Managing Director of Texas Tech Innovation Hub highlights how collaboration accelerates commercialization and maximizes the impact of university research.
The Texas Tech University Innovation Hub was highlighted in a panel during the Association of University Technology Management (AUTM) Western Region Meeting on September 24th-25th in Phoenix, Arizona. Taysha Williams, Managing Director of the Innovation Hub, shared her seven years of experience building programs that foster community and university startup companies. The panel, Fostering Innovation and Maximizing Impact: How Collaboration Between Licensing and Venture Development Teams Drives Commercialization, featured Williams and tech transfer experts: David Marshall (University of Colorado-Boulder), Doug Hockstad (University of Arizona), and Amy Wullschleger-Graham (University of Utah).
During the panel, Williams emphasized that aligning the efforts of licensing and venture development teams is essential for accelerating the translation of research into commercial products. “Universities are epicenters of innovation, but but transforming discoveries into market-ready solutions demands collaboration,” Williams said. "At Texas Tech, breaking down departmental silos allows us to accelerate commercialization, driving more efficient and impactful outcomes."
The panel highlighted the dynamic landscape of technology transfer and innovation, emphasizing the pivotal role that collaboration with both venture teams and tech transfer teams enchances the number of researchers that complete the NSF I-Corps (Innovation Corps) regional and national programs.
Williams shared case studies of how Texas Tech’s Innovation Hub and Office of Research Commercialization work together to accelerate the translation of research into commercial ventures and societal impact. One example that was shared by Williams is the development of the Commercialization Roadmap that was designed to show the commercialization journey for faculty and students as they engage with the Texas Tech Innovation Ecosystem.
About AUTM
The Association of University Technology Management (AUTM) is the non-profit leader in efforts to educate, promote and inspire professionals to support the development of academic research that changes the world and drives innovation forward. The community is comprised of more than 3,000 members who work in more than 800 universities, research centers, hospitals, businesses and government organizations around the globe.