United States
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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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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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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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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
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Illinois Ventures launches student venture fund Orange & Blue Ventures
The University of Illinois’ spinout investment arm, one of the oldest in the United States, has taken the unusual step to create a student venture fund.
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Fund That Tiger roars towards first close
Fund That Tiger will invest in early-stage spinouts from Clemson University and startups founded by the institution’s alumni.
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Michael Rondelli retires after more than two decades in tech transfer
Michael Rondelli had been the associate vice president of innovation and commercialisation at the University of North Texas since 2015.
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Zane Gernhart returns to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Zane Gernhart is rejoining his former employer to lead the Office of Industry Relations, just under three years after he left the institution.
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Corsair Venture Partners launches with focus on the US northeast
Corsair Venture Partners has been set up by Chris Wolfel, who’s previously held multiple entrepreneurship roles at Northeastern University.
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Wildcat Philanthropic Seed Fund makes first investments
The University of Arizona’s Wildcat Philanthropic Seed Fund has backed its first three spinouts after raising 60% of the initial target size.
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Portal Innovations launches fund and incubator for spinouts in Utah
Woodbine Labs will support spinouts from local institutions like the University of Utah and Brigham Young University.
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East Carolina University promotes Sharon Paynter to senior vice provost for research and innovation
Sharon Paynter has worked for East Carolina University for more than 16 years, including in senior leadership roles for research and innovation.
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Utah appoints Jamie Dwyer chief innovation officer, Bruce Hunter moves to Tecnológico de Monterrey
Jamie Dwyer succeeds Bruce Hunter at the University of Utah, as the former becomes chief innovation officer at the Tecnológico de Monterrey.
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UM Ventures elevates Felicia Metz to director
Felicia Metz has worked for the University of Maryland for more than 24 years and is also joining the AUTM board of directors this month.
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Tulsa promotes Chris Wright to assistant VP for innovation and entrepreneurship
Chris Wright was previously the director of the University of Tulsa’s Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship for three years.
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Vanderbilt recruits Susan Margulies as VP for research and innovation
Susan Margulies succeeds Padma Raghavan, who became Vanderbilt’s executive director for science and technology strategy last summer.
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UC Berkeley Chancellor’s Fund quietly kicks off fundraising
The fund, launched in June last year, has secured its initial capitalisation.
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NJIT promotes Ike Nwabufo to director of technology transfer
Ike Nwabufo has been with the New Jersey Institute of Technology since April 2024, and will now oversee the full lifecycle of intellectual property.
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Justin Burns promoted to chief innovation officer at Georgia Research Alliance
Justin Burns has taken on the new role in addition to his duties as vice president for innovation and entrepreneurship.
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Neil Veloso joins Nationwide Children’s Hospital as VP for innovation and technology commercialisation
Neil Veloso is the new vice president for innovation and technology commercialisation at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, joining from Brown Technology Innovations.
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Tulane-focused 1834 Ventures raises $10 million
Launched in August last year, Tulane University-focused 1834 Ventures is now halfway towards its $20 million target.
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Brad Burke retires after 25 years with Rice University
Brad Burke will step down at the end of June, bringing to a close more than two decades of leading entrepreneurship activities at Rice University.
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Wisconsin Entrepreneurship Hub hires Lewis Sheats as inaugural executive director
Lewis Sheats has worked in academic entrepreneurship for more than two decades, and comes to UW-Madison from Saint Louis University.
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Epidarex secures £50 million from British Business Bank for new fund
Epidarex Capital focuses on early-stage life sciences spinouts from medical research institutions in the US and the UK.
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Walter Copan, VP for research and technology transfer at the Colorado School of Mines, steps down
Walter Copan has been with the Colorado School of Mines since 2021 and will step down at the end of February 2026 to focus on his family.
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Penn joins BioNTech and OUP to launch $50 million PxB Fund
The Penn-BioNTech Innovative Therapeutics Seed Fund follows the announcement of Penn’s $10 million StartUP Fund last month.
