Commercialization Interchange: A Roundtable to Improve Execution in Technology Commercialization

The Techonolgoy Commercialization Office and Tech Venture group at the University of Utah, in partnership with the David Eccles School of Business Executive Education, welcome you to the Commercialization Interchange event Oct. 16-19, 2012. This special working forum will provide experienced commercialization professionals with a deeper understanding of what it takes to inspire, promote, protect, license and market innovative technologies.

Training Themes

• Forming commercialization ecosystems
• Managing academic administration
• Structuring technology commercialization
• Engaging faculty for disclosure, mentoring
• Fostering student entrepreneurship

• Responding to multiple constituencies
• Securing and managing intellectual property
• Licensing, art and science
• Facilitating startups

Hands-On Experience

Seminar participants will get a hands-on experience on the final day, when they will form groups to use what they have learned to address challenges in their own organizations. Possible challenges include intellectual property, culture, administration, faculty relations or student programs. This is a great opportunity to address important questions or concerns with other professionals facing the same challenges.

Seminar Agenda

The seminar will provide training and hands-on opportunities for technology managers of all types. It focuses on the lessons learned at the University of Utah to provide real-world insight into how to manage intellectual property. Highlights include:

DAY 1:

Tuesday: Welcome to the University of Utah

• Meet the innovators, CEOs and seed and angel funders who are building Utah's Innovation Economy at our Tech Tuesday networking event. This event is hosted in the restored Officer's Club located in the Fort Douglas area of the University campus, which was the site of the Olympic Village when Utah hosted the 2002 Winter Games.
• Opening banquet at the Lassonde Entrepreneur Center, the restored Commanding Officer's House, which is the hub of educational programs that served more than 1,800 college students in fiscal year 2011.

DAY 2:

Wednesday: Sessions Begin

• Session 1: The Utah Commercialization Ecosystem with various representatives from state government and the Utah, Science, Technology and Research (USTAR) Economic Development Initiative; Administrative realities; the Technology Venture Development structure (faculty outreach, educational programs, technology commercialization).
• Session 2: What does it mean to be a service organization?; Disclosures and a culture of faculty partnership; Securing and managing intellectual property; Managing the portfolio; Ongoing development of technology.
• Session 3: Speed networking to learn about programs at other campuses. This fast-paced session will put you face-to-face with every seminar participant to talk about distinctive programs at the campus of every participant.

DAY 3:

Thursday: Sessions Continue

• Session 4: Adding value to technology: why and how; Licensing versus startups; Facilitating startups (value proposition, internal processes, outsourcing and partnerships, etc.).
• Session 5: Applying partnership input to real challenges (group exercise on real challenges faced by participants); Team presentation on strategies for success (through innovation or partnerships).
  Celebration banquet.

DAY 4:

Friday: Depart or Explore Utah

• For those wishing to stay on a couple more days, Salt Lake City offers exceptional access to winter skiing with many nearby resorts and during the fall is the gateway to several National Parks, including Yellowstone, Zion, Canyonlands, Arches and Bryce Canyon.

Technology Venture Development is ranked among the best universities in the country at commercializing new technologies, and it is currently No. 1 in the country at creating companies base on university research. Tech Ventures' efforts include technology protection and licensing, startup formation, faculty outreach and student involvement. Read our publications or visit our newsroom for more detailed information.

2012 Dates:

February 21-24, 2012

October 16-19, 2012

Cost and Accomodations:

The seminar costs $1,900 per participant. Visitors will be staying at the University Guest House, which is located in the historic Fort Douglas area of campus. The Guest House is a block away a Trax light rail stop on the line running from the airport to the University that passes through the middle of downtown Salt Lake City. The Guest House is a great location to start walks or runs through Fort Douglas and is close to an extensive trail system that stretches the length of Salt Lake Valley. Lodging and food are both covered in your registration fee.

Register now!