The WVU Research Office has restructured several programs and offices, such as Tech Transfer, to create the Office of Innovation and Commercialization in an effort to maximize and streamline processes for faculty, staff and students and budding entrepreneurs.
The previous offices of Tech Transfer, NSF I-Corps, Student and Faculty Innovation, which included the Morris L. Hayhurst Launch Lab, and various startup support services have merged under the new office.
The Office of Innovation and Commercialization will support the academic mission of WVU to advance high-impact research by identifying, protecting and monetizing emerging technologies; advancing external industry and investor partnerships; and providing resources for prototyping, funding and collaboration through the WVU innovation ecosystem.
The office is being spearheaded by Erienne Olesh, executive director of innovation and commercialization, and Ryan Watson, executive director of intellectual property and licensing.
“This will provide better and more transparent services to faculty, staff and students,” Olesh said. “The various offices were similar and related to one another but were independent and scattered. Now people can come to one office to get the entire spectrum of the resources available rather than going to multiple points.”
“This restructuring enables our team to more effectively engage with internal stakeholders and external partners with a focus on advancing the University’s early-stage technologies into the private sector,” Watson said.
The office has also moved to a new location, and will be housed at the WVU Innovation Corporation building, the former Mylan/Viatris site. In addition to office space, the Office of Innovation and Commercialization also has federally funded energy incubator space, providing lab space to energy startups from across the state.
Other members of the new office are Chris Menchini, associate director of intellectual property; Jessica Ott, technology commercialization associate; Thomas Motes, associate general counsel for intellectual property; Kristina Anderson, business operations manager; Angela Shock, office administrator and Brooke Vani, program coordinator.