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Osage University Partners promotes Stockman, Miri and Grafstrom
Manny Stockman has been promoted to managing partner, while Mitra Miri is now a partner, and Beth Grafstrom is the senior VP of finance.
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Shashank Priya joins Michigan State University as vice president for research and innovation
Michigan State University is bringing in Shashank Priya to succeed Douglas Gage as vice president for research and innovation.
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Ohio University’s director of tech transfer Bob Silva retires
Bob Silva, the director of technology transfer at Ohio University for the past fifteen years, is taking a six-month leave ahead of his retirement in June.
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Cheryl Horst made permanent executive director of NUtech Ventures
Cheryl Horst has been serving in an interim capacity since July last year, and has worked for NUtech Ventures for more than sixteen years.
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Harvard promotes Sam Liss to succeed Isaac Kohlberg
Sam Liss has been appointed chief technology development officer and associate provost at Harvard University, where he will succeed Isaac Kohlberg.
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Penn launches $10 million StartUP Fund
The University of Pennsylvania has long resisted launching its own venture fund, but has now announced a $10 million investment fund for spinouts.
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Cindy Klein Marmer made permanent director of the Blank Center
She has served as interim executive director of Babson College’s entrepreneurship hub since last year, and her role is now permanent.
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Kevin Gardner, Stony Brook’s VP for research and innovation, steps down
Kevin Gardner, the vice president for research and innovation at Stony Brook University, will step down by the end of the year to return to teaching.
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CWRU promotes Michael Oakes to executive VP for research and economic development
Michael Oakes joined Case Western Reserve University as the senior vice president for research and technology management over three years ago.
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Fitz Gate closes Fund III anchored by Rice’s Office of Innovation
Rice University’s Office of Innovation is one of the anchor investors in Fitz Gate’s Fund III, which has brought the firm’s AuM to around $70 million.
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Alexander Khalessi promoted to chief innovation officer at UC San Diego Health
Alexander Khalessi is the current chair of neurological surgery and a professor of surgery, radiology and neurosciences at UC San Diego Health.
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Ball State University hires Bette Smith to run the Center for Innovation and Collaboration
Bette Smith will serve as director of Ball State University’s new Center for Innovation and Collaboration from January.
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Dedric Carter moves to UNC Health Care System
Dedric Carter will move into his new system-wide role next month, having served as chief innovation officer of UNC-Chapel Hill since 2023.
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Dan Geller is put in charge of Innovation Gateway’s Startup Program
The University of Georgia’s Dan Geller assumed his new role as director last month, having previously served as assistant director of the Startup Program.
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MSU Technologies promotes Brian Wright to executive director
Brian Wright has been chosen to succeed his former boss Anne DiSante, who retired earlier this year.
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Michelle Cote will lead UConn’s Werth Institute
Michelle Cote has been named interim director of the Peter J Werth Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Connecticut.
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William Kirkland picked to helm South Carolina Research Authority
The former executive of the University of South Carolina’s Office of Economic Engagement will run the South Carolina Research Authority.
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Cleveland Clinic and Khosla Ventures cooperate on venture creation
Cleveland Clinic and Khosla Ventures have inked a partnership that will see the two collaborate on spinout creation.
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Karen Deak made permanent executive director of IDEA Center
Karen Deak has been executive director of the University of Notre Dame’s IDEA Center in an interim capacity since September 2024.
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Allison Markova to head tech transfer at the URI Research Foundation
Allison Markova is the new director of technology transfer and innovation partnerships at the University of Rhode Island Research Foundation.
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University of Arkansas promotes tech transfer leader David Hinton
David Hinton, the executive director of Technology Ventures since 2023, is now associate vice chancellor for research and innovation.
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Mireya McKee to run Innovate Carolina’s New Ventures and Partnerships group
Mireya McKee has been appointed interim director of the New Ventures and Partnerships group within UNC at Chapel Hill’s innovation unit.
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University of the Virgin Islands promotes Nelson Pizarro
The University of the Virgin Islands has promoted Nelson Pizarro to assistant vice president for entrepreneurship and economic development.
