Search Results for: Karen LeVert

DURHAM, N.C. — On the 20th anniversary of the Council for Entrepreneurial Development’s Excellence Awards, it seemed fitting that John McConnell would receive the final official award of the evening. After all, as he said, “I am one of the Triangle’s first entrepreneurs.” The millionaire businessman who built and sold two medical information technology firms for hundreds of millions of dollars, smiled broadly as he walked to the stage. A big round of applause from the crowd, with many people standing, added to the moment. As Frank Sinatra’s voice boomed “I did it my way,” McConnell accepted the Entrepreneurial...

Editor’s note: Karen LeVert is president of Durham-based Southeast TechInventures, Inc. (STI), a group that partners with university-based inventors to accelerate the commercialization of technologies primarily in the areas of bioengineering, photonics, materials science, and information technology. LeVert will be speaking at the Council for Entrepreneurial Development’s Entrepreneurs Only Workshop on “Managing the Technology Transfer Process” on July 26. This column is the latest in a series for LTW from the membership of the CED. _______________________________________________________________________________________In most cases, before attempting to commercialize a university technology, the intellectual property has to be licensed from the university. The Association of University...

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK — Transforming university research into winning businesses is one of the biggest challenges facing scientists, students and faculty who make discoveries in everything from genetics to silicon chips but are not sure of how to turn those advances into cash. Karen LeVert, founder of Southeast Tech Inventures, or STI, believes she has the solution. STI developed what she calls a “technology accelerator” program that promises the potential for “rapid conversion of university scientific breakthroughs into products, services, and new technology companies.” But this isn’t a suite of software applications. “STI’s accelerator program is not based on...

Entrepreneur ’04, the one-day conference sponsored by the Council for Entrepreneurial development and The Fuqua School at Duke, already includes a list of more than 60 participants for a series of panel discussions. The speakers represent small and large firms, high tech and biotech — people chosen to offer entrepreneurs how to start and grow businesses. “Entrepreneur ’04 is not only intended for those considering a new business venture, but it is also geared to those already in the trenches of growing their business,” said Grace Ueng, co-chair of the event ahd head of Savvy Marketing Group. “Entrepreneurs from...