Episode 157: From University Patent to Trade Sale with Carolyn Hicks of Brill Power
From Gaule's Question Time by Andrew
March 6, 2026 · 35 min · Episode 157
About this episode
Carolyn Hicks discusses the journey of Brill Power from university IP to trade sale, sharing practical lessons for founders in complex markets.
Carolyn Hicks shares the Brill Power journey from early university IP through grants, fundraising, product development, corporate engagement, and acquisition integration. Practical lessons for founders building in complex B2B and hardware-heavy markets. Chapters 00:00 Intro and background 01:00 How Brill Power started 02:00 The technology and early IP 07:00 Grants, pitch events, and early traction 09:40 First meaningful investment and investor fit 17:10 Scaling products, hiring, and manufacturing 20:20 Corporate partnering, decision makers, and IP risk 24:20 Acquisition and integration 27:00 Gender, confidence, and founder communication If you are building deep tech in a regulated or complex market, message Andrew Gaule for a discussion on your experiences.
People in this episode
Host: Andrew Gaule
Guest: Carolyn Hicks
Topics covered
- university patent
- trade sale
- B2B markets
- hardware development
- corporate engagement
- acquisition integration
Keywords
- Brill Power
- university IP
- grants
- fundraising
- product development
- acquisition
- B2B
- hardware
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Brill Power
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