Formats: Live Webinar, On-Demand Video, DVD, or PDF Transcript
Wednesday, March 7, 2012 ~ 1:00-2:30 pm (Eastern Time)
Price: $197
We submit CLE applications in your state (excluding IL, LA, NJ, NY, PA) for an additional $50. Approval times vary per state. Application is not a guarantee of approval.

Why rely on outside sources to financially nurture your in-house, high-potential technologies?

When it comes to university-based innovations, traditional investors have become nearly obsessively risk-averse, and getting the backing you need to commercialize your promising technologies and fund your start-ups has become a tougher challenge.

Creating an in-house accelerator fund has become a key success strategy for a growing number of TTOs, freeing up resources that help ensure your high-potential university technologies get a fair shake — and the development dollars they need — to reach commercial viability. But, establishing a strategic financing structure within your university technology transfer system or research foundation can be a risky and daunting task, and requires careful planning as well as expert execution.

That’s why we’ve scheduled this dynamic and practical webinar featuring two of the world’s leading TTO financing executives:

Build and Manage a Successful
Accelerator Fund for Your University
Live Webinar – Wednesday, March 7, 2012 – 1:00-2:30pm ET
Also on DVD or on-demand video * CLE and CLP credits available

Please join Richard S. Schifreen, PhD, who leads the Accelerator Program at the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF) and Jonathan Gortat, Coordinator of the Emerging Innovations Fund at Purdue Research Foundation, for an eye-opening session that will reveal best practices and offer “how-to” strategies for building and managing a successful accelerator fund.

Here’s what our expert faculty will cover in this 90-minute webinar:

• Highlights of each school’s accelerator fund — evolution to current day programs
• How and why the funds have evolved in this way
• How to:
• Identify a need for such programs and build your case
• Nuances between programs focusing on:
• Emerging companies
• Existing companies
• Incubators
• Licensed Technologies
• Investigator/Research awards
• Tapping alumni and trustees for:
  • Board member recommendations
  • Fundraising
• Addressing regional challenges that may affect your fund
• Structural issues and equity arrangements
• Gaining buy in from:
• Researchers/Investigators
• Deans/Administration
• Other internal and external stakeholders
• Successfully managing stakeholder expectations and goals
• And much more…

Your Panel of Presenters:

Richard S. Schifreen, PhD, leads the Accelerator Program to identify and drive the commercialization of promising new technologies at the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF). He was formerly the President and CEO of Platypus Technologies, LLC, and the Vice President, Research Products for Mirus Bio Corporation. Dr. Schifreen has held management positions at Promega, Life Technologies and the Du Pont Company specializing in the development of new technology and business initiatives in the fields of life science research and clinical diagnostics. He is a founding faculty member in the Masters of Science in Biotechnology Program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and served on the Cardiovascular Medicine Advisory Board of the UW School of Medicine and Public Health.

Jonathan Gortat, Project Manager, Office of Technology Commercialization (OTC). Gortat is responsible for all aspects of technology transfer including invention evaluation, patent prosecution and strategy, negotiation of agreement and commercialization strategy of invention disclosures. Gortat also is coordinator of Purdue Research Foundation’s Emerging Innovations Fund. He has more than five years experience working in industrial pharmacy research and project management. He has been a small business consultant for several companies and non-profit organizations in the areas of market positioning, pricing analysis, exit financing and corporate strategy. He holds an MBA from the Krannert Graduate School of Management at Purdue University and a baccalaureate of science degree in chemical engineering from Purdue University. He is a member of the American Chemical Society and AUTM.

Register Today!
Participation in the live webinar is just $197 per site and allows access to one computer for an unlimited number of people to watch. Gather your entire staff and watch for maximum benefit!

Our Guarantee of Quality and Value
We stand 100% behind the quality and value of our distance learning events. If you are dissatisfied, simply let us know and we will send you an immediate refund of your entire registration fee — no questions asked.

CLE Credits
We submit CLE applications in your state (excluding IL, LA, NJ, NY, PA) for an additional $50. Approval times vary per state. Application is not a guarantee of approval.

CLP Credits
All Technology Transfer Tactics’ professional development courses and designated educational offerings on the topics of licensing, technology transfer, and technology commercialization at Technology Transfer Tactics’ conferences or meetings are eligible for CLP continuing education (CE) credits for certification renewal.

Click here to download an order form that you can print and send at a later time.