Stories indexed with the term ‘UM technology transfer’

Detroit Free Press columnist Tom Walsh interviews venture capitalist Scott Chou about comparing Ann Arbor and Silicon Valley. Walsh reports that Chou, co-founder of Michigan eLab, spoke to University of Michigan business students about the attraction of this area: “Everything is cheaper here. It’s a source of disruptive innovations. It’s a core center for research innovations – one of the top-funded universities in the country. There’s a lot of groundbreaking ideas and few venture capitalists here.” [Source]

Ten items disclosed under the state’s conflict-of-interest statute were authorized by the University of Michigan board of regents at their Nov. 15, 2012 meeting. The law requires that regents vote on potential conflict-of-interest disclosures related to university staff, faculty or students.

The items often involve technology licensing agreements or leases. This month, all items were approved unanimously and without discussion. They related to the following businesses and organizations: ImBio LLC, BHJ Tech Inc., Newline Builders, Arborlight LLC, Arbor Ultrasound Technologies LLC, HiperNap LLC, Inmatech Inc., the Institute for Social and Environmental Research Nepal, PsiKick Inc., and Lycera Inc.

By way of example, the Lycera disclosure is required because four people who have an ownership stake in the company – Gary Glick, Anthony Opipari, … [Full Story]

At its March 15, 2012 meeting, the University of Michigan board of regents authorized 10 items that required disclosure under the state’s Conflict of Interest statute. The law requires that regents vote on potential conflict-of-interest disclosures related to university staff, faculty or students.

The items often involve technology licensing agreements, research agreements or leases. This month, companies involved are Avicenna Medical Systems Inc., Peacock Holdings, 3D Biomatrix LLC, Atterocor Inc., Brio Device LLC, Evigia Systems Inc., HistoSonics LLC, Michigan Aerospace Corp., Mozaic Solutions LLC, and Situmbra Inc.

This brief was filed from the Michigan Union’s Pendleton Room on UM’s Ann Arbor campus, where regents held their March meeting. A more detailed report will follow: [link]

At its Feb. 16, 2012 meeting, the University of Michigan board of regents authorized five items that required disclosure under the state’s Conflict of Interest statute. The law requires that regents vote on potential conflict-of-interest disclosures related to university staff, faculty or students.

The items often involve technology licensing agreements or leases. This month, the items related to the following businesses: Structured Microsystems LLC, H3D Inc., ImBio LLC, OncoMed Pharmaceuticals Inc., and OcuSciences Inc.

This brief was filed from the boardroom of the Fleming administration building on UM’s central campus, where the regents’ meeting is held. A more detailed report will follow: [link]

A new initiative – the Michigan Investment in New Technology Startups (MINTS) was approved by University of Michigan regents at their Dec. 15, 2011 board meeting. Plans for the initiative had been announced in early October by UM president Mary Sue Coleman in her annual address to campus.

In addition to approval for the overall program, regents also approved guidelines for MINTS. Managed by UM’s investment office as well as the office of technology transfer, the program involves investing in start-up companies formed using UM technology. It’s estimated that over 10 years, the program will invest about $25 million from the university’s long-term portfolio. According to a staff memo, the investments would be part of the portfolio’s venture capital sub-portfolio. A limit … [Full Story]

A new University of Michigan joint master’s degree in entrepreneurship – a partnership of the college of engineering and Ross business school – was approved by the UM board of regents at their July 21, 2011 meeting. The degree program has been in development for more than two years. According to a staff report on the proposal, the “primary objective of this program is to arm students with the critical multidisciplinary knowledge necessary to create new technology-focused ventures, either as stand-alone entities or within established innovative organizations. Students will learn to create and capture value from novel technologies within the context of entrepreneurship.” [.pdf of full report]

The program was developed in partnership with UM’s office of technology transfer.

This brief was filed from the regents meeting in the boardroom of the Fleming administration building on UM’s Ann Arbor campus. A more detailed report will follow: [link] [Full Story]

University of Michigan engineering professor Ann Marie Sastry – CEO and co-founder of a hot, new automotive battery development company – sits shivering in her overcoat in the cold Cobo basement at the Detroit auto show.

But Sastry and her company, Ann Arbor-based Sakti3, is far from “out in the cold.” They are in the auto business for the long haul and do not plan on being relegated to a basement booth forever. Eventually, if all goes well, her company’s battery technology will be powering the cars upstairs on the main show floor’s Electric Avenue.

What is it about the “Eureka moment” in her UM lab that prompted her to help found a company two years ago? What is it that turned the heads and opened the wallets of the Michigan Economic Development Corp. and cleantech venture capitalist Vinod Khosla, who chipped in $2 million out the gate? What exactly is her company’s battery technology? [Full Story]

More than 250 people from academia, business, government and nonprofits packed the auditorium Monday afternoon at the Partnership for an Innovation Economy forum, hosted by the University of Michigan at its newly renovated art museum.

Throughout the two-hour event, The Chronicle learned, among other things: 1) which former Pfizer executive is a rugby referee, 2) which local power couples have relied on each other for advice, 3) who hosts one of the best holiday parties in Ann Arbor.

Of course, there was also much talk of UM’s role in economic development. [Full Story]