OSU to hold technology commercialization seminar for faculty

Friday, October 1, 2010

Oklahoma State University will engage its faculty on October 5 through a Technology Entrepreneurship Seminar for those interested in commercializing their research developments and starting companies.  The seminar is part of the university’s Technology Entrepreneurship Initiative, which seeks to accelerate the commercialization of viable concepts, inventions and products while promoting a university-wide spirit and understanding of entrepreneurship.

Although OSU maintains a long history of successful technology commercialization, the university has taken great strides in recent years to synergize its resources. OSU’s Riata Center and the Office of Intellectual Property Management have joined forces to identify, mentor and accelerate campus research activities so that they can more profitably transition to entrepreneurial business ventures.  They have jointly hired Steve Wood, who works with faculty and doctoral students from all schools, colleges and departments on campus to support their innovations and connect them to resources that are critical for successful commercialization.

“The landscape of technology transfer on university campuses is changing,” said Steve Price, OSU’s VP for Technology Development.  “We want to equip our faculty with the resources, knowledge and assistance they need to be successful.”

The initiative involves students too.  Through the Creativity, Innovation and Entrepreneurship Scholars program, top MBA and other graduate students are matched with promising faculty inventions to provide business planning services.  As a result, eleven OSU-developed technologies are on the path to commercialization.

The October 5th seminar is co-sponsored by the Office of the VP for Research and Technology Transfer, Spears School of Business, Office of Intellectual Property Management, Riata Entrepreneurship Center, Robert M. Kerr Food & Agricultural Products Center, School of Entrepreneurship, OSU New Product Development Center and Creativity and Innovation Institute.

The program will feature presentations by Robert Sternberg, OSU’s new provost and senior VP, Steve McKeever, VP for Research and Technology Transfer, as well as Morris, Price and Wood.

For more information, visit http://entrepreneurship.okstate.edu/tei or call 405-744-6930.