AUTM

All our most popular courses. In one place. At one time.

Join us September 15–17 in Charlotte, North Carolina, for AUTM University. Choose from six focused courses covering Agreements & Finance, Compliance, Essentials, Operations, Software and Startups.

Register by August 24 to save on registration. Groups of five or more may also qualify for a discount.

Build practical skills, connect with colleagues, and earn up to 17 CEUs.

Register now: https://autm.net/events/autm-university/2026

What can ant colonies teach us about innovation systems?

In the latest episode of AUTM on the Air, Stanford biologist Deborah M. Gordon explores how complex systems coordinate, adapt, and solve problems without central control.

Drawing from decades of research on collective behavior, Deborah explains how simple interactions can create resilient networks, why different environments demand different approaches, and what ant colonies can teach us about collaboration across research, commercialization, and decentralized systems.

Listen to the episode:
Apple: https://apple.co/3ebWO4n
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3C2dVO8

If you are interested in listening to the episode with captioning, please consider using Live Caption from Google: https://bit.ly/3C9s4cu

One mentor saw what others didn’t, and it changed Hyperlume’s trajectory.

The company’s microLED technology began as an idea for AR/VR before a strategic pivot opened a new opportunity in data centers. See how mentorship and early university-backed investment helped move Hyperlume from CDL-Rockies to acquisition by a publicly traded semiconductor company.

Read more: https://bit.ly/4gavxwt

CDL-Rockies: How UCalgary’s innovation ecosystem fostered Hyperlume’s journey Haskayne-based mentorship program and UCeed deliver expertise and resources for startups

AUTM and the Council on Governmental Relations have submitted joint comments to NIST on the iEdison reporting system.

The comments call for a more consistent, efficient approach that reduces unnecessary administrative burden while supporting accurate federal invention reporting.

Read the full comments to learn more: https://bit.ly/4pWwpYJ

How do we prepare the next generation of technology transfer and commercialization leaders?

In the latest episode of AUTM on the Air, Kendra Hargis-Stenzel, Director of Innovation Talent Development at the University of Kentucky, shares how practical, experiential programs can help students and researchers understand the path from discovery to real-world impact.

Kendra discusses the Commercialization and Innovation Leadership Program, the Innovation Training Micro-Certification, and why universities should introduce innovation, translation, stakeholder engagement, and commercialization thinking earlier in the academic experience.

🎧 Tune in now:
Apple: https://apple.co/3ebWO4n
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3C2dVO8

If you are interested in listening to the episode with captioning, please consider using Live Caption from Google: https://bit.ly/3C9s4cu

The U.S. National Science Foundation has awarded 12 new Regional Innovation Engines spanning 20 states to accelerate critical technologies, strengthen regional economies, and prepare talent for emerging jobs.

Each team will receive an initial $15 million over two years, with the potential to earn up to $160 million over the next decade as they build competitive innovation clusters in areas including quantum computing, biomanufacturing, grid modernization and critical minerals.

NSF awards 12 new Regional Innovation Engines to fuel research, jobs and economic growth nationwide The U.S. National Science Foundation announced it awarded the newest NSF Regional Innovation Engines (NSF Engines) awards to 12 U.S. teams across 20 states. These NSF Engines will build and scale…

The 1890 Universities Foundation and The Commercializer, LLC have launched a two-year partnership to strengthen technology transfer and commercialization across the nation’s 19 historically Black land-grant universities.

The collaboration will support faculty entrepreneurship, industry engagement and institutional capacity-building—helping more university research become products, companies and economic opportunities.

Read more:

Invest in HBCU Excellence The 1890 Universities Foundation proudly supports the IGNITE HBCU Excellence Act — bipartisan legislation to strengthen HBCU infrastructure, research capacity, and student success across 19 land-grant institutions. We are calling on Congress to pass this historic investment now.

Meet the 2026–2027 Susan Riley Keyes Fellows: T**ilade “T**i” Ajayi, Heather Amsden and Preston Smith.

Selected by the AUTM Foundation, these rising professionals bring experience spanning academic research, biotechnology, industry partnerships, venture creation and university commercialization.

Through the Susan Riley Keyes Memorial Fellowship, they will participate in AUTM’s Technology Transfer Career Training Program, gaining mentorship, educational resources and access to professional events as they continue building careers dedicated to moving research from discovery to real-world impact.

Congratulations, T**i, Heather and Preston. These are names to watch as they help shape the future of technology transfer and innovation.

https://bit.ly/45yesq6

What does it take to move a promising biopharma discovery from the university lab toward patients, and where can royalty financing fit into that path?

In the latest episode of AUTM on the Air, Ruben Flores-Saaib, PhD, Senior Director of Investments and Business Development at Ligand Pharmaceuticals, shares how his experience across university tech transfer, company formation, industry and investment shapes the way he evaluates new opportunities.

The conversation explores Ligand’s royalty financing model, what makes a program a potential fit, how non-dilutive capital can support late-stage development, and what universities should consider before exploring a royalty-based transaction.

🎧 Tune in now:
Apple: https://apple.co/3ebWO4n
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3C2dVO8

If you are interested in listening to the episode with captioning, please consider using Live Caption from Google: https://bit.ly/3C9s4cu

McMaster University is expanding its international innovation network through a Canada-led mission to Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.

The visit connected Canadian universities with Baltic partners working across AI, cybersecurity, robotics, health technology, and defense, opening new opportunities for research collaboration, graduate education, and commercialization.

McMaster enters Baltic innovation corridor through Canada-led mission - McMaster Global McMaster University is building new research connections in a region emerging as a major center for security research and innovation. The Canada–Baltics Education in Defense Partnership Mission brought Canadian universities together with Baltic partners working in areas like AI, cybersecurity, rob...