At the closing reception of the annual meeting in Las Vegas, I heard many people say that AUTM2011 was the best meeting yet and that they got a lot out of it, especially the partnering meetings. I feel the same way!
As the new VP of Strategic Alliances, I didn’t know what to expect or what might be expected of me. But current and past board members were very supportive and generous in offering their time and ideas. Likewise, many university and corporate AUTM members attended the special interest group meeting and shared their ideas and volunteered their support for committees.
As a result of the many meetings and discussions held during the conference, a few initiatives have emerged for AUTM’s Strategic Alliances portfolio:
- We’ll be working with the meeting committees to coordinate with other AUTM events to help bring more companies interested in licensing to interact with university members.
- We’ll also have panel discussions at meetings of other associations to help educate more industry sectors on the benefits of licensing university technologies as well as what that process typically is (setting expectations appropriately).
- We’ll be developing tools to help connect universities with potential licensees more efficiently.
I already have a good list of action items that I’m starting working on. (This blog is actually the completion of the first item on that to-do list!) As we secure joint meetings, panel slots, or other efforts, I’ll share information with you and encourage your input on what else AUTM can do for its membership.
I look forward to working with you.