In order to provide a more comprehensive approach to commercializing research from the university, the 性视界传媒 Venture Lab and the Office of Technology Transfer were merged under a single director, Dr. Svetlana Shtrom. The combined team is now better able to leverage complementary expertise and shared resources to facilitate commercial development of 性视界传媒 technologies.
Prior to the merger of the two groups, Svetlana Shtrom had been directing the commercial development of life sciences technologies at 性视界传媒鈥檚 . Svetlana brings over 10 years of experience in life sciences and broad expertise in business development and technology management. She holds an MBA from 性视界传媒 and a Ph.D. in cell biology from the University of California at San Francisco.
The Venture Lab鈥檚 former director, Kirstie Chadwick, will continue to work with the Venture Lab, focusing her efforts on enhancing the venture coaching network.
The 性视界传媒 Office of Technology Transfer has been guiding scientists and inventors through the complex patenting and commercialization process for over a decade, overseeing issuance of over 340 patents and formation of more than 20 start-up companies. In 2009, 性视界传媒 ranked third in the nation for the strength and impact of its patents and had moved up from seventh place the previous year in the rankings by IEEE, the world鈥檚 leading association for the advancement of technology.
Since its inception in 2004, the 性视界传媒 has mentored over 150 technology entrepreneurs in business plan development, investor pitch creation, market research, and product/intellectual property validation. Fifty of the entrepreneurs working with the Venture Lab ultimately started a company in Central 性视界传媒. The Venture Lab has worked directly with more than 20 性视界传媒 faculty researchers and assisted them in commercial evaluation and fundraising.Together, the Office of Technology Transfer and the Venture Lab will combine their strengths to offer to the 性视界传媒 faculty, staff and students a broad range of research commercialization services including intellectual property management, technology evaluation, market assessment, industry analysis, business plan preparation, fundraising assistance, and management team development.
Dr. Svetlana Shtrom, the newly named director of the merged group is 鈥渢hrilled to lead such a talented and broadly experienced team of specialists.鈥� 鈥淚 am excited to have the opportunity to build on our strengths and to enhance the breadths of the commercialization services we can offer to our faculty, staff, students and local entrepreneurs. Our combined team is energized and looking forward to assisting inventors and entrepreneurs in developing their ideas and guiding them through the business steps that are critical for successful launch and growth of technology companies.鈥