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Wayne State University promotes two for innovation roles
Matthew Allen is the new assistant vice president for research and innovation, while Jessica Back also joins the Division of Research and Innovation.
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Sugar Free Capital secures $32 million to back MIT founders
The firm was launched by Sheena Jindal, an alumna of MIT who was previously a partner at Comcast Ventures for three years.
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Rice Alliance hires John Reale as managing director
John Reale will report to associate vice president Brad Burke, and will oversee startup and investor engagement.
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Oliver Schmitz takes on entrepreneurship role at UW-Madison
Oliver Schmitz has been appointed the inaugural associate dean for corporate engagement and entrepreneurship at the College of Engineering.
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Marcus Burgess joins Florida A&M University to head innovation
Florida A&M University has brought in Marcus Burgess as senior vice president of enterprise partnerships and innovation.
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UH Ventures promotes Kipum Lee to president
UH Ventures has selected Kipum Lee as its new president, succeeding David Sylvan, who will focus on his role with University Hospitals itself.
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Empowering academic founders: policies, programmes, and pitfalls
How can universities instil the entrepreneurial mindset in faculty, staff and students? Is this even something you can teach? And if you can, what are some of the challenges and pitfalls? Figuring out the answers to these questions, and more, is a panel of experts from around the world: Kirsty Collinge, the head of research […]
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Missouri Innovation Center brings in Charlie Bolten as CEO
Charlie Bolten is the new president and chief executive officer of the Missouri Innovation Center, a startup hub affiliated with the University of Missouri.
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Ohio State University selects John Horack to lead innovation
John Horack, the university’s Neil Armstrong Chair in Aerospace Policy, will become vice president for research next week.
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Lindsay DiStefano assumes innovation role at UConn
The University of Connecticut has named Lindsay DiStefano interim vice president for research, innovation, and entrepreneurship.
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Robert Langer, prolific MIT spinout founder, launches $77.5 million fund
T.Rx Capital has closed its inaugural fund at $77.5 million to build and invest in healthcare startups, with Langer’s son also among the firm’s co-founders.
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James Hotaling named inaugural chief innovation officer for University of Utah Health
James Hotaling’s promotion comes after he played an instrumental role in launching University of Utah Ventures.
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Next Ventures inks strategic partnership with OHSU
The venture capital firm has closed its second fund at $60 million and signed a strategic deal with Oregon Health & Science University.
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Venture Investors Health Fund raises $80 million to back spinouts
Venture Investors Health Fund has secured $80 million to invest in spinouts from institutions such as the University of Michigan.
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University of Utah launches $200 million fund
Named University of Utah Ventures, powered by Epic, the fund is managed by Epic Ventures and will invest in founders from the university’s ecosystem.
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Binghamton reveals Jitendra Jain as the director of its TTO
Jitendra Jain joined the university in July, but Binghamton has only now released an announcement naming him director of its tech transfer office.
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Paul Cherukuri leaves Rice University for the University of Virginia
Paul Cherukuri, the vice president for innovation and chief innovation officer at Rice University, will join the University of Virginia in October.
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NCInnovation CEO Bennet Waters reveals intention to step down
Bennet Waters has led NCInnovation, which provides commercialisation support to North Carolina’s public universities, since April 2022.
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Virginia universities create standard fast-track startup licence
All six research-intensive institutions in the US state have signed up to the Lab-to-Launch initiative, aiming to double the number of spinouts annually.
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1834 Ventures launches to support Tulane startups with $20 million
1834 Ventures is not affiliated with Tulane University but is working closely with the Tulane Innovation Institute and the Tulane Venture Fund.
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Portal Innovations kicks off $100 million Velocity Fund
Portal Innovations, established by John Flavin who previously set up the Polsky Center, partners with institutions like UChicago to support spinouts.
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UChicago’s Polsky Center sets up new venture development team
Dev Gavaskar and Alyssa Master have been recruited by the Polsky Center to work with another recent hire, Heather Walsh, on setting up more startups.
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Michael Burtov joins Nova Southeastern University as chief innovation officer
Michael Burtov has been appointed chief innovation officer at the private university, and will also serve as executive director of the Levan Center of Innovation.
