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Start Up Maryland: University Technology Transfer - Tech Knowledgy Breakfast & Trivia

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Episode 3: Start Up Maryland

Tips, Tricks and Mistakes When Finding, Acquiring and Bringing University Technology to Market

There is exquisite technology being developed in Maryland, excellent state support and a wealth of opportunity for entrepreneurs seeking to launch technology-based start-ups. The University of Maryland system and The Johns Hopkins University help to make this a particularly target-rich environment. Johns Hopkins alone has nearly 2,000 inventions available for licensing with 500 new invention disclosures a year. But, licensing a university technology is often perceived as onerous and unfathomable.

Universities are thought to be difficult and unrealistic in their expectations and contract demands. The truth is that the modern university is easy to deal with, particularly if you understand their constraints and motivation. 

Wesley D. Blakeslee, BS, JD, CLP is the former head of the Johns Hopkins University Technology Transfer office, co-founder and General Counsel of a startup developing university-invented technology, and a consultant who has helped dozens of universities improve their licensing policies and practices. Wes will explain:

  1. The benefits of acquiring and developing university-based technologies;
  2. How to secure top-quality university technology on favorable terms; and
  3. Legal and practical aspects of identifying, acquiring and bringing university technology to market.

Thursday, October 17, 2019
7:30 am to 9:30 am
Gordon Feinblatt, LLC
233 East Redwood Street
Baltimore, MD 21202

Program

7:30 am to 8:00 am - Breakfast & Registration
8:00 am to 8:15 am - Introduction & Trivia
8:15 am to 9:15 am - Program
9:15 am to 9:30 am - Q&A

Speaker

WES BLAKESLEE

Wesley D. Blakeslee, BS, JD, CLP, is a lawyer, engineer and entrepreneur as well as Principal of Blakeslee, LLC, a consulting and legal organization that provides services to universities, university startups, corporations, inventors and entrepreneurs on matters regarding technology transfer, operations, sponsored research, business formation, moving technology to market, expert witness testimony and other related areas. Blakeslee, LLC also provides support to universities regarding policies, particularly intellectual property, conflicts of interest and commitment, sponsored research policies, as well as faculty dispute resolution services. He is a co-founder and General Counsel of StrandSmart, Inc., a startup that licensed and is developing a university invented biomedical technology.

Wes is a former NASA engineer who served NASA for nine years during the lunar landing missions, before becoming a lawyer. After more than 20 years in private practice, Wes moved to the General Counsel's office at Johns Hopkins where he practiced intellectual property and complex business law. His expertise includes copyright fair use, complex sponsored research and collaboration agreements, intellectual property agreements, export controls, university policies, corporate formation, and mergers and acquisitions. In 2006, Wes was appointed Executive Director of Johns Hopkins Technology Transfer, transforming the office into one of the strongest in the United States. He is the Chair of the Industrial and Professional Advisory Council of the Penn State School of Engineering, and in 2013 was named Engineering Alumnus of the Year from the Department of Engineering Science and Mechanics, the highest honor bestowed by the Penn State Engineering School.

 

Date

October 17, 2019

Type

Events

Speaker

Craig, Royal W.
Himmelrich, Ned T.

Teams

Technology & Intellectual Property