17
FURNACE FURNACE Arizona’s Tech Transfer Accelerator Gordon McConnell Charlie Lewis Wiley Larsen April 23, 2013
FURNACEFURNACEArizona’s Tech Transfer
AcceleratorGordon McConnell
Charlie LewisWiley Larsen
April 23, 2013
Panel of ExpertsCHARLIE LEWIS, Vice President of Venture Development AzTECharlie Lewis manages the creation and growth of new ASU spin-out companies for AzTE.He brings 20 years of entrepreneurial and private equity experience to AzTE. Prior tojoining AzTE, he served as general partner for two Arizona venture capital funds, ArrisVentures and Paradise ’94. Charlie directed the investment committee responsible for analyzing due diligence findings and appropriating more than $25 million in private capital with an emphasis on early-stage technology companies. During that time, he was involved in the acquisition of three portfolio companies, one by a public corporation (NYSE: IDR). Prior tohis venture fund experiences, Charlie was vice president of sales and marketing for TritiumTechnologies. There he developed the marketing plan and managed the sales process for thecompany’s digital vibration attenuation products. He also served as International Director forDistribution for ANVT, Inc. In that role, he formulated the North American and Europeandistribution plans and gained key insight into international trade relations.
Charlie was a founding partner of Midas Computers in 1984 after graduating from Arizona State University with a B.S. in computer science. The company designed software tools for small retail businesses and was acquired by POS Systems in 1993.
Panel of ExpertsGORDON MCCONNELL, Assistant Vice President for Innovation, Entrepreneurship andVenture Acceleration, Office of Knowledge Enterprise Development. Gordon joined ASU in June 2011 in the role of Executive Director for VentureAcceleration, managing the Venture Catalyst unit based in ASU SkySong which includes theEdson Student Accelerator program. Prior to relocating to the U.S., Mr. McConnell wasDeputy CEO of the Dublin City University (DCU) Ryan Academy for Entrepreneurship inIreland.
As part of his role at DCU Ryan Academy for Entrepreneurship, he co-founded and was the first director of the Propeller Venture Accelerator in Dublin and a charter member ofthe Techstars Network.
Panel of ExpertsWILEY LARSEN, Venture ManagerWiley joined Venture Catalyst in November 2011 and assists ASU faculty, staff, and alumni with commercializing their technologies. He has 5 years of experience as a marketingand business development consultant for new ventures as well as extensiveexperience evaluating business plans, preparing entrepreneurs for pitch events, and coaching SBIR/STTR applicants on phase I and phase II commercialization planning. In addition, he has managed strategic planning initiatives for economic development clients and non-profit organizations.
Prior to joining Venture Catalyst, Mr. Larsen served as Director of Strategic Partnerships for Development Capital Networks, where he was responsible for venture and licensing forums, business plan competitions, and entrepreneurial training workshops.
Welcome Total Access Pass attendees• Technology Transfer Tactics Distance Learning
Total Access Pass allows you to customize a distance learning program for your staff and faculty at a steeply discounted price with 4 convenient formats.
• You can get details on our website at www.technologytransfertactics.com and click on Tech Transfer University on the left sidebar.
The Problem: University Tech Transfer
1. Focus is on internal identification of best technologies
2. Upfront license fees to startups
3. Minimal coverage on high volume
4. TTO’s manage faculty startups
1. Leverage Our Place
2. Transform Society3. Value
Entrepreneurship4. Conduct Use-
Inspired Research5. Enable Student
Success6. Fuse Intellectual
Disciplines7. Be Socially
Embedded8. Engage Globally
ASU’s Culture
SkySong & ASU Venture Catalyst• Opened in 2008 – Reorganized in June 2011 • Now the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Group – The
‘Startup unit’ of ASU– Internal entrepreneurship activity (Edson student startups,
faculty startups)– External startups (Furnace, External startups ) – Support the external startup ecosystem (collaboration e.g.
Techiepalooza event)
the idea
process• Triage – finding viable technologies• Translation – from patent language to English• Validation – external entrepreneurs and technologists • Marketing – Match-up events aimed at creating teams
of people with complimentary skill sets• Control – managing contact with inventors, applicants
and sponsors• Competition – presentations to panel comprised of
TTO’s and external judges for selection of winners
• Competing with discoveries from Competing with discoveries from outside university research labs, not outside university research labs, not from withinfrom within• Sharing resources, ideas, and best Sharing resources, ideas, and best
practices among participantspractices among participants• Grow regional and state economic Grow regional and state economic
developmentdevelopment
Collaboration not CompetitionCollaboration not Competition
• 200 technologies were qualified for the competition• 220 people attended 3 awareness events• 200 NCS summaries sent to 80 teams• 52 applications submitted• 22 teams pitched in Final Round• 10 teams selected• $250,000 awarded• $93,000 additional funding already awarded
the numbers
results
RehabDev
The accelerator model• Four externally funded “Super Mentors”• Office space at all locations• Training – Rapid Startup School™ and Lean
Launchpad• Connections to Management Talent• Pitch practice, SBIR writing, Competitions• Accountability and a finite timeline
2.0• New technology partners for AZ-Furnace• More Funding: Bigger grants - more startups• New Furnace programs in other regions• Access of business talent through Alexandria
Network• Leverage AREA48 for creation of new Aerospace and
Defense startups
Questions?Utilize the public chat
at the bottom left of your screen to submit your question. The panel will address them in
the order they are received.
Thank You!
