Description:

Have you wondered what comprises a venture studio? How does this model differentiate from accelerators and incubators? Join us for an insightful webinar exploring the roles that venture studios play in the university innovation ecosystem. Moderated by Jaimie Testai, Best Practices Manager at OUP, this session will feature three venture studios: Prutha Atre of Rose Rock Bridge, Taylor Bench of Summit Venture Studios, and Tom Denison of SmartHealth Catalyzer, Inc.

In addition to discussing the venture studio model, the panel will delve into their individual programs including how they interact with university technologies or startups. The panelists will also take questions from the audience the day of the webinar but sending your questions in advance will put them at the top of the queue. Please submit any questions during registration.

Panelists:

Tom Denison, Co-founder, CEO, & Chief Relationship Officer, SmartHealth Catalyzer

As the Co-founder, CEO, and Chief Relationship Officer of SmartHealth Catalyzer, Tom leads the Hub for Midwest Biomedical Venture Creation. SmartHealth builds and seed funds new ventures around the most promising innovations discovered at Midwest universities and research hospitals. 

SmartHealth Catalyzer partners with 50+ Midwest universities and research hospitals to identify the most promising biomedical innovations in therapeutics, diagnostics, and medical devices. We build new ventures with the right operational leadership and a comprehensive range of expertise, including IP, Pre-Clinical, Clinical, Commercial, Manufacturing, and Strategic Partnerships, leveraging our pool of 150+ elite bioentrepreneurs.

With over 25 years of experience in entrepreneurship, mentorship, and venture creation, I am passionate about building and funding biomedical startups that can transform and improve lives.

Prutha Atre, Innovation Manager, Rose Rock Bride

As the Innovation Manager at Rose Rock Bridge, Prutha specializes in the strategic sourcing, commercialization, and integration of emerging technologies within leading energy corporations including H&P, Devon Energy, Williams, and OneOk. Prutha's background spans technology investment banking, venture capital, and technology transfer roles. She holds a Master's degree in Engineering Management from Dartmouth College, with a concentration in climate tech and corporate finance, completed in 2022. My passion lies in catalyzing significant advancements at the convergence of energy technology, venture capital, and policy.

Taylor Bench, Managing Director, Summit Venture Studios

Creating and investing in new ideas and companies describes Taylor's career. Summit Venture Studios launched to license and commercialize software developed by professors and researchers at universities. Taylor can be seen finding and creating business models by day and woodworking by weekend. Working with great people and products that impact markets and bring new ideas to customers is where Taylor finds fulfillment in their work.

Moderator:

Jamie Testai, Best Practices Manager, Osage University Partners (OUP)

Jaimie joined OUP in 2019, where her role is to examine best practices in licensing and entrepreneurial development across our university partners to develop content for dissemination. Jaimie is an alumnus of Rutgers University where she obtained her Masters of Biomedical Science in 2013. Before earning her graduate degree, Jaimie worked as a research scientist investigating stem cell applications in stroke and traumatic brain injury models. She left laboratory work in 2014 to pursue work in research development at Rutgers School of Dental Medicine where she grew the School’s predoctoral student research program by 150% over a 2 year period. Before she left Rutgers, Jaimie was Senior Manager at the Center for Corporate Engagement, where she facilitated industry engagements across Rutgers’ Newark, New Brunswick and Camden locations, serving as the primary point of contact among companies in the biopharmaceutical and medical device industry sectors.