Contacts
Dean Harvey / (859) 257-1930
Von Allmen Center for Entrepreneurship
107 ASTeCC Building
Pat Powell / (859) 257-6871
Lexington Innovation & Commercialization Center
330 East Main Street, Suite 210
Commercialization Specialists
Jessica Williams / (859) 218-6559
Natasha Jones / (859) 218-6557
B2B Faculty Networking Events
Twice a year, University of Kentucky researchers convene at on-campus “Bench2Business” events to network with other innovative faculty from colleges across campus and discuss their research and commercialization plans. Additionally, the fall B2B event welcomes community members with the business expertise that university-based startups often need to grow their businesses.
To date, the UK Business Development team in the Office for Commercialization & Economic Development has coordinated B2B events in April and October 2008 and May 2009.
2009 Spring
The 2009 Spring “Bench2Business” networking event drew more than 100 faculty entrepreneurs to the Boone Center on May 4, 2009. This B2B event was held in conjunction with the monthly meeting of the Bluegrass Angels, providing faculty entrepreneurs with a unique opportunity to network with area venture capitalists.
Four faculty – Kozo Saito (engineering), IR4TD; Braden Lusk (mining engineering); Peter Oeltgen (medicine), Hibernetics; and Bruce Webb (agriculture), ParaTechs – gave 10 minute presentations on their emerging technologies. Jed Bullard, chairman of the Bluegrass Angel Venture Fund, also spoke.
The event was highlighted by UK President Dr. Lee T. Todd Jr.'s recognition of the 2008 faculty entrepreneurs in the categories of commercialization funding, new licenses, new ASTeCC companies and ASTeCC “graduates.” The 2009 Spring B2B was sponsored by the UK Office for Commercialization and Economic Development and the Bluegrass Angels.
View 2009 Spring B2B Program (pdf) for the complete list of recognized faculty entrepreneurs.