UC unveils new Office of Entrepreneurial Affairs and Technology Commercialization

The University of Cincinnati is moving its entrepreneurial efforts into the future with a newly created Office of Entrepreneurial Affairs and Technology Commercialization. The office merges the University's Office of Entrepreneurial Affairs and its Intellectual Property Office.

The merger, made official on July 1, is more than a name change, said Dr. Dorothy Air, associate vice president for entrepreneurial affairs and technology commercialization.

"This allows us to work together to position faculty in the best possible way when their research has commercialization potential," she said.

Air, who initiated the Ohio Valley Affiliates for Life Sciences (OVALS) Consortium has been named by the Women's Business Cincinnati as one of the Top 10 Women in Technology in the Cincinnati Region.  She also received the 2007 Leading Women of Greater Cincinnati award for Entrepreneurship. Air is also Vice President of Operations for CincyTech USA.

Geoffrey Pinski, Esq., currently interim director of the Intellectual Property Office, has been promoted to director of the new office.

The Office of Entrepreneurial Affairs has developed the blueprint for driving researched-based   technology into the commercial arena, while the Intellectual Property office historically has sought private sector partners to commercialize technology developed at UC.

"By bringing the two functions together, we can coordinate better, and better leverage our resources. We are also going to be looking to develop some new opportunities (for faculty)," Air said, adding "This is not just about startups and licensing. There are a lot of grants available now that refer to getting technology developed that ask how it can be brought into to the market."

This new office combines the work of each former department in supporting faculty research-based entrepreneurship. The University views this as a major driver of regional economic development, technology commercialization and education of the region's workforce.  

Air said the new office marks a move forward in taking university-based research into the commercial arena.

"I think what we had before was a little more compartmentalized. That's not to say that it was not effective, because there were really a whole lot of accomplishments. But both of these agendas have evolved to become more important elements (in university research). We are evolving in our model and how we think about it too," she said.

Writer: Feoshia Henderson
Source: Dorothy Air, UC vice president for entrepreneurial affairs and technology commercialization

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