United States
-
Robert Langer, prolific MIT spinout founder, launches $77.5m 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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
Venture Investors Health Fund raises $80m to back spinouts
Venture Investors Health Fund has secured $80 million to invest in spinouts from institutions such as the University of Michigan.
-
University of Utah launches $200m 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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
1834 Ventures launches to support Tulane startups with $20m
1834 Ventures is not affiliated with Tulane University but is working closely with the Tulane Innovation Institute and the Tulane Venture Fund.
-
Portal Innovations kicks off $100m Velocity Fund
Portal Innovations, established by John Flavin who previously set up the Polsky Center, partners with institutions like UChicago to support spinouts.
-
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.
-
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.
-
Medical University of South Carolina launches two funds totalling $30m
The $20 million 1824 Health Ventures Fund I and the $10 million South Carolina Health Innovation Fund will both be managed by Bob Crutchfield.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
Michigan State University unveils $10m fund
The university is doubling down on its partnership with Henry Ford Health to create a $10 million fund and innovation hub.
-
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.
-
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.
-
Catalio closes Nexus Fund IV with $400m
Catalio Capital Management specialises in launching and investing in life sciences spinouts through a network of researchers that act as venture partners.
-
Stevens Institute of Technology hires Shintaro Kaido
Shintaro Kaido will oversee technology transfer at the Stevens Institute of Technology.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
