Richard Chylla - Programs and Successes From One of The Heavy Hitters in Tech Transfer

Did you know that Michigan State University Technologies has in the neighborhood of 700 million dollars a year in research expenditures? Listen as Lisa and her guest, Richard Chylla, discuss tech transfer at Michigan State University, the three offices that make up the MSU Innovation Center, his experience with patents and licensing, and much more on this episode of Tech Transfer IP.

Richard is the Executive Director of Michigan State University Technologies, also known as MSUT. Richard is responsible for all strategic and operational issues related to managing the university's diverse intellectual property portfolio. Including identifying and protecting intellectual property, marketing and negotiating technology transfer opportunities with industry, and helping to identify innovation with the potential to form start-up companies.

Listen as Richard discusses how he ended up at Michigan State, the three offices make up the MSU Innovation Center. He speaks about the VanCamp Incubator & Research Lab's plant breeding program and the 4-H Spartan Coding Camp that allows high school-aged youth to develop coding skills through hands-on training.

Richard also speaks about some of his office's most significant start-up success stories, corporate partners, and the chemo drug that put MSUT on the map. He shares some of the biggest challenges his office faces and what MSU does to help women entrepreneurs. Richard discusses credentialing and the benefits that being a member of AUTM provide.

In This Episode:

• [02:46] Welcome to the show, Richard!
• [03:09] Richard shares his background and how he ended up at Michigan State University.
• [04:43] How is your office structured?
• [06:16] Richard discusses the three offices that form the MSU Innovation Center.
• [09:14] Richard speaks about the VanCamp Incubator & Research Lab and the 4-H Spartan Coding Camp.
• [12:05] Lisa speaks about MSUT's fiscal 2019 report.
• [13:00] Richard states that they have worked hard to develop the ecosystem in the area.
• [14:17] Can you share some of your most significant start-up success stories?
• [17:42] Richard speaks about the PhotosynQ project.
• [19:29] Richard talks about some of their corporate partners.
• [21:27] Can you speak about your plant breeding program and how it has helped with corporate partners.
• [23:25] Richard shares one of his office's most prominent successes with a chemo drug.
• [25:28] Have you heard of the Connected Mathematics Project and the impact it has had on children?
• [29:36] What are some of your office's most significant challenges?
• [32:14] Richard speaks about what his office does to help women entrepreneurs.
• [34:54] Richard shares his view on credentialing and whether it makes a difference in someone's career.
• [36:27] How has AUTM evolved, and what do you see for the future?
• [40:28] Richard speaks about his wishes for his office if he had a genie in a bottle.
• [43:00] Thank you so much for being on the show!

Find Richard:

• Richard Chylla
• EMAIL