of-its-kind technology accelerator established to drive innovation in the Architecture / Engineering / Construction (AEC) industry and beyond. Together with The Combine, TTWiiN plans to launch five of its portfolio organizations as separate companies in the first half of 2017.
A “go-team” approach to startup innovation & commercialization
Since its founding in 1949, Thornton Tomasetti’s innovations have shaped the building industry. Its TTWiiN accelerator embraces an innovate-to-thrive philosophy, aiming for continuous innovation both inside the Thornton Tomasetti organization and for the betterment of others.
The Combine fills the gap that often exists as start-up organizations transition from within an accelerator to stand-alone companies. TTWiiN’s most promising spin-outs will have access to The Combine’s entrepreneurial leaders in the form of a “go team.” This ecosystem of relevant expertise, capital access and other resources provide the TTWiiN spin-out companies the shortest path to achieving Series A funding or other measures of success.
“Our collaboration with The Combine provides the best of both worlds” said Thomas Z. Scarangello, P.E., chairman and CEO, Thornton Tomasetti. “It enables Thornton Tomasetti to continue driving industry-leading innovation by focusing on our core business, while The Combine’s expert team helps us efficiently commercialize our technologies in the AEC industry and beyond.”
Grant McCullagh, Thornton Tomasetti Board of Directors member, added “As our industry continues in an accelerated sea-change on the back of wide-ranging new technologies, it’s exciting to see TTWiiN and The Combine emerge as true hands-on leaders, driving significant and impactful new technologies and companies to market.”
“A major challenge for any startup CEO is the many roles they have to play beyond technologist. We know firsthand how complicated it is to successfully master these roles while simultaneously founding a new company,” said K.P. Reddy, Co-Founder and Partner, The Combine. “The Combine brings a fresh approach as an embedded external resource for startup leadership. We deliver a shortest-path-to-success model to commercialize IP and spin-out successful ventures. We look forward to working with Thornton Tomasetti to help bring TTWiiN’s portfolio companies to market.”
The TTWiiN technologies that will launch as five new companies in 2017 include:
• Building Information Modeling (BIM) collaboration for structural engineers
• Efficient, high-fidelity material failure modeling for the automotive industry
• Finite Element Analysis (FEA) for sensors, Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMs) and Non Destructive Testing (NDT)
• Shockwave protection technology
• Skyscraper sway suppression technology
About The Combine (www.thecombine.co)
The Combine is a team of entrepreneurial leaders who work with enterprises to identify, vet and commercialize technology-based ventures. Unlike traditional incubators, accelerators, venture capitalists or management consultants, The Combine brings the best elements of each in the form of a “go team” that taps its curated ecosystem of leaders, expertise, capital access and other resources along with an experience-led methodology to deliver the shortest path to success.
About Thornton Tomasetti (www.ThorntonTomasetti.com)
Thornton Tomasetti is a leader in engineering design, investigation and analysis serving clients worldwide on projects of all sizes and complexity. Through its 10 complementary practices, Thornton Tomasetti addresses the full life cycle of a structure. We have supported clients working in more than 50 countries, with projects that include the tallest buildings and longest spans to the restoration of prized historic properties. Thornton Tomasetti comprises more than 1,200 engineering, architecture, sustainability practitioners and support professionals who collaborate from offices across North America and in Asia-Pacific, Europe, Latin America and the Middle East.
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Contact
The Combine – Blair Riley – 404.995.4518
Thornton Tomasetti – James M. Kent – 917.661.7800