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Medical University of South Carolina launches two funds totalling $30 million
The $20 million 1824 Health Ventures Fund I and the $10 million South Carolina Health Innovation Fund will both be managed by Bob Crutchfield.
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James Zanewicz leaves Tulane after a decade to become Connect CEO
The move marks the conclusion of more than two decades in university innovation for James Zanewicz, who was most recently Tulane School of Medicine’s chief strategy officer.
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University of Southern Mississippi promotes Natalie Guess to assistant director
Natalie Guess, innovation and entrepreneurship programme manager at USM’s Office of Innovation Management, is promoted to assistant director.
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Jill Kravetz will lead Harvard Innovation Labs
Jill Kravetz has been named the Bruce and Bridgitt Evans executive director of Harvard University’s entrepreneurship unit.
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Michigan State University unveils $10 million fund
The university is doubling down on its partnership with Henry Ford Health to create a $10 million fund and innovation hub.
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Colleen Fitzgerald moves to Hofstra University
Colleen Fitzgerald will become Hofstra’s inaugural senior vice provost for research and creative activities, joining from North Dakota State University.
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Friday Five: EnAcuity, Filics, Gallion Health, ODOS, Plasma Fresh
Software that turns surgical cameras into hyperpectral imaging tools, a platform that helps farmers operate more sustainably, and cold plasma that kills foodborne pathogens are all becoming real applications thanks to these spinouts.
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Catalio closes Nexus Fund IV with $400 million
Catalio Capital Management specialises in launching and investing in life sciences spinouts through a network of researchers that act as venture partners.
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Stevens Institute of Technology hires Shintaro Kaido
Shintaro Kaido will oversee technology transfer at the Stevens Institute of Technology.
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Padma Raghavan takes on newly established role at Vanderbilt University
Padma Raghavan will move into the newly created position of executive director for science and technology strategy at Vanderbilt University next week.
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Harvard’s Isaac Kohlberg will retire at the end of 2025
Isaac Kohlberg, who’s been the senior associate provost and chief technology development officer at Harvard University since 2005, will retire later this year.
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Garden State Venture Partners formed to manage the Rowan Innovation Venture Fund
The shake-up will see the fund’s management team grow to three people, with Michael Connallon Jr and Shawn Hill joining existing manager Ernie Holtzheimer.
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Friday Five: Astratus, Hirundo, Lembas, OrisDX, and Somnee
We take a look at some of the early-stage spinouts that caught our eye. This time: Astratus, Hirundo, Lembas, OrisDX and Somnee.
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The Berkeley Chancellor’s Fund is a unique UC Berkeley approach to venture capital
The Berkeley Chancellor’s Fund will be wholly owned by the UC regents, operating as a philanthropic model that will donate all returns to the university.
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Longview Innovation joins Anzu, forming the North America University Innovations Fund
Longview Innovation is joining forces with Anzu Partners and launching the North America University Innovations Fund.
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Cancer Focus Fund targets $250m for second vehicle
The Cancer Focus Fund is affiliated with the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and is targeting about five times as much cash for Fund II.
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Christine Karslake to run innovation at Missouri S&T
Missouri University of Science and Technology is bringing Christine Karslake on board to oversee innovation, entrepreneurship and commercialisation efforts.
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Harper Court Ventures brings $25 million to startups from the University of Chicago
Spinouts from the University of Chicago will have access to a new $25 million venture fund launched today by MFV Partners.
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Virginia Tech promotes Brandy Salmon to vice president for innovation and partnerships
Virginia Tech today announced Brandy Salmon is to be the university’s inaugural vice president for innovation and partnerships.
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Erik Iverson, Mike Partsch: Industry doesn’t want newly hatched ideas
The Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF) has been around for 100 years and its leadership has novel ideas about how to keep its edge.
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Kevin Walters: Vitamin D-fortified food changed universities forever
In 1925, the University of Wisconsin-Madison established the first-ever tech transfer office. And it all began with the discovery of vitamins.
