Tech Transfer at The Polsky Center at The University of Chicago

Hello and welcome to another episode of Tech Transfer IP. Today I am pleased to speak with Bill Payne, the Executive Director of Science and Technology at the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Chicago. Bill leads the technology commercialization, Polsky Science Ventures, and industry relations team working to bring groundbreaking faculty research to the market.Bill is also a startup veteran, having founded and built a company that developed a mobile advertising and sponsorship service that was integrated into AT&T and Verizon’s networks and approved for use.Listen as Bill talks about his journey to the Polsky Center and what it’s all about. He also explains the Polsky Exchange, the funding opportunities available to students, faculty, staff, and alumni-led startups. Bill shares how his office is structured and how many invention disclosures, patent filings, revenue-generating agreements, royalty income, and other metrics his office had last year.Bill discusses the relationship they have with their corporate partners and the philanthropic organizations they are involved with. Bill speaks about his office’s biggest success stories, biggest challenges, and the programs they have to help encourage and assist women and other traditionally underrepresented inventors and entrepreneurs.If Bill had three wishes, he would like the University of Chicago to continue to scale up their operations in tech transfer, he would want to create a new set of unicorn companies to show everyone the opportunities they have, and he wants to make his organization a fun place to work. In This Episode:[02:41] Welcome to the show, Bill![02:57] Bill shares his background and journey to the Polsky Center at the University of Chicago.[08:34] Can you tell us a little more about the Polsky Center?[10:18] Bill discusses how the Polsky Center helps to promote a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship at the University of Chicago.[12:11] Bill talks about the Polsky Exchange and what it is.[13:28] Can you tell us about the funding opportunities available to students, faculty, staff, and alumni-led startup companies at the University of Chicago?[16:12] Bill about how his office is structured.[19:20] Bill discusses how many invention disclosures, patent filings, revenue-generating agreements, royalty income, and other metrics his office had last year.[23:18] He believes that invention disclosures are most important in managing innovations to have the greatest opportunity for success.[25:14] Can you give us examples of the relationships your office has with corporate partners?[27:47] Having corporate partners has led to them having more deals.[28:54] Bill says they have philanthropic organizations like the George Schultz Innovation Fund.[30:08] Bill shares some of the Polsky Center’s biggest success stories regarding successful technologies and startups.[31:25] He talks about a couple of this office’s biggest challenges.[34:50] Does the Polsky Center have any programs to help encourage and assist women and other traditionally underrepresented inventors and entrepreneurs?[37:20] Bill’s office participates in AUTM and shares the value he believes they bring.[39:21] What is your view on credentialing? Do you think it makes a difference?[41:08] He would like the University of Chicago to continue to scale up their operations in tech transfer, create a new set of unicorn companies to show everyone the opportunities out there, and he wants to make his organization a fun place to work. [43:40] Thank you for being on the show! Find Bill:Email 

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