About CED
As the state’s flagship institution, the University of Kentucky is a catalyst for economic growth throughout Kentucky. In 2006 UK President Lee T. Todd Jr. established the Office for Commercialization & Economic Development to manage the university's intellectual assets, develop Coldstream Research Campus and provide leadership in economic development.
The mission of UKCED is to broaden and strengthen the development of the Kentucky economy and support the creation of jobs and careers for UK graduates through the commercial development of UK-based technologies, entrepreneurship and business outreach.
Leonard E. “Len” Heller serves as UKCED Vice President, building partnerships with industry and local, regional and state partnerships to advance economic development initiatives. As President/CEO of Kentucky Technology Inc., Heller directs investment in technology-based businesses and startups through KTI, the Bluegrass Angels and Bluegrass Angel Venture Fund, and angel & venture capital networking.
Heller is part of The National Academies University-Industry Demonstration Partnership, which brings top research universities together with Fortune 500 companies to develop research and commercialization relationships. He is also on the APLU Commission on Innovation, Competitiveness and Economic Prosperity.
The UKCED team of professionals is responsible for the following programs and services:
- ASTeCC, the Advanced Science & Technology Commercialization Center and AgTeCC, UK’s campus incubators
- Intellectual property development
- Commercialization and licensing of university-based intellectual properties and technologies
- Business development for new and existing businesses at the University of Kentucky, the Lexington Bluegrass Region and throughout the Commonwealth:
- Development of UK's Coldstream Research Campus