The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) is launching a new office for public-private partnerships and commercialization of its research. The Office of Strategic Partnerships & Innovation will open May 15. It will be the commercial outreach and entrepreneurial development arm of the institute.
The main goals of the office will be to support faculty as they engage in entrepreneurship and commercialization and to get more UF/IFAS research solutions to the marketplace.
Damian Adams, UF/IFAS associate dean for research, will run the office as its executive director. “We are building a culture of entrepreneurship with our faculty,” Adams said. “This office will serve as our front door for corporate engagement —streamlining the process for businesses, faculty and investors alike.”
The Office of Strategic Partnerships & Innovation will offer faculty training and guidance with establishing intellectual property, starting new businesses and securing private grant funding. It will also focus on connecting faculty with venture capital funding, corporate partners and other funding mechanisms.
For agri-businesses, the office will identify ways they can work with UF/IFAS. This includes offering research resources to test and derisk commercial products before they go to stakeholders and establishing internships to create a pipeline of skilled workers.
The office also aims to be part of the solution to a newer challenge that faculty have faced. With federal funding becoming more competitive, having a private partner can create a diversified stream of resources and give a competitive advantage when applying for federal grants.
Adams said his office will be a resource for UF/IFAS faculty and others who have already launched businesses, as well as those in the middle of the process and those who are nurturing an idea and a dream. “What are the barriers? What are the pain points with licensing and commercialization? We want to break those down and make the process smooth for everyone involved,” he said.
Adams can be reached by email at dcadams@ufl.edu.
Source: UF/IFAS
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