Christy Wyskiel’s passion for born and bred local business prompted her to leave her job as an institutional investor on Wall Street and focus on helping Baltimore entrepreneurs and inventors thrive. In her estimation, her current role as the Executive Director of Johns Hopkins Technology Ventures (JHTV) is close to the best job in the world!JHTV acts as a bridge between world-changing inventions being developed in laboratories, and the market, and their breadth of field covers everything from guitars to cancer diagnostics. The three divisions which make up JHTV focus on technology transfer, industry research partnerships, and company acceleration, and in today’s episode Christy shares more details about some of the programs that sit within these sectors. Johns Hopkins’ three-year rolling average for licensing revenue is more than twice what it was before JHTV was created, which is just one of the many metrics which highlights the success of the program. We discuss the value of such metrics, and how Christy hopes to impact the way technology transfer departments approach them. We also hear about what Christy believes to be the key indicator of success, her thoughts on corporate partnerships, and how JHTV, and Christy in her own personal capacity, are working towards enhancing diversity in technology transfer. In This Episode:[00:50] An introduction to today’s guest, Christy Wyskiel.[03:00] Christy’s circuitous journey of the heart from wall street to the field of technology transfer. [05:04] Barriers and opportunities that Christy became aware of when working with entrepreneurs.[07:33] The role of Johns Hopkins Technology Ventures (JHTV), and the wide range of research endeavours that it encompasses. [08:35] Why Christy loves her job so much. [09:21] A committee that Christy was a part of, and how they came up with recommendations for the development of an entrepreneurship and start-up ecosystem in Baltimore. [10:00] What the Fast Forward division of JHTV focuses on, and the success they have seen over the past year. [11:11] The student hub for entrepreneurship and innovation at JHTV, and other programs which encourage student engagement in this field. [12:28] Goals of the JHTV Social Innovation Lab and Commercialization Academy.[14:50] Christy shares how she and her team approach their work, and a metric which highlights how much of a success JHTV has been.[16:42] Professionals who make up the staff complement at JHTV. [20:17] The most important measure of the success of technology transfer. [21:25] Why Christy sees attracting outside funding as a key indicator of success.[23:21] What Christy would like to see happen with metrics in the field of technology transfer in the future. [25:57] Some of the valuable resources that JHTV provides, and the key to successful management. [28:43] How Big Pharma has changed over the years. [29:51] Where JHTV’s strengths lie, and the areas where they lean on corporate partners.[32:16] How JHTV approaches their relationships with their corporate partners. [33:49] A game changing relationship that JHTV has with a non-profit.[36:20] Some of the very interesting technology that has come out of JHTV.[39:07] Two major challenges that JHTV is facing. [41:13] The percentage of venture capital that goes to women and people of color, and the group Christy founded to change this. [42:01] How JHTV is connecting more seasoned female innovators with younger faculty and students. [44:53] Organizations that technology transfer professionals at JHTV are involved with.[45:53] JHTV’s two main goals. [46:50] Christy’s three wishes for JHTV. Find Christy:EmailJohn Hopkins Technology VenturesTwitter

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