North America
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Rod Russell steps in as interim VP for research and innovation at Memorial
Rod Russell, the associate vice-president for research since January, will take over following Tana Allen’s departure at the end of the week.
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IU starts looking for Nick Hammond’s successor
Indiana University is seeking a new associate vice president for innovation and commercialisation, a role currently held by Nick Hammond.
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Minnesota chooses Cynthia Carnes as VP for research and innovation
Cynthia Carnes has spent the past three decades at the Ohio State University, and will join the University of Minnesota in July.
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CapeHaven reaches for Yale spinouts with $10 million
CapeHaven has launched as a biotech venture creation platform with a goal to raise $10 million that it will use to commercialise Yale research.
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Simon Fraser University launches C$20 million SFU Innovates Venture Fund
Simon Fraser University is the second institution in as many months to partner with InBC Investment to launch a university venture fund.
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Johns Hopkins startups get $50 million boost
The WP Carey Foundation is committing $50 million to the Johns Hopkins Carey Business School to support the launch of more IP-backed startups.
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Colorado School of Mines launches Mines Venture Fund II
The Mines Venture Fund II will invest $10 million in spinouts and startups, with half the capital coming from the state.
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Guelph promotes Mazyar Fallah to VP for research and innovation
Mazyar Fallah is currently the dean of the College of Biological Science at the University of Guelph, and will step into his new role on 25 May 2026.
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Dipanjan Pan picked for new innovation role at Penn State’s Huck Institutes
Penn State’s Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences has named Dipanjan Pan its inaugural director for innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystems.
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UNL solidifies innovation leadership with Jennifer Mize Nelson’s appointment
Jennifer Mize Nelson’s permanent appointment follows University of Nebraska-Lincoln hiring Cheryl Horst and Zane Gernhart in recent months.
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Dartmouth College creates new role for tech transfer leader Eric Fossum
Eric Fossum, who’s been Dartmouth’s vice provost for entrepreneurship and technology transfer since 2017, will step into a new role in July.
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Innovate Springfield’s Ben Hage hired by Illinois Wesleyan University
Ben Hage, who has been the director of Innovate Springfield since 2023, will run the new Petrick Idea Center at Illinois Wesleyan University.
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Alumni Ventures expands into Japan with UTokyo IPC-backed fund
UTokyo Innovation Platform has partnered with Alumni Ventures to launch the Alumni Ventures Japan+US Bridge Fund.
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Goshen College names Raj Biyani inaugural chief innovation officer
Raj Biyani will step into the role after already driving change on campus through volunteering.
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Texas Tech recruits James Reecy as VP for research and innovation
James Reecy has been the associate vice president for research at Iowa State University since 2017.
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Children’s National Hospital hires Abhishek Sangal to run TTO
Abhishek Sangal previously spent four and a half years at Boston Children’s Hospital, most recently as associate director of licensing.
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Craig Gravitz joins Penn as executive director of PCI Ventures
Craig Gravitz, who previously led commercialisation at ARPA-H, joins the University of Pennsylvania after the institution raised two venture funds.
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University of Mississippi plans to raise a spinout investment fund
As a growing number of R1 universities in the US add venture funds to their arsenal, Ole Miss is looking to do the same.
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UC Davis launches another fund in biotech push
The fund, unveiled together with the Aggie Venture Accelerator, will be managed by early-stage venture capital firm The March Group.
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TIAP’s Parimal Nathwani joins BDC to head C$150 million life sciences fund
After nearly two decades with TIAP, Parimal Nathwani has joined the Development Bank of Canada to manage a new C$150 million life sciences fund.
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Penn launches $200 million fund to drive engineering spinouts
The University of Pennsylvania has established its third fund in just four months, this time targeting startups from the School of Engineering.
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Darren Cooke to become permanent chief innovation and entrepreneurship officer at UC Berkeley
Darren Cooke has been in the role in an interim capacity since July 2024, when his predecessor Rich Lyons became chancellor of UC Berkeley.
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Tommy Sowers joins UNC-Chapel Hill as chief innovation officer
Tommy Sowers will serve as CIO and vice chancellor for innovation, entrepreneurship, and economic development from 20 April.
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University of British Columbia kicks off UBC Catalyst Ventures Fund
The University of British Columbia and the provincial government’s InBC Investment Corp have created the UBC Catalyst Ventures Fund with an initial C$20 million.
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Katie Houston joins East Tennessee State University as director of commercialisation
ETSU Research Corporation has hired Katie Houston, who brings a decade of experience in corporate R&D and innovation to the job.0
