Partnerships — whether they be for funding, business development, or sponsored research and other forms of corporate engagement – have become increasingly critical to universities and the partners they work with in delivering resources, spurring innovation, expanding student opportunities, leveraging expertise, and enhancing economic development efforts.
But building these relationships — particularly those with high impact and strategic value — requires time and patience, often accompanied by long lead times.
Attracting the right partner, for the right project, at the right time takes a multi-faceted approach that is part marketing and communication, part science, and part data curation. Without each part, your efforts may fall short of expectations on both sides.
That’s why we’re producing a partnership-building webinar featuring two university leaders with unique approaches to finding and landing significant collaborations that are driving growth and creating new opportunities on both sides of the deal. When you attend this detailed session, you’ll hear from:
- Scott Morley, MBA, Director of the Office of Industry & Economic Partnerships at the University of Pittsburgh. Scott is the architect behind a Salesforce-driven partnering platform that helps Pitt’s business development team match industry needs with research expertise and technologies available for licensing.
- Tom Waters, Assistant Director of Startups & Business Development for the University of South Florida. Tom brings with him years of corporate engagement experience and will share USF’s novel approach to generating partnership buzz among VCs, start-ups, and corporations.
Join us for this practical webinar that will deliver real bottom-line benefits for your university’s partnering initiatives:
During this one-hour program, our expert presenters will detail their unique approaches and reveal metrics and results of their corporate engagement efforts. Here’s a brief look at the agenda:
University of Pittsburgh: CRM Strategies for Driving High–Value Industry Partnerships
- Defining benchmarks and improvement goals
- Creating a successful BD/marketing CRM system
- Creating brand awareness
- Opening continuous dialogue with potential partners
The University of South Florida Approach:
- Universities as Startup Clusters
- How education creates innovation
- All the World’s a (Technology) Stage
- Measuring Success
- Venture Capital
- The three key strategies for targeting and attracting VC partners
- Risk and reward
- Building repeat business – a key to long-term success
- Understanding Corporate Needs
- Jumping Ship
- Joint Research Agreements
- Innovation Horizons
Meet your session leaders:
Scott Morley
Director
Office of Industry & Economic Partnerships
University of Pittsburgh
Scott Morley serves as Director, Office of Industry and Economic Partnerships and leads the Industry Partnerships Team. In this role, he is responsible for aligning Pitt’s vast research capabilities and world-class expertise with the needs of industry, creating mutually beneficial partnerships that advance important science, solve industry-relevant R&D challenges, and provide channels for the commercialization of new technologies of high value and societal impact. Prior to joining Pitt, Scott worked in the medical device industry, most recently as the Senior Vice President of Market Development at ALung Technologies where he was responsible for product management, clinical affairs, marketing, and global sales. Scott is a two-time graduate of the University of Pittsburgh having earned a BS from the Swanson School of Engineering (Bioengineering) and an MBA from Katz Graduate School of Business (Marketing).
Tom Waters
Assistant Director of Startups & Business Development
University of South Florida
Tom is responsible for mentoring and guiding entrepreneurial faculty through the planning, forming, and funding phases of startup creation. His role includes evaluating startup opportunities; confirming they should be pursued as startups rather than traditional licenses; and working with the inventor to prepare summaries of the opportunity, up to and including the initial business plan. He also aids in recruiting the startup CEO and assist in obtaining financing, and negotiates all license and equity agreements with faculty companies. In addition, he connects entrepreneurial faculty with the appropriate legal and accounting resources, as well as funding opportunities (including SBIR/STTR), state grants, venture and angel capital, and industry-sponsored research.
